# NSW New years mixed bag.



## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

Today being my last day off before its back to the grind meant there was no way i wasn't going fishing. 
There was just one thing I wanted to catch. I wanted a kingfish badly. I've been cursed by the kingfish donut for my last few sessions, actually i won't just say cursed, I've been absolutely robbed. The first attempt was kind of by accident when a breaming session in middle harbour was quickly changed up to trolling kingfish candy to spit bridge and beyond.

This is the perfect little kingfish candy that happily swam behind my kayak through some great kingfish country.








I couldn't believe this squid made it so far through middle harbour in summer, it's just not right. Luckily middle harbour has some awesome breaming and the day was still great.

The next few sessions were live bait sessions in my local (Port Hacking) which resulted in 2 donuts although some great kings were caught elsewhere in the hacking. 
Feeling pretty frustrated by Port Hacking Kings now i accepted an offer to go live baiting of the local cliffs in a friends boat. We prepped hard getting the big toys ready, 50lb braid and leader set-ups and a super early start saw us with a tankful of wicked live baits. Tiny little snack sized yakkas and slimey mackeral filled the well as the sun started to rise and they also filled our minds with the thoughts of the epic kingfish session that layed ahead. As we pulled the anchor and started the motor the boat was clicked into gear and sure enough disaster. A steel rod inside the gear box had snapped clean in half and the motor could not engage into any gear at all. Hours later we were towed home after releasing our stash of livebaits.

By now I'm really ready for a kingfish after the recent failures so I tee up a plan with Rebel1 to head down south and spin some kings from the kayaks. Expectations were high as we drove down the coast to our sneaky yet very fishy reef. On arrival things looked ok, no boats around to spook a surface bite and no wind. The skys were grey and the water was a little bumpy from the previous days wind but all looked good. Its about a 1km paddle from the launch to the fishing ground and as we approached with only 100m or so left a dirty big noah cruises into view. It's headed where we are headed and it wins the game of chicken and i flick the rudder and get out of there keeping a look over my shoulder the whole way back to shore. My reaction from seeing sharks really seems to vary, on occasions I'll stay out if i don't feel threatened but this day was erie and we got out of there.

So this bring us to today and to be honest I don't really expect to catch a kingfish at all, I even packed a bream rod for when it all fails yet again.
It starts of hard as little livebaits are hard to come by eventually I have 4 live baby pilchards but none of them stay alive during the rigging process, oh well I'll chuck one on anyway and let it drift behind me while i cast plastics.

I bought my self a pack of osp mylar minnows recently. I had a packet a few years ago and these things are the bomb when pelagics are being fickle. They are expensive as hell but they are pretty durable and when the chips are down they are well worth pulling out of the tackle bag ( sorry squidder you're going to spend money now) any way I'm casting away and managed what was probably a just legal red bream when during a retrieve the livebait (dead now) gets drilled. The drag is pretty light because it was in the rod holder and i didn't want a hoody to hit a tight drag while I was standing and casting. 
After a cool little fight i finally see a kingfish. Its not big, heck its not even legal but it was a nice way to start the year.








While this is going on andrew has come over after trying to catch some squid. I give him a bait and a hook to suit and he goes about fishing in the same way.
I've only just finished taking some photos and releasing mine when its Andrews turn. He says its not a big fish but then it seems to wake up, it powers off and something goes wrong and his line snaps just below his leader knot, strangely the bait is all the way up there above the break in the line. Well over 1m above where it started. We still don't know why his line broke, there is no structure where we were and one theory is that a tailor had a go at the bait while it slid up the line during the fight.

By now the action slows up and we struggle to find a live bait so we switch to a flats session on lures. I get told by Andrew that its game on and first table fish wins. To be honest it takes us ages to find something. The water is crystal clear and still and i can't even spot a baitfish on this flat. Eventually a tough talking andrew is put into his place as I catch a reasonable flathead. This flathead goes nuts once in the kayak and nearly makes it to my dinner table for his trouble but i have a change of heart and let it go.









Now I'm told the flathead didn't realy count and it had to be a bream. Well a minute or 2 later i catch a bream, then another.
















I'm feeling pretty cheeky now and give Andrew some banter, but now the floodgates open for Andrew. A huge whiting torpedos his lure but doesn't stay connected then he bags 3 bream really quick as well as a flathead and a leaterjacket while i'm left casting without any results.

We head back to shore and see a few guys who had better success on the kings after we left that area, well done guys.

I guess its not too bad a start to the year.
Happy new year all.
Stewie.


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Nice one Stewie. Looks like you got a few sessions in over the break without to much of a crowd. Some nice fish too.


----------



## Stevie (Jan 16, 2011)

Nice one Stewie!

The Hacko is pretty tough going, Darwins Breambo posts aside of course! Are you chasing the Kings up river? (I have an idea where)

The offshore areas where I have a lash at Kings has been very quiet too, as have the Squid. No Bonnies around as yet either...water needs to warm up more?


----------



## wayner (Jan 7, 2009)

You should have taken the silly string as you always do good with that.
Well done any way Stewie


----------



## bunsen (Jan 2, 2009)

Nice one Stu. Sorry I didn't join you this morning, I was all packed up last night and ready to roll. This morning whent the alarm went off about two hours after I hit the hay, it was a serious case of mind is strong, flesh is weak!
I spent the day in the blow up pool with my little boy instead, and it was bloody great. Next time.
What sort of shark you think it was? Big bully?


----------



## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

No idea what it was bunsen, i didn't want to find out either.


----------



## brant78 (Jun 24, 2012)

Nice!

I reckon OSP anything is good quality and worth the money.
Also, those lures for that bream was it a gastronomic, izumi? They are gun.

Love catching kingies. Sounds like a great session.


----------



## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

A flattie, some bream and an undersized kingy. That's a nice little session Stewie even if you missed out on an arm stretching hoodlum. They have to show up in numbers soon! Fingers crossed.


----------



## Darwin (Jul 25, 2008)

Great report & nice catch! I wish to join you soon with some nice picture of Kingfish!

Cheers
Darwin


----------



## craig450 (May 11, 2007)

Awesome stuff Stewie!!

Can i come for a visit soon?


----------



## robsea (Apr 7, 2010)

Happy new year Stewie. A great read and a good start to the year.

cheers

rob


----------



## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

Nice report Stewie, had me crying when the motor wouldn't engage and cheering at the beaut photo of the king.


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Wicked report Stu, that is a wonderful way to start the kayak fishing year.



blueyak said:


> I bought my self a pack of osp mylar minnows recently. I had a packet a few years ago and these things are the bomb when pelagics are being fickle. They are expensive as hell but they are pretty durable and when the chips are down they are well worth pulling out of the tackle bag ( sorry squidder you're going to spend money now)


Curse you, and curse OSP :twisted:


----------



## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

Squidder you have no idea how many dolive craw packets i've been through. I've only used them and the mystery lure in the breams mouth in the photo above in the past 3 or 4 months i think.

Brandt they are not gastro's they are better he he.

Fiddy you are welcome any time.

Bunsen and Darwin I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys catch in the river over the next few months, some one will hit a hoody, probably while I'm at work.


----------



## spork (Jan 21, 2012)

Great report, thanks for posting. Those OSP minnows look great, luckily I couldn't fit another thing in my SP box...


----------

