# Sydney Northside 070808



## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Recovering from recent surgery that I won't trouble you with the details of, it was with some trepidation that I met Avayak at the crack (as it were), but conditions were ideal, and fish were required.

New and better padded seat installed (thanks Biggles), and easy launch conditions meant I started the day with a dry ars3, and we were out on the first mark before 0600. First light revealed a flat, clear sea, with a breath of a westerly.

As has been the case, not much early, aside from the voracious stinky pike (on squid & plastics), so we roamed around looking for action on the sounders. Picked up a nice little snapper (37cm) on the squid, and more stinky pike. Flocks of mutton birds flew continually by.

Spot 3 had a few traces down deep, and the twin of the first snapper came up from the depths. We noticed an albatross fiercely attacking the water as albatrosses do... (doing the math)... hold on, there must be something there, and lo & behold, the cuttlefish fairy had left us an offering. Shooing away a pissed off albatross, I recovered my prize, and chucked a tentacle to (not at) Gary. Almost immediately, my tentacle got eaten, and snapper number 3 came home for dinner, a bit bigger than the other two at 40cm.

Pumpkin time came, and we detoured past a basking seal on the way back. An inelegant exit did nothing to spoil the enjoyment of a beautiful morning, and Gary was kind enough not to take photos. I was glad to stop sitting down ;-) . It's my wedding anniversary, so fish for dinner will be good (I'll have to explain why I couldn't supply tailor though).


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## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

Good report Dave and beaut conditions out there.

Hope the post-op recovery is going well and good work on getting the nice snapps for your dinner.

See ya out on the water sometime.

Marty


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Good little session Dave , didnt you give the Albertross back some of his cuttlefish that you didnt use, a dead cuttle on the surface should auger well for some snapper below , well done mate , must have been a bit painful on the clakker, shame about the tailor .


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Next time Dave, I'll take the snapper off your hands and buy some tailor for your missus


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Peril said:


> Next time Dave, I'll take the snapper off your hands and buy some tailor for your missus


You take the missus off my hands and I'll catch you some snapper.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

verry noice

love the seal impersonating a GW. :lol: 
sounds like a nice morning


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

Nice little brace of Snapper.

Not sure about robbing that cuttlefish from the bird though, sounds like that could lead to bad juju. I'd be looking over my shoulder for a while. (or on my shoulder for those white circles)


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

Awesome conditions!

Nice pan sized fish there too.


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## Wattie (Apr 30, 2007)

Well done Dave,

It has been so long since I caught a decent snapper I have forgotten what it is like.....but.......  .......I bought a Hummingbird 210 yesterday so look out fish.

Anyway, looks like you had a great day on the water and have a great evening with your wife ;-) ;-) ;-)

Well done.


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## tugboat (Nov 15, 2006)

Well done Dave... The conditions looked excellent.


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Hi Dave,
great report, from the photo it looks like the cuttle has at least one of it candles, thats amazing as the albies and everything else eat them first. They are also the best possible part of the cuttle to use, the fish love em.

David


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

keza said:


> love the seal impersonating a GW.


He was lying like that from when we first saw him 'til we got close. Everyone's a comedian  

























onemorecast said:


> Not sure about robbing that cuttlefish from the bird though, sounds like that could lead to bad juju. I'd be looking over my shoulder for a while. (or on my shoulder for those white circles)


I'll take my chances Eric, but I reckon if those guys [email protected] on your shoulder, you wouldn't see much shoulder - body like a turkey. I just bought a book with a recipe for guano soup (seriously).



Wattie said:


> great evening with your wife


Thanks Wattie.



tugboat said:


> The conditions looked excellent.


Bloody beautiful out there Trevor.











Southerly said:


> from the photo it looks like the cuttle has at least one of it candles


All of one, and most of the other. It seemed pretty fresh.

Treated the snapper simply - floured skinned fillets (season before flouring as well as in the pan) fried in hot butter & oil for about 90 sec per side, salt & pepper both sides, finish with lemon. A classic with good reason. I made pan fried chips (cut skinned raw potato into fat chips, parboil in very salty water for about 15 mins, drain & allow to dry (important), then pan fry in 5mm very hot peanut oil for 1 min per side, & season with Maldon salt (I grind it slightly in a mortar). Seriously good chips, cook them before the fish, in batches if necessary. No photos sorry, but all comers were pleased with it. No leftovers, but I made stock from the bones.


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## colzinho (Aug 6, 2007)

what a top meal for the anniversary, nice 1.


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## MrFaulty (May 15, 2008)

send photo of wife!

How come everyone has a sounder except me?? does it really make that much of a difference and what sort of battery do you run it with?


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

MrFaulty said:


> How come everyone has a sounder except me?? does it really make that much of a difference and what sort of battery do you run it with?


It won't help you catch fish, but it can help you find fish. Regardless of whether you can successfully identify fish on the sounder, accurate depth information is make or break for fishing inshore. Entry level sounders start at around $120 on special at Kmart etc. Colour looks cool, but the B&W basic models will still find you places to fish.

I use this for my 5Ah SLA battery, plenty of other solutions on AKFF too.











MrFaulty said:


> send photo of wife!


Send photo of self, she's fussy (Peril's a very attractive man so I'm told).


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

sbd said:


> Peril said:
> 
> 
> > Next time Dave, I'll take the snapper off your hands and buy some tailor for your missus
> ...


I couldn't imagine keeping two women in one house, let alone one greek and one turk. I'll just disappear for a quiet spot of fishing


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

MrFaulty said:


> How come everyone has a sounder except me?? does it really make that much of a difference and what sort of battery do you run it with?


the sounder in my attic seems to make no difference at all. i was had


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

Fantastic to see a seal "sailing". I've seen it so many times at the zoo seal show, now I know it is for real. He let us get get quite close before he moved off. Either kayaks are stealthy or he thought we might bring him something tasty.


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## JT (May 25, 2006)

sbd said:


> Recovering from recent surgery that I won't trouble you with the details of,..
> 
> What is it about the vasectomy that makes it seem so difficult to talk about?
> 
> ...


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## JT (May 25, 2006)

kraley said:


> JT said:
> 
> 
> > sbd said:
> ...


Unbelievable as was Provence. Temps up to 40 degrees which makes it all the harder to come back to this freezing weather.

JT


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

SBD - great report. I can see why you needed surgery to remove that nasty thing between your legs in photo 2! :lol: 
Seriously though great little bag of fish and congrats on the anniversary.


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