# Long Reef 3 Feb 08 - my bait tube works



## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Gatesy a quality kingie, and good to see the tube did it's job OK


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Excellent result Michael, glad to hear there are still fish in the world. I'll be tapping on your window at 0255 for the next livebaiting run. I hope the rest of the report is as positive - perhaps yesterday was anomalous.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Top effort Mike , gee, i'll say this for you , you work hard for your fish , and i think they appreciate your efforts as you always manage some good uns , well done Mike


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## Sanman (Jan 1, 2007)

That's dedication, Gatesy, and immaculate preparation and it's paying dividends. Good effort and well done.
Sanman


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Hey Well done mate - good on ya for always giving new things a go - looks like one day you might get the magical meter fish !!!!


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Got to the ramp at 5.10am with a few yaks setting up, the wind was howling so I just stood there. Finally launched with Johnny about 5.45 after convincing myself that the wind was droping. Paddled out into a slight but sloppy sea with a fair bit of swell comming through out the front. Copped a couple over the side and gave the electric bilge pump its first real workout.

Paddled towards the boats as one had hooked up, then bait and kings lit up the sounder, pulled in the trolling lines and re-rigged with a fresh squid head from yesterday morning. Instantly hooked up, after a short fight a 60cm king comes in. Rebaited and dropped for a quick hookup on another king, this time a keeper at 67cm, yippee, by this time gatesy had his big king so I was thinking maybe a better run of fish is around. But it was not to be fish 3 to 7 were all undersized, one only just. Used up all the fresh bait and switch to frozen self caught squid and cuttles, landed another king, then things quiented down, so I gave away the rest of my squid and headed in.

Busted off on 3 fish, missed a few good hits, most were landed most on squid, I also had a 5in gulp jerk shad in nuclear chicken hanging under the boat, had quite a few hits but only 2 hook-ups, one landed and one skunking. I was pretty much on to fish the whole time so had a great morning.

Used my brand new Daiwa Cetrtate Hyper 4000 for the first time, it is bloody awsome, didn't even start to work on the rats, while my Daiwa Kix 4000 flexes horribly when cranking a king.

Good to meet a few of this sites stalwarts for the first time. Bring on the social.

David


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

Good on ya Gatesy!
Another productive morning!
You've really got those brownie points working overtime going to the bridal do!


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

Nice work!

Those kingy's sure sound like a lot of fun.


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

Sounds a good result so far boys, and gee I admire your dedication to fishing Gatesy making 2 launches in differnt places, but the size of thse kings made it sound like it was worth it. (Father in Law has hinted that he might be willing to give me his 4 ft salt water fish tank, I wonder how long Yakkas could stay alive in that?)

Sorry I missed the action today, it was raining when I got up but I left anyway, but it got harder the closer I got. Decided to pull the pin halfway along Mona Vale (St Ives) as it was pissing at that point. Went back home woke at 7:30 and it looked fine


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Hi Eric,

No rain on the water, it all fell on the land while we were out.

David


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## mattayogi (Feb 11, 2007)

Couple of top reports there! Well done boys!

Gee you get some action down your way! I imagine those kingies put up one hell of a fight.

And a 3AM get up for live baits - that's big league stuff!

Matt


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## paulb (Nov 12, 2006)

I got to the boat ramp at around 5.30 to see a line up of yaks ready to go - I launched a shortwhile later with Nick (I think) who was on his first time Longy outing. Conditions were typical of previous trips, more wind than forecast, sloppy seas - but lots and lots on the sounder. I was fishing squid strips and pulled in a small snapper and a few sweep. It was only as I caught up to the others nearer the wall, did I get into the kingies - or to be precise they got into me, as apart from a small 55cm who fought like he was twice his size, everything else seemed to reef me in a matter of seconds (appart from a few more sweep that I hooked). A little while later Gatesy offered me his final yakka, which I graciously accepted and hooked up to my downrigger which I realise now that its too close to my pedals and I kick it everytime I peddle  . Anyway some 10-15mins later the live bait goes off, drag screaming long and hard - - great, clear the second rod, wind in the downrigger ----- too late, reefed again  
So retied some more 50lb leader, put on a squid head, dropped it over the side and got ready to set the other rod up -- zzzzZZZZZzzzzz - ping.

Tied another leader on, then paused to take some photo's of Johnny with his keeper and second rod going off. In the mean time my unbaited hook had snagged on something on the back of the yak, and didn't want to come free. So I thought I might be able to turn around on the yak and lean over the back and maybe free it - I got as far as facing backwards, whilst on my knees, before I fell out of the yak, with a large splash :lol: Ahh well, might as well unsnag the hook whilst I'm in - then quicksmart back into the yak, before the sharks notice.........

Finally got the rig back into the water and a few minutes later, I'm on again - this time I refrained from pulling to hard to early, instead keeping the line taught whilst peddling to get over the top of the fish, gradually lifting, steady wind - till I saw the leader knot and shortly thereafter landed a keeper at just on 65cm.

Not too long afterwards the wind started picking up and the drift too fast so I decided to call it quits and get my dinner home safely.


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## MattsAdventure (Nov 24, 2007)

I arrived just b4 five and was on the water to aid gatesy with his tangle round rudder from live bait tank, what an invention, headed straight out after bout 5 mins had hooked up on first king 63cm, then i had a few hits no hookups for a while gatesy came and offered me a livey how could i say no hooked it up put it down then whack very nice hookup great fight 67cm, then resorted back to my squid strips gatesys livey must have put some luck into my rod hooked up pretty much everytime i dropped after that, got 10 kings in the yak by the end lost 3 and got absolutely monstered by 1 snapped my 50lb line in about 3 seconds didnt even have time to react, ended up with 2 keepers.

Great day conditions were ordinary on the way out but got alot better by 9ish exit was to easy no sand monster action at all.

Thanks for the livey gatesy my mrs already gave me what u said she would :lol: forgot to scream your name though hehe (how convenient)

Have you put up how to make the live bait tank yet??

Matty


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## MangoX (Feb 18, 2006)

Well done Michael, a truly dedicated kingie hunter.

Great report, glad to see LR still firing.

Just a question re your bait tube: why not just the straight tube like the other models around ? is it easier to get the fish out that way ?

Livies seem to tempt the bigger fish down there. Stick baits will attract the smaller ones and squid is like a lucky dip sometimes.

Is there anywhere to catch yakkas at LR ? I've seen stinkboats speed out towards Palm Beach for the bait grounds.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Headed out to The Wall, with Matt pedalling past me. Had a quick chat to one of the boaters then set up my downrigger with an sp. Premature release so reset and start paddling south. Check line and its released again. Reel in line to discover no early release. Braid had simply broken. This is the third and final unexplained breakage from this spool of 30lb nitlon. I'm replacing it with 50lb mono ASAP. Wound up bomb and recovered sp.

Went south to reef found last week. A few more boats around this time, some anchored, one trolling. Drifted and cast sps for a total of two undersized snapper, two maori wrasse and a mado. The mado was a surprise in that the jig went down sporting an sp but came up, after an initial snapper like take that morphed into a dead weight, looking like this:

Later trolled back to The Wall and then the ramp. Everyone else was gone by then

[Edited incorrect fish id - thanks David (southerly)]


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

Guys, there's millions of yakkas/slimeys off Longy if you know the area. Closest place to the launch ramp is a place called the 'Picture Show' ground, just out from the Services club off Collaroy beach.
A better spot though its a longer paddle, is at the 'Black Road' grounds at Narrabeen. The only trouble with the yakkas/slimeys of the 'Roy and Narra is that they are normally about a foot long and the fish that eat them off the wall/dropoff are naturally, quite big! I use a heavy 'lead line' in my mates tinnie and its quite easy to win the battle over the rocks but in our yaks it's just feeding them and losing gear unless you get them away from the bottom.

Tight lines,
Rick


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

Southerly said:


> Hi Eric,
> 
> No rain on the water, it all fell on the land while we were out.
> 
> David


Dave,
That's what I was hoping when I left the house (Hornsby way) this morning. "Doesn't mean it's raining on the water" I convinced myself. But it just got harder the closer I got. Next time I'll drive the last 20 minutes and see for myself.

Glad to read you did well.


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Hi Guys, yakkas (thankfully smaller ones) can often be caught in the basin at longy, just paddle out 50mtrs anchor up and berly. Been a long time but I would surprised if yakkas did not frequent there. Plannng to try the area for squid also. Was too windy this morning to contemplate, the basin was very sloppy early.

David


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## fisherdan (Apr 17, 2007)

Good effort there Gatesy, does your tube rise any when you are under way, I am trying to rig mine to create as little drag as possible, hopefully having it ride with it's "bow" up a bit may help this.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Southerly said:


> Hi Guys, yakkas (thankfully smaller ones) can often be caught in the basin at longy, just paddle out 50mtrs anchor up and berly. Been a long time but I would surprised if yakkas did not frequent there. Plannng to try the area for squid also. Was too windy this morning to contemplate, the basin was very sloppy early.
> 
> David


No problem with yakkas, but the rules for the aquatic reserve don't permit taking other than finfish


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Thanks for the reminder Dave.

David


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

Peril said:


> Southerly said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Guys, yakkas (thankfully smaller ones) can often be caught in the basin at longy, just paddle out 50mtrs anchor up and berly. Been a long time but I would surprised if yakkas did not frequent there. Plannng to try the area for squid also. Was too windy this morning to contemplate, the basin was very sloppy early.
> ...


I know this is a dumb question, but what fish don't have fins?


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## karnage (Jan 18, 2006)

onemorecast said:


> Peril said:
> 
> 
> > Southerly said:
> ...


think he might mean squid


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Hey Dave, I love the pic of the mado impaled on the jig head, best impression of a fish suicide I haqve seen for a long time, pitty they make lousey live bait.

David


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

Went to Longy as a virtual orphan last Sunday for 6 kings/1 freight train-3 meters deep fishing.This Sunday the fish were deeper- and of a bigger 60cm class.Great to meet Matt,Tim,run into Peril,Seascrambler Henry,Gatesy and his trolled custom bait tube...his diligence in precollecting live yakkas showed me up as an amateur..
Conditions were overcast,quite reasonable, with little current and a diminishing wind that flattened the waves..
1 rat king,1 snapper,black sweep?..ran outa squid-pickers,sweep... including a monster bream with pigfish like choppers...then Southerly,who was giving me a master class in kingy fishing,kindly left me his little 4 cuttlefish..He is the squid king and a kingy master...
2 freight trains-60lb leader rubbed off...3 keepers...fish 1 meter off the bottom ...so 750 penn big drag almost tipping me out..turn em quick to mid water...
Paul B in his top new revo kindly took some photos...
Everyone did well...boats seem cumbersome ,unadaptable and noisy=less productive in comparison
Thankyou to every akffer for a top time
johnny


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## woopie (Mar 18, 2007)

Top effort Guys those Kingies sure do go.
Welldone Woopie


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Ok Gatesy , it looks like you get the crown back , 79cm , even with the renowned stretch , thats a nice fish , you de king Mike :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Peril said:


> Can anyone explain how a fish can replace an sp? I did not adjust the rigged fish in any way for this photo


Diver with a sense of humour?



murd said:


> Closest place to the launch ramp is a place called the 'Picture Show' ground, just out from the Services club off Collaroy beach.


How far out murd?



onemorecast said:


> Dave,
> That's what I was hoping when I left the house (Hornsby way) this morning. "Doesn't mean it's raining on the water" I convinced myself. But it just got harder the closer I got. Next time I'll drive the last 20 minutes and see for myself.


Nothing wrong with fishing in the rain Eric (not thunderstorms). The fish don't mind, they're already wet.

Well done again boys, I'll be up with the lark one day this week, bait tube at the ready.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

Well done everyone, after Saturday's result I was starting to think they headed off. Nice to see the quality is up.


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## jaredluke (Nov 23, 2007)

Nice fish Gatesy that's the biggest kingie I've heard in a while of longy. well done.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Mike , i agree , i think you can put that down to a few really keen guys PIONEERING and evolving as specialist kayak fisherman and no doubt sharing their knowledge ,but also learning and sharing the ability to handle big fish from a very smal craft .In the short time that we have been fishing off the yaks and initially being very happy to handle flathead and bream off our craft possibly because we thought thats all we could handle , we have followed the path set by some of you , who are without doubt , the real pioneers of pelagic fishing off kayaks


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## hoit (Aug 29, 2005)

Well done guys. It's just the motivation I need to have another crack at the rats we get down here.


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

'Closest place to the launch ramp is a place called the 'Picture Show' ground, just out from the Services club off Collaroy beach.'

Dave, next time I'm out there I'll try and grab the GPS mark for everyone, rather than say '200 mtrs NE of the pool while positioning the stormwater pipe with the 3rd pine tree near the red house being painted green' etc.

Sometimes you can simply see the yakkas schooling on the surface. If not, a bit of burley nearly always brings them on.

Rick (murd)


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## craig450 (May 11, 2007)

Wow!! fantastic result guys, some ripper kings in that report.
Well done


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Gatesy, 3am hey? Hmm, at that time I had just gotten to bed after a friends 40th party...... :shock:

Anyway, great fishing, and good preperation. Reminds me of our FAD trip last year when you got us all up at 3am to catch yakkas at Manly wharf.. I was cursing your 'earlybird gets the worm' attitue then, but it seems as though you may have been onto something.......

Have you been pinning the yakkas through the nose or in front of the dorsal fin?


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Next Q, the gape of the hook - do you have it pointing forward ??? ie king swallows head first the yakka ??


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Nice work - so with the down rigger the fish must swim pretty much in the direction your peddling ie he's not free roaming around up and down etc - where this is going is that the hook on the top LHS remains horizontal (and it remains like this on the down rigger) ?


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## Breambo (Apr 19, 2006)

I reckon if you guys start down rigging livies youll get better fish like Gatesy did. I have found the bridle method as described by Spooled1 works fantastic, as when Im using heavier gauge 6, 7, 8 O hooks it tends to tire the bait quickly, the rubber band bridle keeps them swimming well even after theyve been picked up ran with and spat back out. I just use a bobby pin for a bait needle. Using livies is probably the best and most cost effective out of baits and lures.


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Breambo said:


> Using livies is probably the best and most cost effective out of baits and lures.


Yes but catching livies WHEN YOU REALLY WANT THEM is also one of the most frustrating things in fishing!  Damn sneaky buggers are never around when you want them!


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## Breambo (Apr 19, 2006)

Gatesy, usually only 1 downrigged at a time, and sometimes one downrigged and one on top, never two downrigged.
Transporting I have a collapsable bait bucket with an aerator, just change the water frequently, but my preferred way at the moment is in the footwell :shock: with the scuppers blocked, the splash and waves over the side keep the water cool and every now and then unplugg and get a fresh lot of water. I know a lot may not like this method but I can keep heaps of livies this way in good nic, they dont get in the way but dont tip over or youll loose the lot!! If you are going to two spots check out the collapsable live bait buckets with aerator from any bait shop.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

the small cable tie trick instead of a rubber band works quite well to and i find it easier to do on the yak.
Just cut a few cable ties to a point before you go.


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## redracingski (Jan 29, 2008)

I can personally vouch for that bait tube that Yakman and meloncutter designed 2 years ago. Trolls straight as.


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

redracingski said:


> I can personally vouch for that bait tube that Yakman and meloncutter designed 2 years ago. Trolls straight as.


Yep, my bait tube and the versions as used by Gatesy & Avayak are direct descendents of that fine lineage.


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## hawk (Jul 1, 2007)

Great livie tank have you heard off keeping herring this way . Tightlines Hawk


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## Furion (Jun 24, 2007)

I arrived about 5.20am and yes Paulb you headed out with me Nick aka Furion. 
Within 10minutes of moving out I got a nice hit from a Sanpper on a hard body stumper jumper. Turned out to be a nice 40cm snapper.

Proceeded out a little further, carefully watching Paulb getting seemingly closer to the rocks and the swell picked up a little. Bit cautious being my first trip out of longy I stayed well clear of the rocks but started to have a connection failure with the sounder battery (fixed now). Put out some small whole squid on Gamasaki suid rigids and had a small run.. love that sound, very small fight but no kingy this time. Took a few happy snaps, but all out of focus due to the sloppy swell tried to work on the sounder out there but only temporarily worked ...

A good first trip, certainly one of the earliest hookups I've had.

I look forward to the next one.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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