AKFF weekend - Durras lake NSW

craig450 · Oct 12, 2008

The AKFF Durras weekend was held over this weekend and we had a great turn out of some very keen yakkers.
On Friday night, some of us got out for a short afternoon fish, Koich and i arrived at about 4pm and met up with Bart70.
Patwah, Profishional (with his VERY keen son) and Justcruisin32 were already out, and Ado and Jon arrived sometime after.
We all stayed fairly close to the launch spot since we had to meet others at about 7pm, i landed about 4 Whiting, while Koich the 1st time popper user was getting follows and swipes but no hookups.
Just before 7pm we made our way back to the ramp, and met up with Caught2, Arpie, and Kyles.
Squidder, Paffoh, Claire and Scleburne arrived not long after.
We all stayed around for introductions and a chat before heading our seperate ways to get some rest in preparation for the early launch the next morning.
Koich and i arrived at 5:30am on Saturday, and Squidder was already there setup ready to launch!! :shock:
Most of us were on the water by 6am, and within a few casts myself and Squidder had a couple of whiting each and some small Tailor. It looked like it was going to be a hot session but suddenly all went quiet and everyone was working hard for their fish.
Follows and strikes were common but hookups were hard to come by, but after a couple of hours Squidder hit a hot spot!!!! (ill let Jason tell his story) but for most of us it was tough.
Mal.com, Itchyant, Itchyant senior, and Marty turned up (sorry i missed you leaving mate) and Buddahbelly came along also (sorry i missed you completely Phil, so many yakkers in Hobies)
I finally managed to find some fish, and scored at 35cm Bream, closely followed by a 36cm specimen and after that i landed another 6 ranging from 27cm - 33cm, but really struggled with the Whiting until late in the day and finished up with 11 Whiting and the 9 Bream.
Some quality fish were landed, and im sure by the end of the weekend everyone had some fish.
Squidder and Caught2 did particuarly well with the Whiting, and Profishional and Ado did quite well with the Flathead so we would love to hear some more about that.
Paffoh and Claire covered a lot of ground and many different techniques, and Claire landed (IMO) the tastiest fish of the trip 8)

.
I started to head back to the ramp at about 3pm, leaving Pescado he said ill put in a few casts over here and head back. Koich and i packed up, drove back to my house cleaned up and got some supplies (beer) and still beat Pescado back to the ramp for the evenings social gathering :lol: :lol:
We got some pizza (SOOOO much pizza) and all sat around for a chat which was fantastic, such a great bunch of people came along.
On Sunday morning we launched at the same time, though this time Squidder was already fishing when i got there (keenest fisho award goes to Squidder :lol: ) along with Ado.
Early in the session i landed a 58cm flathead on the surface lure, and finished the day with 6 Whiting with the biggest going 36cm.
We all packed up at lunchtime and had a final chat and gave away some prizes before the farewells.
I would love to hear from everyone else on how the weekend went.

I would like to thank everyone very much for coming along and making it such an enjoyable weekend, and a big thanks to Justcruisin and Arpie for travelling such a long way to be a part of it.
And a special thanks to DaveyG and AKFF for supporting the event and to Paffoh for such a big helping hand with organising and running the weekend.
It was great to meet some new people and to catch up with everyone else, and i look forward to the next meet.
Thanks again to everyone

Some photos to come soon

.329 · Oct 12, 2008

Thanks guys for organising a great get-together.

My fishing results were pretty poor compared to the others - one 30cm whiting, and a few small tailor - but it was great to chat with a few other members. Unfortunately I was only able to fish Saturday, started around the back at 7am only to arrive just after squidder's hot session

. Went back to the ramp for lunch and then headed out near the entrance, but found only more snot-weed, so jigging for flatties was a bit difficult (althougnh I hear there were still a few rippers picked up). About 2.30 I was buggered (not much sleep the night before due to the bub), so I packed it in, had another chat to Kyles at the ramp, then headed into town and spent heaps at Charlies. I did mean to head back to Durras for the pizza, but after a couple of beers watching the cricket I was soundly asleep on the couch at 7.30...

Although I only ended up with the one whiting, I did have a heap of hits - slashes, with the whiting coming out of the water sideways! - but really struggled to get the hooks to stick. I was using a bubble pop 35 in white/clear - any tips craig on hooking up?

Kyles and I also witnessed some pretty crazy surface action near the ramp at lunch, with a small taylor? being hit at, repeatedly launching out of the water three or four times, with something pretty big chasing it. Lots of water splashing about, maybe it a massive flattie? Not something that was expected during the middle of the day.

Anyway, had a great morning even though I didn't get a lot of fishing in, thanks again to the boys for organising!

Marty · Oct 12, 2008

I only managed to get out on the sat morning , until lunchtime . After a slow start I found a hot spot that I dont normally fish , There was a boil of fish around 20 metres away , and cast about a metre to the side , the lure barely hit the water when it was hit like a house brick thrown in the water , whatever it was took off on a 45 degree angle and spun out about 30 metres of line very quickly

, before breaking off leaving me down one PX 45

I lost another PX45 a while later to a 20 cm tailor ( couldnt believe it ) , trying to be smart flicking the fish off with pliers I accidently nicked the leader and watched a shitty little tailor swim away with my $20 lure

In total I managed 6 whiting and 3 Tailor , I had some savage strikes that never hooked up
I apologize I couldnt get back for the nights festivities, my bad back of a few weeks was really bad and Iwas in abit of pain

Everyone who I met was very friendly , and I would like to thank Craig and Paff for all there hard work

,
we didnt get a chance for a chat Craig , but im sure I will catch up with you at Durras many times this season mate
Driving home made me realise how lucky we are Craig to live so close to such exciting fishing
ITS GOING TO BE A GREAT SUMMER

As for the big bustup , I reckon it was a really big whiting or a Salmon

mal.com · Oct 12, 2008

Hi to all, The Durras weekend was a great success, we really enjoyed the chance to meet more of the AKFF'ers, and it was a in an area, we should spend more time in, that bit of coast is absolutely beautiful country.

Fish wise, and in esturary fishing in general, I need to do a lot more work, but it was good to see how it should be done.
Thanks to Craig, Paffo, and not to forget Davey G & AKFF for supporting the exercise, and to everyone involved it was a great week end.

I'm now hanging out on EBay for a light weight spin outfit.

cheers
Mal.com

scleburne · Oct 12, 2008

Great trip!!! :-D

Thanks to Davey G, Paffoh, Craig... who have I forgotten.. oh Roberta for donating the blow horn! (It may save me on my offshore trips!). Also Kim for helping me choose some lures! It was just an AWESOME weekend!

31 cm bream. My first Bream since I was a child. It really surprised me as it hit and took line since I was basically heading flat chat back to base for lunch and just flicking the shallow diver either side as I went. (Obviously you can't do this with a paddle yak!)

Getting ready for my ocean launch on Sunday. They say variety is the spice of life. I was the only one to head offshore instead of back to the lake on Sunday.

Kayak ready for a sunrise launch at Durras beach .JPG

Everything stowed or attached securely. dispite the tiny waves that I waded through anyway.

Awesome....

When I actually got a strike I didn't believe it and my confidence in trolling big lures in open water has sky rocketed! My rig? An old shimano reel designed for 4 lb mono loaded to the brim with 100 yards of 9 lb braid and then over-loaded with 30 m of 30 lb $5 kmart jervis walker mono! (Which kept untwirling everywhere when I tried to keep it on the reel).
The rod is a Jervis walker telescopic which came in a kit with "EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GO FISHING!!!" from Kmart for $20. The lure is a Halco extreme deep diver which at RRP was the most expensive piece of the kit apart from the 9 lb braid which never even left the spool the entire time...

Sometime around the Christmas period I am doing a trolling/camping trip from Batemans Bay, south to Bermagui. If anyone is interested in this 2 - 3 night trip, I would love the company! PM me. I have friends and family along the way for lifts/emergency backup. I will bring fishing rigs a little more suited to the conditions next time... :lol:

craig450 · Oct 12, 2008

Ant, that bubblepop you were using has caught me plenty of fish from Durras, but on Saturday i suspect they may have been a little shy, the short strikes were happening to all of us.
Squidder did well to land so many in a short period, but for myself i had hundreds of strikes over the weekend that missed the lure and im sure many others did too, when they are "on" you just keep popping and they hook themselves.
Id love to meet up down there sometime and have another poppering session with you mate.

Marty, thats bad news about the lost PX's mate!!!!!!
I had a massive strike on Saturday that didnt hookup too, its probably the biggest surface strike ive experienced and its left me wondering.
We will definately be seeing each other at Durras mate, its come on in a big way already so it is shaping up to be a ripper of a summer.
I often think how lucky i am to have had the oppotunity to move down here, its something i always wanted to do and still have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure its no dream :lol: loving it here mate.

Mal, it was a pleasure to finally meet you, and look forward to meeting up again for a fish.
When you get that light combo, it would be great to see you down at Durras again

A few photo's

36cm bream

35cm bream

A few yakkers

Justcruisin32 fishing the flats

58cm Flathead

Pescado with a very nice whiting

justcrusin · Oct 12, 2008

Gday All, Great weekend on the lake, thanks to all concerned and Davey G for his help.

Friday arvo started terrific 3rd cast over the flats and I bring a little 28cm whiting on board, thinking there would be plenty more I released the first fish of the weekend for luck. But that was it for the arvo, couple of beers that night and off to bed for an early start.

Saturday morning I hit the water around 6am, there was a bit of surface action around as I joined the group on the flats, cast into the swirls and a very sad and strange PB for me, mullet on popper :shock:

continued up the lake following the locals taking a short cut on the way.

seemed like Craig and Squidder had the placed wired, but after a couple of popper switches I found the right coloured px45 and a nice 35cm whiting joined me.

Ended up getting around eight whiting with only two big enough to be bothered keeping. But just when we thought the weird popper fish had ended along comes another PB my first Garfish on popper no less.

I headed in for lunch with the better half, pan fried whiting mmmmm. Then I headed back out for an arvo session of bad luck. Crossed paths with squidder on the way back in the water in front of him erupted. So I loaded up a 50mm bevy pop in shiny silver to mimic a mullet. Around the next corner it worked on a large flatty. Bad luck stepped in an the trebles gave way. Replaced the trebles and the water erupted again down the lake a bit, full steam ahead towards the boil and launched the bevvy pop into the mix where it was quickly inhaled and then gone. Large tailor hitting the mullet bugger'em.

Nothing else that arvo and headed back for a clean up before the pizza night, up on the bank some locals came around to check the yak out.

to be continued

paffoh · Oct 12, 2008

A short summary would read something like this,

About 18 - 20 participants all catching good fish ( Sans me, go Claire! ) and enjoying good company. Saturday we owned the boat ramp most of the day ( Not a soul on the water ) and after a misty morning Durras commenced firing. Everyone did a great job figuring out the system with Patwah, Dustin, Craig and Jason notable standouts ( Sans me, go Claire! ). A massive feed of 17 pizzas / 7 Garlic Breads was the table of fare for dinner Saturday, thanks to AKFF and Davey G for his edible donation ( Also thanks to Jason the 'Pizza Donkey' ). Sunday's yaks at dawn revealed a warmer morning with a strong Bream population with the occasional upgraded comp entry ( Mainly Caught2's 39.5cm Whiting, Pescado's 38cm Whiting and Scleburne's 53cm Cuda ).

Farewell gathering was fun with prizes and back slapping to boot, many thanks to AKFF, Davey G, Arpie, Craig450, Coffee Guru and Yak Fisher for the more than generous support. Many species turned on a show with some more prevelant than others, some crazy fish activity was recorded over the weekend signaling a promising future to the summer months ( Must be a few BIG fish chowing down right now ). Great to see such a good turn out for a South Coast event, props to Justcruisin and Arpie for making the 6hr trek down )... Unlike previous events in this region the weather was almost immaculate!

Some photo teases ( More to come ) :

justcrusin · Oct 12, 2008

The pizza night was great, plenty of food and tall stories all round, Sunday morning and I only had a short time on the water before we had to check out. Headed around the corner around 5:40 and squidder was working the flat with Ado disappearing around the next bend. We worked up reasonable quickly to the area all the action happened the day before. It was pretty quite with the sun coming up across the lake.

Chris joined us and we saw Ado over in another bay and headed over. I started working the shoreline and a huge bream followed my px out struck hard my leader popped and the gun lure from the day before disappears. Bugger
After a quick tantrum I tied another PX and a drift later landed a nice 30cm bream that gave me a bit of curry circling the yak before I landed him

As the drift continued the flats got deeper and the snags were looking really good, so out came the trusty SX40 and in he went, boom absolutely smashed and another treble went begging

not my weekend. I continued on an started another drift down the bank to land a HUGE 4cm bream :lol:. But it wasn't long before another 30cm bream joined me and another. Then the SX gets smashed again but I get him out of the snag quick enough before he wipes me and a nice 36cm bream joined me. Damn these fish were Fat and feisty going harder than any bream of this size I had caught before.

At that point I had to call it a day and head for home. But a great weekend was had.

Cheers Dave

T-curve · Oct 12, 2008

Wow..looks like a great spot guys and some quality fish, well done to all

Jon · Oct 12, 2008

hey everyone

thanks for organising a great trip, most of all thanks to Craig450, Paffoh, Davey G and the other AKFF members.
it was really good to finally meet some other Akff members

Day 1 Friday around 5 launched from the boat ramp and could see other kayaks in the distance. Since this was my first time at Durras lake starting trolling until i realised how shallow parts of the lake was and that there was the weed refered to as snot weed everywhere mading it exremely difficult to troll. paddled up towards everyone else and changed to a popper and manage to catch my first whiting on popper after a million and one casts.

Day 2 Saturday launched the yak at 6 was quiet for a few hours untill i peddled up to where craig450 and squidder, they seem to make popping look easing with Squidder catching one after the other at one stage. After casting and casting finally started to get follow after follows and near misses and managed 2 whiting the biggest just reaching 28cm and a PB garfish of 31cm. also caught a few flatties the biggest around 45cm.

Day 3 Sunday launched at 6 paddled near ramp caught a few tailor around 23cm and a leatherjacket, packed up camp and checked out at 8 got back in the water around 8:30 and fished until 12:00 managing to catch a few small bream biggest around 28cm and a small mullet.

overal it was a really good trip

to be continued

Revo · Oct 12, 2008

Well done everyone! Great to read your reports - really puts Durras on the map!

For Canberra-based AKFFers, you'll be pleased to know that I put in an appearance on LBG on Sunday morning (I had to work the rest of the weekend

) thinking that, with all of you at Durras, there'll be plenty of yellas just for me - but, once again, no yella for revo.

So, they're still waiting for you when you get back!

granpop · Oct 12, 2008

Sorry I couldn't make it. Seems as though you all did better there - I only managed pest sized redfin on LBG.

Hopefully next time

Cheers

Dave

powerslave · Oct 12, 2008

Apologizes from me too both my kids and my wife were sick so had to attend to the duties at home,, looks like a great weekend i hope that i can make the next,, didn't even have a chance to go down the LBG so no reports at all,

Davey G · Oct 13, 2008

Great stuff guys and girls. Looks like a good weekend was had by all, and glad to see that you've broken the AKFF 'Bad Weather' curse that has plagued most of our previous get togethers.

How about some names to go with the faces in the group shots?

pescado · Oct 13, 2008

First of all, a massive thanks goes out to Craig (for organising the event, spending his hard earned on prizes and for letting me crash at his pad), Paffoh (for the coffee and his fine presenting skills), Arpie for donating the "blower" and other goodies, Yak Fishing magazine for getting onboard, and to AKFF and Davey G for supplying the pizza on sat nite. The trip was really something special to be a part of, and getting a few fish in great company was just a bonus.

Day1 - I didn't get down till 9.30 sat morning - saw Squidder paddling back to clean his catch of stonker whiting :shock: :shock: and thought I was going to be in for a great session. As it turned out, very tough going, plenty of small tailor making things annoying during the hotter part of the day. Did score 2 small mullet on poppers tho which was a first. ;-) Finally found a bank early afternoon that produced a few fish and gave this a going over with Craig, Adrian, Paff, Claire and Kim nearby. Some nice whiting came to the party finally on a storm popper, and a 33 to the fork bream that really went hard in the shallows on 1lb string. Also memorable was a nice lizard that nailed a wriggler right beside the yak, only to have my leader loop pull through the jighead….what the???!!

After this I sort of lost track of time (might have been the beers that id started consuming between spots

;-) ) but fished a few bays on the way back to the ramp that produced a couple more whiting each. Chased some crazy surface action for a while, seeing schools of small tailor leaping free of the water with a terrified look on their face, then just getting churned in big balls of foam. Back to the ramp at 7ish, nearly 10 hours on the water, burnt to a crisp. Couple more beers and some pizza, catchup with everyone and talks of said bustups had us all keen for the next morning.

Day 2 - out there at 6, misty, Craig gets a solid hit on his first cast of the day, its looking good. Nothing from then on (for me anyway), finally got a 38cm whiting after about 1000 more casts and a good size gar who attacked my storm popper. Got a gnarly wind knot losing 30m of braid, pulled hooks on a couple, jigged for some lizards but the snot weed made things difficult. Back to the ramp for final presentation and hoorays at around 12. Shocker all round but better than being at work ;-)

Some other highlights:
1. Massive surface bustups and small tailor getting marauded by an unknown predator (had to be a JEWIE ;-) :lol: )
2. Dave (justcrusin) doing his nana over a lost bream and px....i could hear you in the other arm of the lake mate lol
3. Ado getting his first of many whiting off the surface, onya Adrian!!
4. Paddling out in the early morning mist with craig-four-fiddy on sunday..
5. The shocking state of Squidder's fish-n-dive, seriously needs some TLC jason :lol:
6. Roberta's kitted out Hobie Sport - that thing is a weapon!
6. Putting faces to many names and reports that ive read on the forum, always good to meet new people, catch up with others and generally talk shop and have some laughs with other keen fishos!

Cheers all, couple more photos, bit slack with the camera over the weekend..

Squidder · Oct 13, 2008

What a great few days, catching up with some old friends, making some new friends and catching a few fish to boot.

Mega kudos to Craig450 and Paff (and Claire) for all their organizational efforts, and to DaveyG/Roberta/Paff/Craig/AKFF for prize donations and pizza. The weekend had a fantastic and friendly vibe and everyone who helped organise it should be well pleased with themselves ;-)

Like all good fishing trips, it started with a session on the inkers. 8) I caught 4/lost 2 on Friday afternoon at Squiddly spot x, and failed to get Scleburne onto his first squid - sorry Scott, next time mate. The squid were flash fried for dinner that evening, magnificent!

Saturday morning dawned foggy and cool. Craig, Josh and I were first on the water. I managed a reasonable tailor on the orange Hopper Popper, then my first whiting not long after. Then it went quiet as we searched the system for fish.

It was great to see Durras full of yak fishers!!

After a few hours of prospecting I had a very lucky 25 minutes, as I found a school of cooperative and hungry fish which allowed me to land around 10 whiting from 25-36cm in quick time. This exhausted my mojo however, and I struggled royally for the rest of the weekend

, only landing a few more tailor and small whiting, missing hundreds of hits, and failing to complete Sunday's aim of a big gar on a popper (maybe next weekend!). I did see some 30cm mullet getting chased by something MUCH bigger, and some crazy surface boils, so I am keen to keep hitting Durras for the next few weeks .

Thanks Paff and Claire for organizing such sweet accommodation (a lovely house set in the bush about 5 mins drive from Sth Durras boat ramp). On Saturday afternoon, while Paff enjoyed his compulsory "nanna nap" Claire and I fed some friendly kangaroos……..and participated in some shenannigans, I'll let the photos speak for themselves. Sorry Paff, I couldn't help myself!! :lol:

I also witnessed something bloody strange and unusual, after our morning session on Sunday, Chris (Pescado) had his kayak in the shallows, and was pouring water over it and scrubbing off the sand and slime, had me mightily confused I must say, I think he called it 'washing the kayak' :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

koich · Oct 13, 2008

Fantastic weekend socially, shame about my fishing effort hey

.It was good to meet a heap of you and catch up with some others. Cheers to Craig,Paff and Davey for doing the hard yards. It was a cracker of a weekend.

We still need to see Scotty's sunday trolling effort in photo form, that was my favourite catch of the weekend for sure.

I'll see some of you canberrans on the water a bit more frequently now the weather has warmed up. ;-)

koich · Oct 13, 2008

your pics aren't working Jase, although I don't know if I want to see the kangaroo one in a larger size. :?

Davey G · Oct 13, 2008

koich said:
your pics aren't working Jase, although I don't know if I want to see the kangaroo one in a larger size. :?

fixed it for ya jase..

Ado · Oct 13, 2008

I've been remiss so far in not contributing to this excellent adventure write-up. For now I just want to say a HUGE thanks to Davey G for the AKFF food sponsorship (and for being a hero generally), for Paff and his marvellous MC'ing and the Coffee Guru for the drinks and take home packs of caffiene, Craig450 for his donations of time, effort, hard earned for prizes, poppering tips and for generally being such a damn fine fellow, and to Squidder and Pescado for assisting me to become the fisherman that I always knew lurked within. It's so great that people in this forum share their best spots and expertise rather than holding their fishing lures close to their chests.

I will write up a report, and it will be too long as always, but it will just have to wait until work and household commitments subside.

koich · Oct 13, 2008

Davey G said:
koich said:

your pics aren't working Jase, although I don't know if I want to see the kangaroo one in a larger size. :?

Click to expand...

fixed it for ya jase..

That's the censored roo photo, there is one that's kind of well.... disturbing.

justcrusin · Oct 13, 2008

2. Dave (justcrusin) doing his nana over a lost bream and px....i could hear you in the other arm of the lake mate lol

Glad to be of service, at least the PX didn't go in vain, It provide some entertainment :lol: :lol:

Cheers dave

RedPhoenix · Oct 13, 2008

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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Squidder · Oct 13, 2008

Davey G said:
fixed it for ya jase..

Cheers Davey

Your provision of pizza cash and a lot of the prizes amazed us all, it was greatly appreciated and you are owed many beers

koich said:
That's the censored roo photo, there is one that's kind of well.... disturbing.

Yeah, I left that one out, it didn't translate so well from tiny camera screen to the big screen ;-)

redphoenix said:
family emergency in Melbourne made things difficult

Hope all is well mate ;-) Sorry I couldn't catch up the other week down the coast, I had a bit of a Canberra emergency I had to race back for. Will be in touch soon about a potential visit northwards, will keep you posted

Davey G · Oct 13, 2008

Squidder said:
Cheers Davey Your provision of pizza cash and a lot of the prizes amazed us all, it was greatly appreciated and you are owed many beers

You guys have singled me out a few times for thanks, and I'm glad that the goodies were welcomed. However I'd like to make it known publicly that the prizes and cash for pizzas etc were provided on behalf of all the AKFF mod team and came out of the AKFF kitty/prize stash. I'm merely the AKFF squirrel that holds and distributes all the AKFF nuts..

Hmmmm that sounds wrong doesn't it.

However I'll gladly drink all your beer 'on behalf of the AKFF mod team' next time we catch up... 8)

AKFF weekend - Durras lake NSW

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