Discover the harbour Sydney

[dru]

So I've been inspired by Con:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55649

Having been pushed into action I have a cunning plan to get through the winter daldrums. The idea is to find around half a dozen fishy looking spots in the inner harbour that I haven't really tested yet. Then fish them two weeks running so we get a high tide and a low tide. Or a run in and run out depending on the mood.

Ideally do it again in summer. This will be exclusively gentlemans hours, everyone welcome. Join in at any time. Suggest a few spots if you like. Great chance to share your knowledge if you are experienced. Great way to find a programme to get started if you are getting started. No experience or knowledge required.

Each pending trip to be advertised here...

Each trip will be day time depending on tides running mid morning into a late lunch. Easy! Go on, you've got no excuses now.

[Occy]

What a good idea Dru. Something to stir the juices and ward away those winter blues. Funnily enough I've been thinking along these lines myself after being berated by a mate of mine for my wimpy winter attitude. He wants me to pull my finger out, ignore the cold and rain, and just do it. And do you know what? He's right.

So for the last several weeks I've been dredging the dark recesses of my mind for some interesting areas of the harbour I am unfamiliar with (i.e have never been there or only been there once). A few that have come to mind include:
1. South head and the Gap for squid and the odd pelagic (launch at Camp Cove) - once
2. Hitting up the old coal loader at Balls Head for some breambos (launch at Greenwich/Berrys Bay/Balmain) - once
3. Upper Parramatta River around Duck Creek (never been there but it looks awesome, may have some access problems because of the Rivercats) - never
4. Upper Middle Harbour for some whiting/flatchap/breambo/estuary perch action (launch at Roseville) - once
5. North Harbour for whatever (launching at Forty Baskets) - never
6. Kirribilli Dolphins for some tailor/salmon/breambo action (launching at Neutral Bay) - never

I'm sure there are lots more, and you will have your own ideas, but I thought I'de respond with something more than the usual what a good idea line. I'm free pretty much every weekday except Mondays and Tuesdays. So when do we start?

[dru]

Paul,

That's fantastic! For a first one though I was thinking something a little easier, and btw, right in your local. Hope you can join us.

[dru]

TRIP 1 Lower LCR Sunday 8.7.12 Launch at 10:00am roughly 90mins before tide turn.

More specifically Tambourine Bay 90 mins before high tide, followed by a 1k paddle to Fig Tree Bridge. Return to base. Uses the current in both directions on a truly beautiful stretch of water.

Launch Point, I've done a little reconnoitre And Im suggesting a launch From Tambourine Bay Reserve. Two drive spots into the reserve, off Tambourine Bay Road (about 150m walk to the water) or off Kallaroo Rd (just over 50 m to the water). The launch spot is by the swimming pool (no longer in use). The base is smooth rock overlaid in parts with mud.

For Con, notices in the reserve say that this was the traditional home of the Cameraygal people, there is a fresh water spring and a creek through the reserve. So a good spot to live.

My reconnoitre yesterday saw some young blokes fishing for whiting at the bridge with peeled prawns. Pulled out one monster that I was sure had to be an EP, but no, a 40+ whiting. Go light, gear up for whiting, bream, frogs. Probably a little quiet this time of year but you just don't know.

Sign in here!

[Occy]

That part of the LCR (including both Tambourine and Burns Bays) holds good quantities of fat well fed whiting, bream and some reasonable sized lizards. And the rocky shoreline around Iggys, combined with the weed and sand banks in the middle of the river present well too. Not to mention the deep holes and drop offs around and under the Figtree Bridge, where I've seen many a Jew and some stonker bream caught at the right times and tide.

Mooching around a serene and protected part of one of the prettiest rivers in Sydney, dragging a HB or flicking the odd SP, sounds like a plan to me. By the way, there is also a reasonable launch site in the park just off Burns Bay Road (on the last bend before road at the lights that goes up to Linley Point), but Tambourine Bay is a better one. So I'll pop it in my diary.

[Barrabundy]

I saw this post and was waiting till I had time to sit and read it properly, surprised to see my name mentioned but glad to see I may have rekindled the fire some...two...one? You know what they say about fresh eyes......

I have my ute in dock at the moment and haven't had the use of it for almost 3 weeks now, it's killing me not having something to carry my yak with! To ease the pain I suggested to the family we go for a short bush walk around Townsville for something different (disguised recon for kayak trip to Magnetic Island!).

My wife chose the track which turned to be right near where I'd launch from to head over to the island. Turns out it wasn't the track we were expecting but came across old WWII gun positions and other structures. I've lived hear all my life as has my father and I never knew they were there! They're no secret by any stretch of the imagination but I'd never heard of them nor seen them. One thing led to another, as they often do, and there was a table still visible on the wall of what looked like a lookout or sighting position. It was a list of postions, their bearing and distances and one of them was "wreck". Straight away I thought this was the wreck I'd be wanting to inspect or fish around on my trip (whenever that is). Seeing it listed on this table straight away told be it predated WWII and I knew I had to do some research when I got home.

Last night I discovered it was the SS City of Adelelaide which ended up there in 1920 after being destroyed by fire a couple of years earlier. During the war she still had her masts and a plane doing a bombing run hit one and crashed nearby killing all onboard.

Just thought I'd share that story to show how you can live somewhere all your life but still find something new to get excited about. On the drive home, after having a nice seaside lunch and visiting Reef HQ (the aquarium) and the museum of tropical north QLD, I asked the kids what the best part of their day was......they all said the walk!

Do it, go out and methodically check out the places you haven't seen and let the fishing fishing become a second priority for a few trips. I started doing that here and logged my trips but I still haven't covered the map of my local area with track logs.

[Occy]

Yeh Bb I reckon you are on to something there. Occasionally just getting out there for the sake of it is reward enough.

[dru]

Bumping this. Come on guys, it's gentlemens hours, isnt too hard. Great chance for anyone looking for a buddy to have some fun. No experience needed.

[Occy]

Did I tell you I'm in? Hang on, maybe that's why there's a lack of takers.

[dru]

Did I tell you I'm in? Hang on, maybe that's why there's a lack of takers.

I was counting on ya, and dont be silly. Hope you can show me how to catch a fish other than minute chopper which dont count even as bait as they are too samll.

[Occy]

If we are actually going to do some fishin I spose I'de better make sure I get my gear out of the closet, so to speak. Not that there's anything wrong with that mind.By the way if ya only catchn choppers you are paddlin too fast.

[dru]

[Belly laugh] I get a little freaked by the cold in winter. Don't mind paddling in it, but haven't taken the fishing seriously.

The lower LCR has been a spot that I paddle through on my way to the mangroves further up, or simply paddle through on a fitness campaign. a beautiful spot to be certain.

After Con's Sydney harbour thread it's time to stop and smell the roses... Or flick a few SPs.

[Barrabundy]

Yep, smell the roses.

After a tradegy that struck close to home on Monday and then my kids telling me stories from their visit to the home for the aged today, I'm really into smelling the roses. They went along in Greek national dress and danced a few dances their parents taught them at home. When they came home they told stories about one old lady who was holding a doll and treating like a baby, another who tole them she had to meet her mother at the bus stop....nurses found her out on the road, others were sittig there dribbling down their pyjamas with no idea what was going on.

I reminded the kids that those old people were all young like them at some stage, they weren't born old.
.....smell the roses!

[blueyak]

Hey guys don't forget the ssbs (squidgies southern bream series) is on this sunday. Its both boats and kayaks. While comps may not be your thing you could check out the weigh in and see what did get caught.
There will be people fishing all sorts of nooks and crannies in the harbour and i reckon some of the fish you see weighed in might help with some motivation for some winter fishing, maybe even highlight some spots or techniques you've overlooked.

Just a thought, there will be plenty of 'k' guides too.

[dru]

Hey guys don't forget the ssbs (squidgies southern bream series) is on this sunday. Its both boats and kayaks. While comps may not be your thing you could check out the weigh in and see what did get caught.
There will be people fishing all sorts of nooks and crannies in the harbour and i reckon some of the fish you see weighed in might help with some motivation for some winter fishing, maybe even highlight some spots or techniques you've overlooked.

Just a thought, there will be plenty of 'k' guides too.

I dropped in on a comp based out of Canada bay roughly two weeks back. Spoke to half a dozen bass boats on the harbour, all very friendly I have to say. Didnt seem to be too much fish action going on? Where is the weigh in?

Somehow I htink these guys wont be mid rand rods, let alone cheapies. Mind you I wouldnt mind seeing a famed Duff in the flesh.