@ al ,

 

There is a boat yard on Mountain Hwy just near the end of Stud Rd IIRC. They regularly have a sign out for fresh flathead tails on weekend mornings. If I wasn't riding past on my bike I'd stop to get some as flathead tails are my wifes fish of choice, not fishy as you say, no bones and nice firmer texture.

 

Personally I really like Kingfish if fresh, but not that common down here.

 

Interestingly, in January I had to stay overnight in Venice and go to a meeting nearby the next arvo. Went for an 8am walk with colleagues to sight see and came across several fishmongers set up in little squares around town over the course of a couple of hours. Talk about fresh, half of the stuff on the table was still gasping or crawling!

 

blybo thanks for the heads up...this is gold for info...fresh fish...and not fishy

 

ps my best fresh fish experience was in italy as well. the fish was described as having a really ugly face...as didn't know the english name for it...but it was fresh..just whacked on the grill with a little salt, lemon, olive oil and a touch of herbs... grilled for few minutes and was just yum ! never ever tasted anything like it

We can't do that in Oz.

 

You see, the middle man has to get his cut in this country. In fact, several middle men.

Back home preparing dinner and a little tale ...yes a fish story -_-

 

While casting for flathead I sometimes double up and have a rod holder in the water and a bait sitting out there and today when I did it I was leaving a gutter, so wound in the set line...hmmm, something heavy on the end, hope it's not a Royal Doulton(a plate...a stingray, they love worms and I was using them). So slowly wound it in as it was heavy and I was using light line.

The thing was doing weird runs and then the sinker popped out of the water and as it's a running sinker it shouldn't be so far up the line but it was and pushing it up the line was a fish head, a whiting head to be exact sans its body. A few more winds and out popped a foul hooked tailor and when I say popped I mean popped as a shark was following it.

 

Close inspection of the fish head showed that a much larger fish than the tailor had engulfed it's body but it wasn't the shark as I'd have nothing if it had been a shark, so the obvious culprit is a really big Greenback(name for large Tailor as they get a greenish tinge down there back).

 

Much scratching of head and then a quick pic for proof of story. I kept the tailor too.

 

Weird eh.

 

Here's the schooly(small Jewfish from about 400mm up to 1m or so) they are just the most beautiful fish straight out of water and they eat a treat fresh on the table.

 

So that's my day today but I'll be working all day tomorrow to pay for it if you follow me. I swapped days as the weather is wrong tomorrow for my fishing style.

Fly reel with a float on he'll catch bugger all LP...

 

 

*Unless he's Luderick fishing.

Fly reel with a float on he'll catch bugger all LP...

*Unless he's Luderick fishing.

Side caster? Do they still exist? Haven't fished much in 25 years but remember an old rod I was given as a teenager had one

@@blybo Yes most assuredly they still survive and actually thrive in QLD where I think they find eggbeaters a bit too technical  judging by the number of QLD plated 4wd's that infest my beach at holiday time with half a dozen rods strapped on and all with Alvey reels(side casters) on.

Alveys are far more durable in surf and sand but can be a real pain in the backside if you dont know what you're doing. I dont mind using an Alvey during daylight but I always end up with a catastrophic bird's nest when its dark.

@@Ugly Alveys are great in the surf as you say and are a ripper of a reel for fishing for big Jew as you have a lot of control over a rampaging Jewie on his first explosive run(32kgs is my best effort on a shallow diving lure off a cliff using 40lb on a big alvey(no clutch) ).

 

I stopped using them purely because of their weight as I tend to spend a minimum of 6 hours to a max of 10 in the surf and a light carbon fibre rod with 4500/2500 sized eggbeater is much easier than an alvey. The light alveys are ok though.

 

Bird's nest are usually caused by not feeding the line back on  correctly when winding in, you use a sideways motion with the finger you use to feel the bites, stops the line building up in the middle and lays it back evenly on the spool.

I miss beach fishing. Used to do alot of it when I lived on the coast. Moving to the mountains 8 years ago has made fishing......difficult. I have a big alvey reel and one piece 7144 rod under the house gathering dust. I agree that it is heavy gear....probably too heavy for most of the fishing I did.

You are a lucky man Luc.

I miss beach fishing. Used to do alot of it when I lived on the coast. Moving to the mountains 8 years ago has made fishing......difficult. I have a big alvey reel and one piece 7144 rod under the house gathering dust. I agree that it is heavy gear....probably too heavy for most of the fishing I did.

You are a lucky man Luc.

@@Ugly

Mountains are nice, especially when they are Blue ones.

All Blue Mountain streams used to have the sometimes elusive freshwater blackfish and don't they eat a treat. Google them.

Edited February 28, 201511 yr by Luc

I miss beach fishing. Used to do alot of it when I lived on the coast. Moving to the mountains 8 years ago has made fishing......difficult. I have a big alvey reel and one piece 7144 rod under the house gathering dust. I agree that it is heavy gear....probably too heavy for most of the fishing I did.

You are a lucky man Luc.

The Blue Mountians has some of the best trout fishing in Australia, if not the world. Just a little 12 Klm stroll and and you can't see the bottom of the pools for trout. The only issue is that it is downhill on the way in, and up hill on the way out (and carrying a backpack full of trout uphill for 12 Klm is lots of fun)

12 km walk up hill sounds a little too much like hard work John, although a pool full of trout does sound nice[emoji1]

Not often I'd argue with the Grand Poohbah but Lake Taupo, the Tassie hydro lakes, the Grampians and the Dargo High Plains have some terrific fisheries.

The Grampians and the Dargo High Plains in particular would I'd imagine fish as delightfully as the spots in the Great Divide that John is speaking about.

Made the trip quite a few times in my younger days, walk in Friday night by torch light (if the moon wasn't out - nighttime in the bush with a full moon out is something special), that way we were up first thing Sat morning fishing, fish all day, camp overnight, a bit of fishing sunfpday morning and walk out in the afternoon. May through July was the best time.

Edited February 28, 201511 yr by skippy124

Not often I'd argue with the Grand Poohbah but Lake Taupo, the Tassie hydro lakes, the Grampians and the Dargo High Plains have some terrific fisheries.

The Grampians and the Dargo High Plains in particular would I'd imagine fish as delightfully as the spots in the Great Divide that John is speaking about.

I'm going by my trout fishing mate who introduced me to the Blue Mountians, he was a passionate trout tragic, and had fished most of Australia and New Zealand, and always said that the best trout fishing was right on our doorstep so to speak.

And having a 10lb trout on 3kg line and a 5ft telescopic rod is some fun!!

Edited February 28, 201511 yr by skippy124

I buy my fish from the same Aussie shop in footscray.

They even have a sign that says all fish from Australia and New Zealand.

Al, my buddy.

Give barracuda, Spanish Mackerel, fresh sardines, King prawns, Atlantic salmon a try.

Didn't really know that not many people eat or know about seafood.

I am happy to help with information as fish curry and rice has been my staple food from when I was learning to talk.

Mmmmm, fish!

 

 

@@Luc love those flattys. Am a big fan of them.

 

Al, there are so many excellent Ozzy fish to eat.

Try some Snapper, Dory or Groper/Harpuka (not to fishy) fillets from a local fish munger.

There is so much to discover and eat.

Best avoid the imported stuff.

Nothing beats fresh a fresh Bass, the best pound for pound fighting fish apart from perhaps a mangrove Jack or Barra, and fantastic scenery whilst throwing out a lure. 

 

Agree with the Jacks and Bass and would add threadies and Saratoga to the great local freshwater sport fish list. Barra in all sizes though have to be the most overrated "sport" fish around though. Coupled with being an average table fish and I really struggle to see why they have the following they do?? 

Got to 38c up here today so that was a major factor in hitting the beach at  7 this morning, come 9 oclock half hour before high tide and worming was all done on a fast pushing full moon tide, no easy feat let me tell you to catch worms on the top of the tide.

 

Proved a futile exercise as it turned out although it's always fun chasing beach worms but by 2 oclock only one whiting in the esky and it was hot even when fishing chest deep in the gutters.

 

Low tide and the turn was my last chance to stock up and at exactly half hour into the turn the flathead came on and when bonkers over the lure and I bagged 7 around the 450mm mark and one big girl that pulled the tape to 710mm, didn't even get to wind as she hit on the surface as it landed and went airborne with it like a barra...fantastic stuff. Quick photo and back she went.

 

3.2kgs of fillets so it was a good day although ten hours on the beach takes it out of you. Only saw three people all day and that was after three so 37ks of pristine beach all to me(and a lunatic in a gyrocopter), fantastic!

al (mods ) - I vote we rename this thread : "Luc's brag files" or "How I spent my day" or my favorite " How I hijacked / derailed a thread to become (my) Catch of the Day" 

Are there no other contenders ?? 

 

I still have to take @  al out of his comfort zone (the couch) and lead him deep into the wilds wading raging torrents risking life and limb ,(well maybe numb tootsies and  wet gonads at the least :eek: ) in pursuit of the wily, elusive & mystical"Salmo Trutta" or otherwise known as the less impressive laymans term of "Brown Trout" 

We have a mad fisherman on our shift now. Almost every shift he's cooking a fresh catch .

We have a mad fisherman on our shift now. Almost every shift he's cooking a fresh catch .

 

LOL!!! 

Rex Hunt's other brother! Luc - - - - 

Haha.

 

Omnipotent person with a sense of humour it seems.

 

Tempura flathead and veggies with a Jap bonito soy and a nice Riesling from Yea that I'd never tried before (Trellis) was last nights dinner.

 

( @@evil c )Oi Evil one it's about time we saw some of these mythical trout your banging on about all the time...

 

I might beat you to it. Going to this joint chasing Cod in a week or so and there might be a trout or two in there(not sure about that).

And yet another chapter upcoming in the ongoing "Brag Files"!

 

Haha.

 

 

 

( @@evil c )Oi Evil one it's about time we saw some of these mythical trout your banging on about all the time...

 

I might beat you to it. Going to this joint chasing Cod in a week or so and there might be a trout or two in there(not sure about that).

 

 

 

Merely trying to inject some color to keep the natives awake! 

 

"Luc" - "and 12kg of prime fillets after a hard days yakka, blah blah" - - - - snore