SSAFA Newsletter May_Jun 2015 - South Sydney Amateur Fishing

Transcription

Issue: May / June 2015
South Sydney Amateur Fishing Association
SSAFA - Newsletter
Steven
Siarakas
Editor:Editor:
Steven
Siarakas
e. [email protected]
m. 0431 580 480
m. 0431 580 480
Contacts
PRESIDENT:
Stan Konstantaras
p. 9344 0331
[email protected]
TREASURER:
John Burgess
p. 9311 3200
[email protected]
SECRETARY:
Joe Garufi
p. 0417 491 868
[email protected]
CLUB RECORDER / TAGGING:
Silvestro Severi
p. 0412 252 663
[email protected]
EVENTS ORGANISER:
Berenice Rowley
p. to be advised
ANSA DELEGATE
Edo Rutstein
p. to be advised
FCA DELEGATE:
Matt Manson
p. 0407 825 828
MEMBERSHIP OFFICER:
Pat Ashbury
p. 0409 549 571
[email protected]
Message from the Editor
There are plenty of members in action in this edition of the newsletter. Jim and Mark get amongst the
trout, chop shows us some pics from his most recent northern charter with jeff, Stan is breamin his favourite waterway, Mallacoota, there is a fantastic report from Mark Holland on the Offshore World
Championships 2015, Max shows off some great fishing tattoos and the Intellectual Angler is discussing the elite art of chasing surgeons. Our regular reports are informative Chris giving us an update of
the blue water scene, Brad has a new little princess angler to fish the estuaries with, Stan reports on
the freshwater and Josh is getting the winter gear and clothing ready for fishing the wintery rocks. Jim
Sterianos gains the coveted club member award and there are plenty of club members showing off
their catch. Till the next club newsletter enjoy the cool weather fishing
- Dr Steve (ed)
F ishi ng Cale ndar - D ates f or Yo ur D iary
SSAFA - Newsletter
Upcoming Events
May
6th
Meeting Night
15 - 17th
Lake Lyell Convention
June
3rd
Meeting Night
July
1st
Meeting Night
Page 2
Douk’s Dish - Kaffir Lime and Lemon Grass Grilled Trout
Ingredients:
10cm stick (20g) fresh lemon grass, chopped coarsely
4cm fresh ginger (20g), sliced thickly
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sweet chilly sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 green onions, chopped finely
1 whole ocean trout (2.4kg)
1 lime, peeled, sliced thinly
10cm stick (20g) fresh lemon grass, sliced diagonally
1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded thinly
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cooking:
1. Blend or process chopped lemon grass, ginger, garlic, oil, sauce and juice until smooth.Stir in onion.
2. Place long piece of baking paper on bench; place fish on paper. Fill cavity with lemon grass mixture.
3. Score fish three times both sides through thickest part of flesh; seal cuts with lime slices; sprinkle
fish with sliced lemon grass and lime leaf, fold paper over fish to completely enclose, then wrap fish
tightly in foil.
4. Cook fish on heated oiled grill plate 25 minutes; turn, cook about 20 minutes or until cooked
through.
5. Serve fish sprinkled with coriander; serve with lime wedges.
Bon Appetite,
- Douk
Page 3
SSAFA - Newsletter
Talbingo Trout - Jim Siarakas
As a regular attendee to the ANSA Talbingo
comp I was disappointed to find out that
the 2015 comp had been cancelled. So
rather than give the area a miss for this year
I did the ring around to find out who
wanted to spend a weekend chasing trout
in the Talbingo dam. It became very clear
to me this was going to be a solo trip with
my regular buddy Billy unable to attend,
brother and nephew caught up with soccer
commitments, the professor all booked up
with work and NSWANSA Presso also declining.
Talbingo is part of an intricate waterway
that primarily services the power station
and as such water from other near by reservoirs is pumped into a very deep Talbingo which makes it full for most of the year. Now that is a lot of water
in this dam and a lot of water between fish which makes it very difficult for new lure anglers in particular to
the area to get amongst the fish. The bait fishermen seem to do OK but you have to be keen to be out there at
sub zero nights casting out a frozen worm or powerbait. In addition the morning and afternoon bait bite is
also quite short. Same basic rules apply pick the points and cast your bait.
In my case I don’t do a lot of bait fishing I’d rather be pinging lures around and obtaining little bits of info as I
go along. I have noticed that once you get the lure fishing sorted you can get very good fish all day long. For
this trip I used the feral cat blades custom painted for me by Greg Catt and they did the trick. Long casts letting
the blade sink then a combination of hops and bumps followed by slow roll. There really isn’t an exact
method but lots of trying different retrieves to see
what works, what you don’t want to do is try the
same unsuccessful retrieve over and over that is a
guaranteed way of NOT catching any fish.
I can highly recommend a couple of days away
from routine life. I was once told that as you get
older life gets busier and time is precious so use
your time wisely to allow for the simple pleasures
that are often forgotten
Enjoy Fishing the Salt Water this Autumn JJim
Page 4
Page 5
SSAFA - Newsletter
Snowy River Trout - Mark Gaal
For all you wannabe trout sophisticates out there with
your expensive 4wd, over priced fishing gear, warm 5 star
hotel beds and evening restaurant dinners, this article is
not for you. This article is for the real sub zero camping
bushy that can hear a trout rise in the night and instinctively throw a fly to the splash and hook a record trout,
fight it blind, enjoy the freezing experience and release the
fish without a photograph because you are content in
yourself and don’t have a desire to share that moment
with anyone and are comfortable within yourself not to
prove to anyone that achievement.
In this trip to the snowy region I fish with my mate Stuart
Bell in a secret destination. After-all part of the magic of
truly roughing it is to do the hard yards and long walks
and discover new water ways, work out that system, tie
your own flies and capture your prize. I have been doing
this type of adventure for I don't know how long and with
every trip that same buzz of getting away from it all still
resonates today as it did the first time.
After finding our camping site, pitching the tent and
unloading the gear, some nourishing billy tea was consumed before taking an exploratory look at the river.
What we saw were some very big trout in the under cut of the river bank nosing into the current looking for a
feed and the more we explored the more trout we saw. I don’t know if it was the cold but there were many
tingles of excitement felt. The rods came out, flies attached and practice wanding commenced, all ready to
sneak up on the river trout. Back and forth and back and forth and a gentle lie of the fly upstream of the river,
twitch, twitch and bang splash a sizeable brown
launches into the air and swims down with the
current, it is in this moment if you put the handbreak on too strong, “pop goes the weasel” and
the trout swims away. Luckily for us we are old
hands at fighting running water trout and we
were able to land most of our fish.
Back at the camp site after a good days fishing, a
nice fire, a feed and a drink in the alpine outdoors is a content way to cap off a wonder full
day.
- Gaaly
Page 6
Page 7
SSAFA - Newsletter
This Issues Photo Entry Winner !!!
Northern Mother Ship Sunset
Photo by Chop
Page 8
Page 9
SSAFA - Newsletter
Top End Charter Trip - Mark Reid
A lot of the club members know that Jeff and I love travelling north in search of tropical pelagic and
table fish. On this trip we hooked up with Cannon Charters GOLDY to guide us on this tropical sports
fishing adventure.
You guys know I am man of few words so enjoy the pictures, If you want to find out more about this
charter buy me a drink at the club and I can provide you with the info you need.
Mark “Chop” Reid
Captain Hells Bells
Fisherman Extraordinaire
Former Winner Club Member of The Bi-month
Furuno Australia
Page 10
Page 11
SSAFA - Newsletter
Page 12
Page 13
Fishing Tattoos - Max Chater
Something a little close to my heart
Thank you, Than you
very much Max
“legend tattooist
"Chater
Page 14
SSAFA - Newsletter
SSAFA is Sponsoring a New Member's Draw
$50 Tackle Gift Certificate for our Wednesday
Night Club Meetings.
To claim the prize you must be present at the meeting otherwise
the Gift Certificate will jackpot to the next meeting and so on
until the prize is claimed.
Prize can only be claimed from Global Tackle
Page 15
SSAFA - Newsletter
DOB IN ILLEGAL FISHING !!!!!!!
Further to our last club meeting please find listed below
the number to call to report illegal fishing activities.
Don’t forget, do not approach, don’t remove anything
from the area and report it quickly, even if you have to
leave a message.
1800 043 536
Joe Garufi
Secretary/ANSA Delegate
South Sydney AFA
Page 16
RFA SAFETY
Page 17
SSAFA - Newsletter
The Intellectual Angler - Neil Kemp
Q:
Dear Mr Intellectual Angler. I’m a young girl who has recently started fishing with my dad in a
more serious way. We are learning more new techniques and different things about all types of fishing. A friend of ours, wink wink, has been teaching us Blackfish catching; not fishing as we get quite a
few, as Neil says, but here is my question. Since we are getting so many every trip it kind of gets a bit
boring so how can I make it more interesting when I already get more than my dad?
A:
Glad to hear that the private lessons from the good old I.A have been paying off so well. The
best way to keep the fun rolling is set challenges every trip. It may be for size or number caught, but
knowing that your dad’s reflexes are nowhere near yours it may be a bit unfair to the old fellow.
My recommendation is the challenge of another fish. Throw the gauntlet to the old man and tell him
today’s challenge is – The Surgeon Fish or better known as Prionurus microlepidotus. Now this is no
ordinary fish my little padawon. It has a reputation as being one of the hardest and toughest fighters
in the estuary, pound for pound. They run like the Bondi Express and are usually responsible for the
majority of float losses when fishing for Blackies.
Not many guys in your fantastic Fishing Club would have had the pleasure of catching them so they
really are a challenge. Ok, how to get them . . . pens out for notes, ears ready for todays lesson . . .
and we’re off.
They swim with the blackfish but they tend to show up during certain cycles of the moon with certain
weather conditions and are most prolific during the colder months. They luv to hang on the edge of
kelp beds and sit fairly deep, usually swimming under the Blackies. When you watch the float for their
bite it tends to be more of a sharper pull and very fast, hence why the older guys have issues catching
them – reflexes are not so good anymore. Once hooked up, they turn on their side and run like the
space shuttle returning to mother earth.
A word of warning though, be very careful handling them as the flutes on their side will cut you to
the bone, hence the name Surgeon Fish. Now if you do get one I can strongly recommend the following recipe as they are great on the plate:
1. Bring 2 cups cold water to a simmer in a large wok over medium heat. Line a 30cm bamboo
steamer with baking paper. Place steamer over water. Place fish in steamer. Cover. Steam for 5 to 10
minutes or until just cooked through . Carefully transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
2.Meanwhile, combine coriander, onion and chilli in a bowl. Combine ginger, garlic, sugar and soy
sauce in a heatproof bowl. Place peanut oil and sesame oil in a saucepan over high heat. Cook for 2
minutes or until starting to smoke. Carefully pour over ginger mixture (mixture will spit).
3.Drizzle ginger mixture over fish. Top with coriander mixture. Serve with rice and greens.
Balls in your court now, let the old I.A know how you go and please don’t be upset if you find it
hard to catch a Surgo as they really are a massive challenge.
Page 18
Remember folks, I’ve forgotten more than most will ever know when it comes to fishing so if you
have a yearning to know something – ask the vault of knowledge” The Intellectual Angler.”
UPDATE TO THIS STORY
Hi again Mr Angler, I took your advice and gave the challenge to
dad. As usual I smashed him by catching the Surgeon. I did everything you said and it was just how you said it would be, a great
tough fight.
I can’t thank you enough for the kind help and care you have given
me. We are so lucky to have you to help with these things or it
would be just another day with throw backs to show.
And mum said thanks as your cooking skills were as good as your
catching advice. She learnt a new cooking recipe as well and it was
the best food I have eaten.
Is there anything you can’t do or don’t know ?
Glad to help - Neil ‘If I don’t know it, then it’s not worth knowing’
Kemp
Page 19
SSAFA - Newsletter
Mallacoota Bream - Stan Konstantaras
Another trip to Mallacoota inlet in search of the waterways famous large black bream always has
great anticipation. This years trip like every trip comes with its own adventure, in this instance nature
the week before we set off decided to drop many, many inches of rain in the region and the colouration of the water further upriver was a grey brown that looked uninviting. To say the fishing was
hard was an understatement, Mitch managed a nice bream but we didn’t drive 9hrs for single digit
capture and release.
The place has been made pretty famous by a number of high profile videos which has also seen fishing pressure increase of recent times. When we first started fishing the inlet 2+kg bream were expected, now it seems it’s the 1+kg fish that get anglers excited.
Closer to the mouth the colour of the water was a little better and I managed this fine specimen
above, again there was a lot of water between fish and even though the sounder showed plenty of
markings it seemed the entire system has been shut down from the rain.
Mallacoota is still a great place to fish and a fun road trip with mates.
ANSA Presso
Page 20
Page 21
SSAFA - Newsletter
Blue Water Report - Chris Anagnostou
Coming off the back of summer and into winter I think most of the game fishing fleet
expected more.
The late run of blue Marlin didn't really happen, while there was the odd fish taken by
those boats doing the hard yards on the wide grounds, over all the Sydney and surrounds didn't really produce this year.
With the blues usually come the first smatterings of yellowfin which once again were a
no show. A handful of decent fish came through at one stage in March and April but it
was slim pickings for the entire fleet.
Those that chose to stay in closer did find striped marlin on the shelf. There wasn't
many fish taken but those putting in a full day could definitely expect to get a bite or
two.
With winter well an truly here it seems the entire fleet is waiting at the ready for the
tuna to come into range. I believe one recreational vessel managed to find the first
bluefin last week along with a very large yellowfin but had to travel over 80 nautical
miles east to find them.
It's literally at any moment that the current can swing into the shore and bring these
fish substantially closer to the recreational fleet but until then - we all sit and wait for
these favourable currents to push up on our shores !
Till next report patience and perseverance
Chris
Page 22
Page 23
SSAFA - Newsletter
Estuary Report - Brad Biddleston
Well as the water cools even further
down to 16-18 degrees in Sydney Harbour
and surrounding areas, the fishing hasn’t
changed too much, just the location for
targeting them.
Some anglers say fishing the deep can be
slow and tedious but when the fish are
biting it’s always a nice way to go, and
with added chances of good by-catch the
day can be very rewarding.
Whilst you may still get the odd Bream
on the flats, it is not the general rule for
this time of year. Sources are catching
them in the deeper waters around the
Harbour and can be targeted with Blades
and appropriately weighted with 1/8th jig
heads and small soft plastics. Fishing boat
hulls and pontoons is still taking fish as
well, though for a reliable bag the deep is
the go.
Kingfish are still haunting around the various channel markers and Middle Harbour
as well with the majority falling to downrigged squid and live bait. Soft plastics
such as 5 inch jerkbaits will still get a few
though put the poppers and large stickbaits away till the changing season ahead.
Page 24
Most other pelagics have moved out of
the system by now, so the small Mack
tuna and Bonito will be rare. However
the Salmon schools are still around spotted to keep most entertained till warmer
waters return.
On another note with the Whales migrating down the coast, there are some great
family moments to be had taking them
out for a whale watching tour,,,, with a
bit of fishing thrown in off course .
Page 25
With winter mornings like the one in this
article where else would you rather be?
Tight lines,
Brad Biddleston
.
SSAFA - Newsletter
Freshwater Report - Stan Konstantaras
Heading into Winter:
With the bass dams shutting down a bit, the focus now is on trout and from what I am seeing
on social media – Murray Cod.
The trout have started their annual migrations up
the rivers to spawn and are easy targets for most
anglers with club guys like Mark Gaal, Stewart
Bell (see earlier report), Ivan Maric, Andy Burke
and myself making the pilgrimage over the past
few weeks to the Snowies to fish the rivers and
dams. With big and aggressive fish around you
Page 26
can see why anglers are keen to brave the cold.
Trout patter lures and egg imitations are the way
to go this time of year and light spinning outfits
perfect for these rigs when you add a few spilt
shots to get the rigs down.
Although there are resident fish in the rivers, the
numbers of fish are definitely higher during the
winter months, when the spawn run trout make
their way up in search of gravel beds and mating
partners, not to mention the abundance of tasty
eggs floating around. Another big factor in making a trip worthwhile is the height of the river.
Spawning trout rely on rainfall to raise river lev-
els so they can progressively move up the river.
Apparently they leave most of their upstream
movement until after dark, but will also move
through the day if there is cover of dirty water or if
they are desperate enough. The best advice I can
give is to plan a trip in June or July after some decent rainfall up to a week before, and keep a close
eye on the River Heights web page.
Murray Cod, well that for the next newletter.
Have a chat to me at the Club if you need some
more tips.
Cheers
El Presidente
Page 27
SSAFA - Newsletter
Beach & Rocks Report - Josh Joseph
Well, didn't autumn pass through quickly!
There a less days in shorts and shirts as we try to
hold off wearing our winter coats as long as possible. We had some very ordinary weather which
saw mountainous seas as heavy rain and wind
sweep through the Eastern states. But.... we will
see the benefits from this down the track as all
that food flushed out of our rivers and estuaries
will see fish hungry for a feed.
The local beaches have been fishing well for
Salmon and Tailor in particular. The Salmon will
improve as water temperatures decrease and the
Tailor will bite until July.
composite rods with braid. My current beach
outfit is a Daiwa Heartland rod rated to 12lb 20lb lines. It is 12 ft in length, light as a feather
and very sensitive in the tip. I have this matched
to a Shimano Thunnus 6000 in a Ci4 material. It
also has the Baitrunner feature which is handy
when the Salmon are a bit finicky in taking the
bait down. Matched to some quality braid in
15lb breaking strain, and you have an outfit that
will handle anything from the beach.
The Luderick have been biting well from the
rocks. Experiment with your weed selection as
some days string will out fish cabbage, and don't
be afraid to use smaller baits if required to get
bites.
The Drummer haven't been in full swing yet as
water temperatures are still relatively warm, but
this is only around the corner. One fish that has
showed up in numbers is the ever reliable Silver
Trevally. My last rock session produced a few
fish on the tail end of a Luderick session. They
are not yet the kilo plus models, but again, these
larger fish will bite better when the colder water
hits.
There are some really nice gutters in close at the
moment and the fish have been coming right in
to feed on the run up tides either at first light or
dusk and into the night.
I managed a few good Salmon and a couple of
Tailor fishing my favourite period which is the
run up to the full moon in the late afternoon and
early evening when we had a break in the seas.
Half pilchards were working better than whole
ones.
For years I used Alvey reels matched with fibreglass rods and monofilament lines. Nowadays, I
findPage
myself
using thread line reels and graphite
28
My game plan for winter rock fishing is to pick a
morning high tide. Get down to the rocks before
sun up and start a bread and cut pilchard burley while
you rig up. My first bait is always a half pilchard lightly
weighted as this will catch Salmon, Tailor, Bream and
Trevally whilst there is low light on the water.
Hopefully that peak first light period would have produced a few of the above species.
I then change my bait to a lightly weighted peeled Banana Prawn which will see Bream, Tarwhine, Trevally,
Drummer and even the occasional Leatherjacket and
Red Morwong hit your keeper net.
Another good method that works well when there are calm seas is the use of the soft white part of
sliced white bread rolled into a small pudding bait fished under a small bobby cork and a no. 4 hook.
Once the sun is up high, it's time to rig up for Luderick which allows you to soak up the warmth of a
rising sun.
Well, after this game plan, a great bag of fine eating fish will be ready to clean and fillet before the
late risers start to appear at your spot.
In the last few weeks I have been catching plenty of Squid. Quick fire 45 minute sessions have seen 56 Squid hit the deck and I have left them biting. My kids have been craving Calamari Rings and they
haven't been disappointed! I have a batch of Squid ready to do a Malaysian Chilli Sambal. There's
only so many crumbed calamari rings one can eat!
I love the Yamashita brand jigs as they cut
through the water better and recently
their "Live" series with the "Warm Jacket"
technology in their cloth really fired the
squid up.
Everyone loves Pink Coloured jigs. I tend
to use red and olive coloured jigs though
and find they work really well in low
light / night fishing situations.
Well, that's it for another edition.
See you off the rocks one day!
Budda
Page 29
SSAFA - Newsletter
The “Dutchie” Report - Mark Holland
Offshore World Championships 2015 Report
What a contrast a week can be! From catching Whiting, Bream and Mud Crabs over Easter on the
Gold Coast, to the following week fishing the Offshore World Championships in Costa Rica, the competition
that set the record for the most billfish caught in a single day!
Page 30
Friday, 10 April 2015 saw the Sunshine Coast GFC team comprising of Paddy Dimond, Lachlan Tuckwell, Paul Jones and myself gather at Brisbane airport for the start of our 35 hour trip over to Costa
Rica. After Paddy’s plane nerves were settled with a couple of cold beverages (even though it was
9am…), the flight from Brisbane to Los Angeles was fairly uneventful. Pauly slept, I watched movies,
Paddy did laps of the plane and Lachlan chatted up the girl behind him.
Arriving in Los Angeles we checked into our hotel for the day and got a couple of hours sleep before
heading to Santa Monica Pier. After a look around the Pier, some shops and a bit of a pub crawl, we
headed back to the hotel to grab our bags and back to the airport for the next leg of our trip. After
arriving in San Jose, Costa Rica from LA, we had a brief wait before boarding a small 10 seater plane
for a 20 minute flight to a small coastal town by the name of Quepos (pronounced ‘Kep-os’….get it
right, otherwise we are told, you are considered a rookie tourist!).
Saturday afternoon and Sunday were spent in Quepos checking out the local area, meeting the local
crew at the Marina Pez Vela (Millie says hello to the Sunshine Coast GFC guys that have been there
before), relaxing at the hotel and attending the Offshore World Gamefishing Championship team registration and kick-off dinner party at the Parador Resort. The Sunday evening party and opening
ceremony was great with plenty of food, drinks, a retail store and fantastic entertainment.
Monday, 13 April 2015 - Offshore World Championships Day 1
Well, what a day! The day started by meeting at Marina Pez Vela at 5am to meet our skipper and
mate. We had drawn Straight Up With A Twist as our B Grade boat, a refurbished 31 foot Bertram
that was clean and tidy and well setup. The gear looked to be in pretty good order and the mate,
Randal, spent the 1.5 hour trip to the fishing grounds rigging baits (swimming Ballyhoo aka garfish)
and setting up what would be a spread of 5 rods, two dredge teasers and 4 other teasers! Busy deck
was our first thought……until the Sailfish began piling on! It was an action packed day, catching and
releasing 19 Sailfish and missing a few more. From triple hook-ups, double hook-ups, switching fish
from teasers to baits, it was all happening. The captain and mate were also well on their game. Each
of Paddy, Lachlan, Paul and myself caught 4+ Sailfish each and had a ball. The day was capped off
with a couple of refreshing beers and dinner at the Marina after fishing and a quick swim in the pool
before bed. Awesome start!
Tuesday, 14 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Day 2
After the fantastic fishing the day before, our anticipation was running high. We had drawn Reel In
as our C grade boat, a 38 Foot Bertram and the day started well with 3 Sailfish caught and released
within the first hour. However, the rest of the day didn’t live up to the day before. Although we got
a few bites, the fish were a little harder to hook, the bait on-board was soft, the gear average and the
crew were rather inactive on the deck. Communication was also difficult because none of us spoke
any Spanish. Regardless, we finished the day with 10 Sailfish, so one cannot complain too much! The
day finished with some refreshments at the Marina, followed by a few quiet beers by the pool at the
hotel before bed.
Page 31
SSAFA - Newsletter
Wednesday, 15 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Day 3
Well, this was an experience. We had drawn Alpha Mike as our D grade boat, a 39 foot Sea
Ray. Without sounding too critical, this boat would be better served as an artificial reef on the ocean
floor. Ok, maybe that is a bit critical. Paddy and Lachlan went and met the skipper and mates on the
boat the night before, so we were well prepared for what was in store. The bimini was held up by
VB cord, the couch in the galley consisted of a cushion on the floor, a cupboard tipped over when
the boat was under steam, the gear was older than me and in terrible condition, and the black smoke
coming out of the back of the boat was a clear indication that ongoing mechanical maintenance was
not a high priority for this boat’s owner! Despite this, we took light of all of this and ended up having a fairly fun day catching and releasing 11 Sailfish and losing a 50-60lbs Dolphin fish next to the
boat when the mate was too heavy handed on the trace and the only gaff on-board was a 10/0 on a
foot long pole……
Thursday, 16 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Day 4
This day was a little more comfortable and organised. We had drawn Sweet Dreams as our A grade
boat, a 35 foot Cabo. For a change, the boat was clean and tidy, the gear was in good condition, the
mates freshly rigged baits and set up a good spread of teasers and “Hosie” aka Paddy was back in his
element (when Spanish speaking people can’t pronounce an English name, they just call them
‘Hosie’). Amongst the fleet, the bite had quietened down quite substantially. Despite this, we had an
enjoyable day, catching and releasing 6 Sailfish and seeing a few more.
We finished the night off with nice cold beers and Ford de Cana rum at the Marina and general chat
with other teams who had also come to the OWC from a variety of places around the world. This
included a couple of Australian teams from Western Australia and the Cairns Bluewater Club. Having
a laugh with like-minded Australian’s was also great!
Friday, 17 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Gala Awards Dinner
It was a relaxing and slow start for the Sunshine Coast GFC team on the Friday morning. We headed
up to Manuel Antonio for breakfast on the beach and a wonder around. Paul and I did a guided tour
through the rainforest, seeing some sloths, monkeys, birds and a variety of reptiles. After a bit of
lunch it was back to the hotel for a swim and a few beers before heading down to Marina Pez Vela
for the OWC Gala Awards Dinner. This turned out to be a very enjoyable night with great food,
plenty of nice drinks and an exceptional presentation and fireworks. We kicked on for more drinks at
a local bar afterwards with a range of other anglers from a range of other countries.
Overall, the Sunshine Coast GFC team came 29th from 70 odd teams that were fishing the event from
25 different countries. Our final tally was 45 Sailfish (plus 1 more disqualified) from 4 days of fishing. We were 22 fish off coming first, 11 fish off making the top 10 and 4 fish off making the top
20. So overall, we were competitive.
Post OWC competition
On Saturday (18 April 2015) we said goodbye to Paddy and Lachlan who had to return home a little
earlier for work. Paul and I had a relatively quiet day, a nice seafood dinner at the Marina and an
Page 32
early night in preparation for a full day inshore
fishing on the Sunday and a half day on Monday, prior to flying home.
The inshore fishing certainly wasn’t as active as
the offshore fishing due to some recent
rain. Paul and I managed to catch a couple of
nice Mackerel, some Barracuda and other
toothy critters over the 1.5 days inshore fishing. We also managed one Roosterfish and
lost another. One of the highlights however
was having a Mackerel fillet cooked up for us
at the Runaway Bar & Grill at the Marina. It
was absolutely sensational, especially with a
nice cold glass of Pino Grigio!
Monday afternoon (20 April 2015) we commenced our trip home. We stayed in San Jose Monday
night, before travelling to LA on Tuesday morning. After an 8 hour layover, we were back on-board
the plane and arrived back in Brisbane, to complete our trip, at 6.30am on Thursday morning (23
April 2015).
Summary
Overall, the trip was absolutely fantastic. The sheer scale of the OWC tournament, the amount of
work that was put into it, how well it was run (both efficiently and effectively) and the excitement
that ensued is a credit to the OWC committee. I for one have certainly been raving about it since getting home. As much as the fishing was absolutely great, the trip was also made by the company that
we kept. To Paddy, Paul and Lachlan, I’m sure all would agree that the dynamic amongst our team
certainly contributed in a large way towards a thoroughly enjoyable trip.
To be part of the event that set a new World Record for the most billfish ever released in a tournament is exciting. The final wrap up was a total of 2,840 billfish releases, which included 2,822 Sailfish, fourteen Blue Marlin, two Black Marlin and two Striped Marlin. There were 13 qualifying Dolphin Fish, 3 Wahoo and 1 Tuna that weighed over the 25-pound minimum by the time the scales
closed on the final day.
I also feel that not just for me, but for Paddy, Lachlan and Paul, competing in the OWC has thrown a
spanner in the works in respect to how we fish here in Australia. We learnt a variety of different rigging techniques and fishing methods, which I’m sure we all can’t wait to trial and error when the billfish mount up again in South-East Qld later this year.
Finally, a wise bar-girl in Quepos once said, “You only live once, if you do it right, once is
enough”. Who knows if we’ll qualify and make it back to the OWC in Costa Rica again, however,
for those of you who do qualify, I would thoroughly recommend heading over.
Regards - Mark Holland
Page 33
SSAFA - Newsletter
Page 34
Page 35
Jim Sterianos
AKA “Jimmy”
This spark of a member has light up the club many a time when it was in darkness. Not just a good electrician Jimmy manages a fish or two when his busy
work schedule permits
Thanks for your help around the club and training the next generation
of SSAFA Juniors
Congratulations for receiving this issues
Club Member Award
Page 36
Fishing Funnies
Page 37
SSAFA - Newsletter
CLUB MEMBERS IN ACTION
Page 38
Page 39
South Sydney Amateur Fishing Association
SSAFA - Newsletter
Steven
Siarakas
Editor:Editor:
Steven
Siarakas
m. 0431 580 480
m. 0431 580 480
Contacts
PRESIDENT:
Stan Konstantaras
p. 9344 0331
[email protected]
TREASURER:
John Burgess
p. 9311 3200
[email protected]
SECRETARY:
Joe Garufi
p. 0417 491 868
[email protected]
CLUB RECORDER / TAGGING:
Silvestro Severi
p. 0412 252 663
[email protected]
EVENTS ORGANISER:
Berenice Rowley
p. to be advised
ANSA DELEGATE
Edo Rutstein
p. to be advised
FCA DELEGATE:
Matt Manson
p. 0407 825 828
MEMBERSHIP OFFICER:
Pat Ashbury
p. 0409 549 571
[email protected]
Message from the Editor
There are plenty of members in action in this edition of the newsletter. Jim and Mark get amongst the
trout, chop shows us some pics from his most recent northern charter with jeff, Stan is breamin his favourite waterway, Mallacoota, there is a fantastic report from Mark Holland on the Offshore World
Championships 2015, Max shows off some great fishing tattoos and the Intellectual Angler is discussing the elite art of chasing surgeons. Our regular reports are informative Chris giving us an update of
the blue water scene, Brad has a new little princess angler to fish the estuaries with, Stan reports on
the freshwater and Josh is getting the winter gear and clothing ready for fishing the wintery rocks. Jim
Sterianos gains the coveted club member award and there are plenty of club members showing off
their catch. Till the next club newsletter enjoy the cool weather fishing
- Dr Steve (ed)
SSAFA - Newsletter
Upcoming Events
May
6th
Meeting Night
15 - 17th
Lake Lyell Convention
June
3rd
Meeting Night
July
1st
Meeting Night
Page 2
Douk’s Dish - Kaffir Lime and Lemon Grass Grilled Trout
Ingredients:
10cm stick (20g) fresh lemon grass, chopped coarsely
4cm fresh ginger (20g), sliced thickly
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sweet chilly sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 green onions, chopped finely
1 whole ocean trout (2.4kg)
1 lime, peeled, sliced thinly
10cm stick (20g) fresh lemon grass, sliced diagonally
1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded thinly
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cooking:
1. Blend or process chopped lemon grass, ginger, garlic, oil, sauce and juice until smooth.Stir in onion.
2. Place long piece of baking paper on bench; place fish on paper. Fill cavity with lemon grass mixture.
3. Score fish three times both sides through thickest part of flesh; seal cuts with lime slices; sprinkle
fish with sliced lemon grass and lime leaf, fold paper over fish to completely enclose, then wrap fish
tightly in foil.
4. Cook fish on heated oiled grill plate 25 minutes; turn, cook about 20 minutes or until cooked
through.
5. Serve fish sprinkled with coriander; serve with lime wedges.
Bon Appetite,
- Douk
Page 3
SSAFA - Newsletter
As a regular attendee to the ANSA Talbingo
comp I was disappointed to find out that
the 2015 comp had been cancelled. So
rather than give the area a miss for this year
I did the ring around to find out who
wanted to spend a weekend chasing trout
in the Talbingo dam. It became very clear
to me this was going to be a solo trip with
my regular buddy Billy unable to attend,
brother and nephew caught up with soccer
commitments, the professor all booked up
with work and NSWANSA Presso also declining.
Talbingo is part of an intricate waterway
that primarily services the power station
and as such water from other near by reservoirs is pumped into a very deep Talbingo which makes it full for most of the year. Now that is a lot of water
in this dam and a lot of water between fish which makes it very difficult for new lure anglers in particular to
the area to get amongst the fish. The bait fishermen seem to do OK but you have to be keen to be out there at
sub zero nights casting out a frozen worm or powerbait. In addition the morning and afternoon bait bite is
also quite short. Same basic rules apply pick the points and cast your bait.
In my case I don’t do a lot of bait fishing I’d rather be pinging lures around and obtaining little bits of info as I
go along. I have noticed that once you get the lure fishing sorted you can get very good fish all day long. For
this trip I used the feral cat blades custom painted for me by Greg Catt and they did the trick. Long casts letting
the blade sink then a combination of hops and bumps followed by slow roll. There really isn’t an exact
method but lots of trying different retrieves to see
what works, what you don’t want to do is try the
same unsuccessful retrieve over and over that is a
guaranteed way of NOT catching any fish.
I can highly recommend a couple of days away
from routine life. I was once told that as you get
older life gets busier and time is precious so use
your time wisely to allow for the simple pleasures
that are often forgotten
Enjoy Fishing the Salt Water this Autumn JJim
Page 4
Page 5
SSAFA - Newsletter
For all you wannabe trout sophisticates out there with
your expensive 4wd, over priced fishing gear, warm 5 star
hotel beds and evening restaurant dinners, this article is
not for you. This article is for the real sub zero camping
bushy that can hear a trout rise in the night and instinctively throw a fly to the splash and hook a record trout,
fight it blind, enjoy the freezing experience and release the
fish without a photograph because you are content in
yourself and don’t have a desire to share that moment
with anyone and are comfortable within yourself not to
prove to anyone that achievement.
In this trip to the snowy region I fish with my mate Stuart
Bell in a secret destination. After-all part of the magic of
truly roughing it is to do the hard yards and long walks
and discover new water ways, work out that system, tie
your own flies and capture your prize. I have been doing
this type of adventure for I don't know how long and with
every trip that same buzz of getting away from it all still
resonates today as it did the first time.
After finding our camping site, pitching the tent and
unloading the gear, some nourishing billy tea was consumed before taking an exploratory look at the river.
What we saw were some very big trout in the under cut of the river bank nosing into the current looking for a
feed and the more we explored the more trout we saw. I don’t know if it was the cold but there were many
tingles of excitement felt. The rods came out, flies attached and practice wanding commenced, all ready to
sneak up on the river trout. Back and forth and back and forth and a gentle lie of the fly upstream of the river,
twitch, twitch and bang splash a sizeable brown
launches into the air and swims down with the
current, it is in this moment if you put the handbreak on too strong, “pop goes the weasel” and
the trout swims away. Luckily for us we are old
hands at fighting running water trout and we
were able to land most of our fish.
Back at the camp site after a good days fishing, a
nice fire, a feed and a drink in the alpine outdoors is a content way to cap off a wonder full
day.
- Gaaly
Page 6
Page 7
SSAFA - Newsletter
This Issues Photo Entry Winner !!!
Northern Mother Ship Sunset
Photo by Chop
Page 8
Page 9
SSAFA - Newsletter
A lot of the club members know that Jeff and I love travelling north in search of tropical pelagic and
table fish. On this trip we hooked up with Cannon Charters GOLDY to guide us on this tropical sports
fishing adventure.
You guys know I am man of few words so enjoy the pictures, If you want to find out more about this
charter buy me a drink at the club and I can provide you with the info you need.
Mark “Chop” Reid
Captain Hells Bells
Fisherman Extraordinaire
Former Winner Club Member of The Bi-month
Furuno Australia
Page 10
Page 11
SSAFA - Newsletter
Page 12
Page 13
Fishing Tattoos - Max Chater
Something a little close to my heart
Thank you, Than you
very much Max
“legend tattooist
"Chater
Page 14
SSAFA - Newsletter
SSAFA is Sponsoring a New Member's Draw
$50 Tackle Gift Certificate for our Wednesday
Night Club Meetings.
To claim the prize you must be present at the meeting otherwise
the Gift Certificate will jackpot to the next meeting and so on
until the prize is claimed.
Prize can only be claimed from Global Tackle
Page 15
SSAFA - Newsletter
DOB IN ILLEGAL FISHING !!!!!!!
Further to our last club meeting please find listed below
the number to call to report illegal fishing activities.
Don’t forget, do not approach, don’t remove anything
from the area and report it quickly, even if you have to
leave a message.
1800 043 536
Joe Garufi
Secretary/ANSA Delegate
South Sydney AFA
Page 16
RFA SAFETY
Page 17
SSAFA - Newsletter
Q:
Dear Mr Intellectual Angler. I’m a young girl who has recently started fishing with my dad in a
more serious way. We are learning more new techniques and different things about all types of fishing. A friend of ours, wink wink, has been teaching us Blackfish catching; not fishing as we get quite a
few, as Neil says, but here is my question. Since we are getting so many every trip it kind of gets a bit
boring so how can I make it more interesting when I already get more than my dad?
A:
Glad to hear that the private lessons from the good old I.A have been paying off so well. The
best way to keep the fun rolling is set challenges every trip. It may be for size or number caught, but
knowing that your dad’s reflexes are nowhere near yours it may be a bit unfair to the old fellow.
My recommendation is the challenge of another fish. Throw the gauntlet to the old man and tell him
today’s challenge is – The Surgeon Fish or better known as Prionurus microlepidotus. Now this is no
ordinary fish my little padawon. It has a reputation as being one of the hardest and toughest fighters
in the estuary, pound for pound. They run like the Bondi Express and are usually responsible for the
majority of float losses when fishing for Blackies.
Not many guys in your fantastic Fishing Club would have had the pleasure of catching them so they
really are a challenge. Ok, how to get them . . . pens out for notes, ears ready for todays lesson . . .
and we’re off.
They swim with the blackfish but they tend to show up during certain cycles of the moon with certain
weather conditions and are most prolific during the colder months. They luv to hang on the edge of
kelp beds and sit fairly deep, usually swimming under the Blackies. When you watch the float for their
bite it tends to be more of a sharper pull and very fast, hence why the older guys have issues catching
them – reflexes are not so good anymore. Once hooked up, they turn on their side and run like the
space shuttle returning to mother earth.
A word of warning though, be very careful handling them as the flutes on their side will cut you to
the bone, hence the name Surgeon Fish. Now if you do get one I can strongly recommend the following recipe as they are great on the plate:
1. Bring 2 cups cold water to a simmer in a large wok over medium heat. Line a 30cm bamboo
steamer with baking paper. Place steamer over water. Place fish in steamer. Cover. Steam for 5 to 10
minutes or until just cooked through . Carefully transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
2.Meanwhile, combine coriander, onion and chilli in a bowl. Combine ginger, garlic, sugar and soy
sauce in a heatproof bowl. Place peanut oil and sesame oil in a saucepan over high heat. Cook for 2
minutes or until starting to smoke. Carefully pour over ginger mixture (mixture will spit).
3.Drizzle ginger mixture over fish. Top with coriander mixture. Serve with rice and greens.
Balls in your court now, let the old I.A know how you go and please don’t be upset if you find it
hard to catch a Surgo as they really are a massive challenge.
Page 18
Remember folks, I’ve forgotten more than most will ever know when it comes to fishing so if you
have a yearning to know something – ask the vault of knowledge” The Intellectual Angler.”
UPDATE TO THIS STORY
Hi again Mr Angler, I took your advice and gave the challenge to
dad. As usual I smashed him by catching the Surgeon. I did everything you said and it was just how you said it would be, a great
tough fight.
I can’t thank you enough for the kind help and care you have given
me. We are so lucky to have you to help with these things or it
would be just another day with throw backs to show.
And mum said thanks as your cooking skills were as good as your
catching advice. She learnt a new cooking recipe as well and it was
the best food I have eaten.
Is there anything you can’t do or don’t know ?
Glad to help - Neil ‘If I don’t know it, then it’s not worth knowing’
Kemp
Page 19
SSAFA - Newsletter
Another trip to Mallacoota inlet in search of the waterways famous large black bream always has
great anticipation. This years trip like every trip comes with its own adventure, in this instance nature
the week before we set off decided to drop many, many inches of rain in the region and the colouration of the water further upriver was a grey brown that looked uninviting. To say the fishing was
hard was an understatement, Mitch managed a nice bream but we didn’t drive 9hrs for single digit
capture and release.
The place has been made pretty famous by a number of high profile videos which has also seen fishing pressure increase of recent times. When we first started fishing the inlet 2+kg bream were expected, now it seems it’s the 1+kg fish that get anglers excited.
Closer to the mouth the colour of the water was a little better and I managed this fine specimen
above, again there was a lot of water between fish and even though the sounder showed plenty of
markings it seemed the entire system has been shut down from the rain.
Mallacoota is still a great place to fish and a fun road trip with mates.
ANSA Presso
Page 20
Page 21
SSAFA - Newsletter
Coming off the back of summer and into winter I think most of the game fishing fleet
expected more.
The late run of blue Marlin didn't really happen, while there was the odd fish taken by
those boats doing the hard yards on the wide grounds, over all the Sydney and surrounds didn't really produce this year.
With the blues usually come the first smatterings of yellowfin which once again were a
no show. A handful of decent fish came through at one stage in March and April but it
was slim pickings for the entire fleet.
Those that chose to stay in closer did find striped marlin on the shelf. There wasn't
many fish taken but those putting in a full day could definitely expect to get a bite or
two.
With winter well an truly here it seems the entire fleet is waiting at the ready for the
tuna to come into range. I believe one recreational vessel managed to find the first
bluefin last week along with a very large yellowfin but had to travel over 80 nautical
miles east to find them.
It's literally at any moment that the current can swing into the shore and bring these
fish substantially closer to the recreational fleet but until then - we all sit and wait for
these favourable currents to push up on our shores !
Till next report patience and perseverance
Chris
Page 22
Page 23
SSAFA - Newsletter
Well as the water cools even further
down to 16-18 degrees in Sydney Harbour
and surrounding areas, the fishing hasn’t
changed too much, just the location for
targeting them.
Some anglers say fishing the deep can be
slow and tedious but when the fish are
biting it’s always a nice way to go, and
with added chances of good by-catch the
day can be very rewarding.
Whilst you may still get the odd Bream
on the flats, it is not the general rule for
this time of year. Sources are catching
them in the deeper waters around the
Harbour and can be targeted with Blades
and appropriately weighted with 1/8th jig
heads and small soft plastics. Fishing boat
hulls and pontoons is still taking fish as
well, though for a reliable bag the deep is
the go.
Kingfish are still haunting around the various channel markers and Middle Harbour
as well with the majority falling to downrigged squid and live bait. Soft plastics
such as 5 inch jerkbaits will still get a few
though put the poppers and large stickbaits away till the changing season ahead.
Page 24
Most other pelagics have moved out of
the system by now, so the small Mack
tuna and Bonito will be rare. However
the Salmon schools are still around spotted to keep most entertained till warmer
waters return.
On another note with the Whales migrating down the coast, there are some great
family moments to be had taking them
out for a whale watching tour,,,, with a
bit of fishing thrown in off course .
Page 25
With winter mornings like the one in this
article where else would you rather be?
Tight lines,
Brad Biddleston
.
SSAFA - Newsletter
Heading into Winter:
With the bass dams shutting down a bit, the focus now is on trout and from what I am seeing
on social media – Murray Cod.
The trout have started their annual migrations up
the rivers to spawn and are easy targets for most
anglers with club guys like Mark Gaal, Stewart
Bell (see earlier report), Ivan Maric, Andy Burke
and myself making the pilgrimage over the past
few weeks to the Snowies to fish the rivers and
dams. With big and aggressive fish around you
Page 26
can see why anglers are keen to brave the cold.
Trout patter lures and egg imitations are the way
to go this time of year and light spinning outfits
perfect for these rigs when you add a few spilt
shots to get the rigs down.
Although there are resident fish in the rivers, the
numbers of fish are definitely higher during the
winter months, when the spawn run trout make
their way up in search of gravel beds and mating
partners, not to mention the abundance of tasty
eggs floating around. Another big factor in making a trip worthwhile is the height of the river.
Spawning trout rely on rainfall to raise river lev-
els so they can progressively move up the river.
Apparently they leave most of their upstream
movement until after dark, but will also move
through the day if there is cover of dirty water or if
they are desperate enough. The best advice I can
give is to plan a trip in June or July after some decent rainfall up to a week before, and keep a close
eye on the River Heights web page.
Murray Cod, well that for the next newletter.
Have a chat to me at the Club if you need some
more tips.
Cheers
El Presidente
Page 27
SSAFA - Newsletter
Well, didn't autumn pass through quickly!
There a less days in shorts and shirts as we try to
hold off wearing our winter coats as long as possible. We had some very ordinary weather which
saw mountainous seas as heavy rain and wind
sweep through the Eastern states. But.... we will
see the benefits from this down the track as all
that food flushed out of our rivers and estuaries
will see fish hungry for a feed.
The local beaches have been fishing well for
Salmon and Tailor in particular. The Salmon will
improve as water temperatures decrease and the
Tailor will bite until July.
composite rods with braid. My current beach
outfit is a Daiwa Heartland rod rated to 12lb 20lb lines. It is 12 ft in length, light as a feather
and very sensitive in the tip. I have this matched
to a Shimano Thunnus 6000 in a Ci4 material. It
also has the Baitrunner feature which is handy
when the Salmon are a bit finicky in taking the
bait down. Matched to some quality braid in
15lb breaking strain, and you have an outfit that
will handle anything from the beach.
The Luderick have been biting well from the
rocks. Experiment with your weed selection as
some days string will out fish cabbage, and don't
be afraid to use smaller baits if required to get
bites.
The Drummer haven't been in full swing yet as
water temperatures are still relatively warm, but
this is only around the corner. One fish that has
showed up in numbers is the ever reliable Silver
Trevally. My last rock session produced a few
fish on the tail end of a Luderick session. They
are not yet the kilo plus models, but again, these
larger fish will bite better when the colder water
hits.
There are some really nice gutters in close at the
moment and the fish have been coming right in
to feed on the run up tides either at first light or
dusk and into the night.
I managed a few good Salmon and a couple of
Tailor fishing my favourite period which is the
run up to the full moon in the late afternoon and
early evening when we had a break in the seas.
Half pilchards were working better than whole
ones.
For years I used Alvey reels matched with fibreglass rods and monofilament lines. Nowadays, I
findPage
myself
using thread line reels and graphite
28
My game plan for winter rock fishing is to pick a
morning high tide. Get down to the rocks before
sun up and start a bread and cut pilchard burley while
you rig up. My first bait is always a half pilchard lightly
weighted as this will catch Salmon, Tailor, Bream and
Trevally whilst there is low light on the water.
Hopefully that peak first light period would have produced a few of the above species.
I then change my bait to a lightly weighted peeled Banana Prawn which will see Bream, Tarwhine, Trevally,
Drummer and even the occasional Leatherjacket and
Red Morwong hit your keeper net.
Another good method that works well when there are calm seas is the use of the soft white part of
sliced white bread rolled into a small pudding bait fished under a small bobby cork and a no. 4 hook.
Once the sun is up high, it's time to rig up for Luderick which allows you to soak up the warmth of a
rising sun.
Well, after this game plan, a great bag of fine eating fish will be ready to clean and fillet before the
late risers start to appear at your spot.
In the last few weeks I have been catching plenty of Squid. Quick fire 45 minute sessions have seen 56 Squid hit the deck and I have left them biting. My kids have been craving Calamari Rings and they
haven't been disappointed! I have a batch of Squid ready to do a Malaysian Chilli Sambal. There's
only so many crumbed calamari rings one can eat!
I love the Yamashita brand jigs as they cut
through the water better and recently
their "Live" series with the "Warm Jacket"
technology in their cloth really fired the
squid up.
Everyone loves Pink Coloured jigs. I tend
to use red and olive coloured jigs though
and find they work really well in low
light / night fishing situations.
Well, that's it for another edition.
See you off the rocks one day!
Budda
Page 29
SSAFA - Newsletter
Offshore World Championships 2015 Report
What a contrast a week can be! From catching Whiting, Bream and Mud Crabs over Easter on the
Gold Coast, to the following week fishing the Offshore World Championships in Costa Rica, the competition
that set the record for the most billfish caught in a single day!
Page 30
Friday, 10 April 2015 saw the Sunshine Coast GFC team comprising of Paddy Dimond, Lachlan Tuckwell, Paul Jones and myself gather at Brisbane airport for the start of our 35 hour trip over to Costa
Rica. After Paddy’s plane nerves were settled with a couple of cold beverages (even though it was
9am…), the flight from Brisbane to Los Angeles was fairly uneventful. Pauly slept, I watched movies,
Paddy did laps of the plane and Lachlan chatted up the girl behind him.
Arriving in Los Angeles we checked into our hotel for the day and got a couple of hours sleep before
heading to Santa Monica Pier. After a look around the Pier, some shops and a bit of a pub crawl, we
headed back to the hotel to grab our bags and back to the airport for the next leg of our trip. After
arriving in San Jose, Costa Rica from LA, we had a brief wait before boarding a small 10 seater plane
for a 20 minute flight to a small coastal town by the name of Quepos (pronounced ‘Kep-os’….get it
right, otherwise we are told, you are considered a rookie tourist!).
Saturday afternoon and Sunday were spent in Quepos checking out the local area, meeting the local
crew at the Marina Pez Vela (Millie says hello to the Sunshine Coast GFC guys that have been there
before), relaxing at the hotel and attending the Offshore World Gamefishing Championship team registration and kick-off dinner party at the Parador Resort. The Sunday evening party and opening
ceremony was great with plenty of food, drinks, a retail store and fantastic entertainment.
Monday, 13 April 2015 - Offshore World Championships Day 1
Well, what a day! The day started by meeting at Marina Pez Vela at 5am to meet our skipper and
mate. We had drawn Straight Up With A Twist as our B Grade boat, a refurbished 31 foot Bertram
that was clean and tidy and well setup. The gear looked to be in pretty good order and the mate,
Randal, spent the 1.5 hour trip to the fishing grounds rigging baits (swimming Ballyhoo aka garfish)
and setting up what would be a spread of 5 rods, two dredge teasers and 4 other teasers! Busy deck
was our first thought……until the Sailfish began piling on! It was an action packed day, catching and
releasing 19 Sailfish and missing a few more. From triple hook-ups, double hook-ups, switching fish
from teasers to baits, it was all happening. The captain and mate were also well on their game. Each
of Paddy, Lachlan, Paul and myself caught 4+ Sailfish each and had a ball. The day was capped off
with a couple of refreshing beers and dinner at the Marina after fishing and a quick swim in the pool
before bed. Awesome start!
Tuesday, 14 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Day 2
After the fantastic fishing the day before, our anticipation was running high. We had drawn Reel In
as our C grade boat, a 38 Foot Bertram and the day started well with 3 Sailfish caught and released
within the first hour. However, the rest of the day didn’t live up to the day before. Although we got
a few bites, the fish were a little harder to hook, the bait on-board was soft, the gear average and the
crew were rather inactive on the deck. Communication was also difficult because none of us spoke
any Spanish. Regardless, we finished the day with 10 Sailfish, so one cannot complain too much! The
day finished with some refreshments at the Marina, followed by a few quiet beers by the pool at the
hotel before bed.
Page 31
SSAFA - Newsletter
Wednesday, 15 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Day 3
Well, this was an experience. We had drawn Alpha Mike as our D grade boat, a 39 foot Sea
Ray. Without sounding too critical, this boat would be better served as an artificial reef on the ocean
floor. Ok, maybe that is a bit critical. Paddy and Lachlan went and met the skipper and mates on the
boat the night before, so we were well prepared for what was in store. The bimini was held up by
VB cord, the couch in the galley consisted of a cushion on the floor, a cupboard tipped over when
the boat was under steam, the gear was older than me and in terrible condition, and the black smoke
coming out of the back of the boat was a clear indication that ongoing mechanical maintenance was
not a high priority for this boat’s owner! Despite this, we took light of all of this and ended up having a fairly fun day catching and releasing 11 Sailfish and losing a 50-60lbs Dolphin fish next to the
boat when the mate was too heavy handed on the trace and the only gaff on-board was a 10/0 on a
foot long pole……
Thursday, 16 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Day 4
This day was a little more comfortable and organised. We had drawn Sweet Dreams as our A grade
boat, a 35 foot Cabo. For a change, the boat was clean and tidy, the gear was in good condition, the
mates freshly rigged baits and set up a good spread of teasers and “Hosie” aka Paddy was back in his
element (when Spanish speaking people can’t pronounce an English name, they just call them
‘Hosie’). Amongst the fleet, the bite had quietened down quite substantially. Despite this, we had an
enjoyable day, catching and releasing 6 Sailfish and seeing a few more.
We finished the night off with nice cold beers and Ford de Cana rum at the Marina and general chat
with other teams who had also come to the OWC from a variety of places around the world. This
included a couple of Australian teams from Western Australia and the Cairns Bluewater Club. Having
a laugh with like-minded Australian’s was also great!
Friday, 17 April 2015 – Offshore World Championships Gala Awards Dinner
It was a relaxing and slow start for the Sunshine Coast GFC team on the Friday morning. We headed
up to Manuel Antonio for breakfast on the beach and a wonder around. Paul and I did a guided tour
through the rainforest, seeing some sloths, monkeys, birds and a variety of reptiles. After a bit of
lunch it was back to the hotel for a swim and a few beers before heading down to Marina Pez Vela
for the OWC Gala Awards Dinner. This turned out to be a very enjoyable night with great food,
plenty of nice drinks and an exceptional presentation and fireworks. We kicked on for more drinks at
a local bar afterwards with a range of other anglers from a range of other countries.
Overall, the Sunshine Coast GFC team came 29th from 70 odd teams that were fishing the event from
25 different countries. Our final tally was 45 Sailfish (plus 1 more disqualified) from 4 days of fishing. We were 22 fish off coming first, 11 fish off making the top 10 and 4 fish off making the top
20. So overall, we were competitive.
Post OWC competition
On Saturday (18 April 2015) we said goodbye to Paddy and Lachlan who had to return home a little
earlier for work. Paul and I had a relatively quiet day, a nice seafood dinner at the Marina and an
Page 32
early night in preparation for a full day inshore
fishing on the Sunday and a half day on Monday, prior to flying home.
The inshore fishing certainly wasn’t as active as
the offshore fishing due to some recent
rain. Paul and I managed to catch a couple of
nice Mackerel, some Barracuda and other
toothy critters over the 1.5 days inshore fishing. We also managed one Roosterfish and
lost another. One of the highlights however
was having a Mackerel fillet cooked up for us
at the Runaway Bar & Grill at the Marina. It
was absolutely sensational, especially with a
nice cold glass of Pino Grigio!
Monday afternoon (20 April 2015) we commenced our trip home. We stayed in San Jose Monday
night, before travelling to LA on Tuesday morning. After an 8 hour layover, we were back on-board
the plane and arrived back in Brisbane, to complete our trip, at 6.30am on Thursday morning (23
April 2015).
Summary
Overall, the trip was absolutely fantastic. The sheer scale of the OWC tournament, the amount of
work that was put into it, how well it was run (both efficiently and effectively) and the excitement
that ensued is a credit to the OWC committee. I for one have certainly been raving about it since getting home. As much as the fishing was absolutely great, the trip was also made by the company that
we kept. To Paddy, Paul and Lachlan, I’m sure all would agree that the dynamic amongst our team
certainly contributed in a large way towards a thoroughly enjoyable trip.
To be part of the event that set a new World Record for the most billfish ever released in a tournament is exciting. The final wrap up was a total of 2,840 billfish releases, which included 2,822 Sailfish, fourteen Blue Marlin, two Black Marlin and two Striped Marlin. There were 13 qualifying Dolphin Fish, 3 Wahoo and 1 Tuna that weighed over the 25-pound minimum by the time the scales
closed on the final day.
I also feel that not just for me, but for Paddy, Lachlan and Paul, competing in the OWC has thrown a
spanner in the works in respect to how we fish here in Australia. We learnt a variety of different rigging techniques and fishing methods, which I’m sure we all can’t wait to trial and error when the billfish mount up again in South-East Qld later this year.
Finally, a wise bar-girl in Quepos once said, “You only live once, if you do it right, once is
enough”. Who knows if we’ll qualify and make it back to the OWC in Costa Rica again, however,
for those of you who do qualify, I would thoroughly recommend heading over.
Regards - Mark Holland
Page 33
SSAFA - Newsletter
Page 34
Page 35
Jim Sterianos
AKA “Jimmy”
This spark of a member has light up the club many a time when it was in darkness. Not just a good electrician Jimmy manages a fish or two when his busy
work schedule permits
Thanks for your help around the club and training the next generation
of SSAFA Juniors
Congratulations for receiving this issues
Club Member Award
Page 36
Fishing Funnies
Page 37
SSAFA - Newsletter
Page 38
Page 39

SSAFA Newsletter May_Jun 2015 - South Sydney Amateur Fishing

Transcription

Similar documents

Alpine Meadows Resort, Hallamore Lake

Mancelona Bass Festival, Inc.

Fishing Report Date: Tuesday 5/31/2016 Angler: Zach Andres

“GOUYAVE FISH FRY – BEST FISH IN GRENADA, MAYBE THE

Pybus_king salmon_2014

open season - Four Seasons Flyfishing Guide Service

45.8% 42.1% 31.1% - The Creek Company

Slot Car Racing Games Michigan 50 Lions Slot Machine Free

Kid`s Fishing Clinic - Friends of Kohler

We learnt about the process of mummification and we got to