Milkfish........are they really that hard to catch

[jimbolikes_barra]

just started this post to see if any one has had any regular success on milkies and what they did to catch em

cheers
jim

[Strikezone_fly]

Great topic Jim,

I would say they are hard to catch, we have cast to hundreds of them over the years yet we have only caught a hand full.
Living Weipa I have caught some great fish on fly including 12kg Barramundi, 1.2 metre Queenfish, 23kg GT & a couple of Permit but the 4.6 kg Milkfish is the pinnacle on my fly life.

I would like to hear some other comments on the topic, if you have caught them, if you have tried and failed "this is just as important as catching them, when trying to cracking the code", flies that have been used, where the fish have been seen and their behavior.


Here are a few weed flies that I have had success with. Flies are made with synthetic's & rabbit fur, in brown & olive in color, hook size #6.

[jimbolikes_barra]

hi strikezone

thanks for that mate i appreciate it i live in hervey bay so iv got to find some where that i can get a shot at em....they tell me theres not too many around here thats the thing. so i might have to get some time in when we get away for christmas maybe .

and r they a seasonal thing at all here in hervey bay? cos im sure they arent here all year round if they are here we would here much more about them than we do now

cheers
james

[Strikezone_fly]

I guess the lack of replies answers your question .

[jimbolikes_barra]

yeah
thanks for your advise mate

[jimbolikes_barra]

yeah
thanks for your advise mate

[BrandonH]

bump

[Mozza]

Heard of Doctor's Gully, Darwin?

They'll eat bread - some guys I knew made 'bread' flies and cast for them near the fish-feeding.

Some good fishing apparently!!

I've noticed them swimming along the scum lines you get especially on out going tides - probably feeding on suspended weed etc. I'd probably start up a good berley trail of bread and bread crumbs and hopefully they'll come close enough to drop a bread fly in their midst.

Mozza

[karana]

Milkfish are easy to catch.

First polaroid the flats for a few days to see when they cruise passed. Then set your net making sure the top is well out of the water etc.

Seriously though. Minimum is a 7/8 rod and a flyreel with a good drag system and a gazillion yards of backing.

Fly, No 12 with a darkish fly tied to look like a piece of floating weed, rabbit fur is good. Make sure the whole hook is hidden.

Cast in front of the lead fish with a slow sinking line. Make sure your line is always visible. If you get a hookup (generally after the same number of casts as the yards in the backing line) hang on because the fish doesn't have a clue what it is doing and neither does anyone who hooks one.

[jimbolikes_barra]

thanks boys
startin to get the idea of this milkfish idea.......... had a mate said he caught a couple in a cast net after mullet up a little creek sort of thing (hard to explain) here in hervey bay. dunno if theres too many around here though

[Nick_Currey]

Hi Jimbo,

The old milkies are a real challenge, especially if you have been spoilt on Barra. I have not heard of them down as far south as HB - the person who will know is Paul Doolan - your local Fly guide.. Have seen them around Cairns, occassionally and impossible to catch. Other place was up in NT, around Darwin and Vernon Islands

When I was up in Darwin (1980's) the Doctors Gully was a good hangout - just out past the "No fishing" zone. As others have said - a million casts, lots of lookers and few hookups. When you do hook up they are FAST!!, especially as they are 15-20lb+, problem was keeping the tippets intact - need a light tippet (tie fly on directly), and water presuure with flyline and 200-300yds backing out.

Good luck - your taking on a real challenge - let us know if you find them and pin 1 or 2

NC

[Kenny]

hmm....milkfish....there can be so many of them that you'd just need a cast net to get them during their little school feeding frenzy. Otherwise, I guess you could disguise a hook inside bit of dough or bread during their feeding frenzy. They'd probably accidently gulp down a fly or prawn if there's enough of them fighting over food.

[jimbolikes_barra]

yer dunno about seein many round here id like to catch one but if theres not too many around then id probly look like a d#ckhead making 50 000 casts at two or three fish for 10 minutes and then sitting on the beach for 4 hours until i decide that there probly not gunna come back this way oh well i spose if you dont make 50 000 casts then u dont have 50 000 chances at gettin a hook up ay i guess i just gotta keep lookin around for some more info ay

thanks boys and girls for ur info if you hear any more let me know ay

cheers
jim

[tuna44]

A nice fly we've used is the ol bread fly. We use the white foam packing tube cut approx 10mm long siliconed to the hook with some white fuzz out the back and burley up. Finding the fish is the hardest part especially if you live south. Hooked a few on fly but never managed to land one. I have managed 2 on bread. Probably the fastest fish i have ever hooked. Best thing to do would be find a spot and work it with burley.

[Fishin_Dan]

Send a message to Iank. He's caught a few bigguns on fly from memory.