Lots of activity at Lota

[Captian_Zero]

Hello everyone

Set the alarm for 6.00 a.m. so I could have a peep out the curtains and see how the weather looked. Deciding it looked okay I packed the car and headed down to the bay.

I fished and Lota from the rock wall on the southern side of Manly boat harbour from 7am to 10.30 am. Bait was bloodworm. I caught 6 whiting (best 27cm other keeper just legal at 23cm) and 5 bream (best just short at 22cm).

There certainly was a lot happening. About 8.00am a bait school broke the surface about 50 metres from where I was fishing. Obviously had something bigger on their tail.

All morning there were fish breaking the surface. At one stage there was a school of fish surface feeding about 3 or 4 metres from the base of the rock wall , which I was able to see due to the clarity of the water and the polarised sunnies. Thinking they may be garfish I rigged up a float and a size 10 hook with a bit of worm. Turned out they were small whiting. Never seen them feed so close to the surface. There was a bit of weed floating on the surface so they may have been picking small organism of that but I am not sure. They were obviously in a voracious mood as at one point as I was reeling my bait in to check it, which I was doing fairly quickly to avoid snagging on the rocks in close, a small whiting broke the surface and leapt out of the water just behind my hook.

About 10.30 things were slowing down, so I put the last piece of bloodworm on the hook, cast it out and rested the rod up against a rock while I packed my gear up. I looked up to see a bend in the rod. Reeled in the best bream of the day, which I was unable to stretch past 22cm. In the interests of giving the fish the best possible chance of survival on release I climbed down to the base of the rock wall to let it go gently into the water. Unfortunately my Dunlop volley slipped as I reached the last unsubmerged rock so my leg slipped down between two rocks. A bit of superficial grazing but it could have been a lot worse seeing as the rocks are covered with oyster shells.

I can think of no better way to spend a Sunday morning than sitting down there, rod in hand, watching the boats depart the harbour and reeling in the odd fish. The bonus is coming home with fresh fish for lunch.

Cheers

Chris

[Dylan_Rylatt]

chris sounds like a pretty fun morning. Unlucky not pick up anything better. i normally make a killing there at night using yabbies or soldier crabs.... or a combination of both... the bream go crazy over that and the smaller whiting dont seem as interested.
Anyway mate your post made good reading

Cheers Dylan

[Captian_Zero]

Dylan

Thanks for the reply. I am still learning this fishing game and I missed a couple of good bites as well. I also dropped a bigger bream bringing it over the last of the submerged rocks puttin too much pressure on it and the hook popped out and almost flew over my shoulder!! Anyway it is good to come home with a few fish for the plate.

I am yet to try there at night, but might give it a go this winter on some of the bigger night tides and see if I can get into a few decent bream. Have heard of the odd tailor being caught there as well.

Cheers

Chris

[michael_Brewer]

Chris,
Great read mate! Fish with Dylan Quite often and he seems to have this area pretty sussed! Both of us live close to this area so it is a regular haunt for both of us! Have had some great nights fishing at that rock wall, especially in winter although the frozen fingers, wind and no lights can make it very uncomfortable!

I know Dylan fishes land based at the mouth of Lota creek at low tide! This spot is very unstable in the fishing department! Fish galore some days, yet shit all the next! will defineatly be taking Dylan out more often when I figure out what ill do with my motor, whether to get it fixed or completely replaced! I'd be more then happy to take you out in my rig when thats all sorted! will either fish the mouth or further up the creek! I used to do a fair bit of trolling for flathead up the creek but don't fish it as much now that I have a slightly bigger boat!

all depends on the day, can always fish the creek in bad weather, it just sucks in bad tides. can always fish the bay in whatever tide but the weather decides the trips! on a nice day can fish Mud Is. If your interested, just tell me and im sure we can organise something.... well when the outboard's sorted anyway!

p.s did you see the fish in the schools? could they have been prawns? there have been plenty about!

[Captian_Zero]

Michael

Thanks for the reply and the offer. Let me know when the motor is fixed. I'd enjoy tagging along. I haven't fished much from a boat, so as long as you don't mind my inexperience I will take you up on your offer.

I didn't get a good look at the school. They may well have been prawns.

I have never fished the mouth of Lota creek, but I was down there over the Easter weekend at low tide pumping yabbies and there was a few guys fishing then. Didn't seem to be doing any good when I spoke to them. I did fish Tingalpa Ck from the bank around the Ricketts Rd bridge but didn't do much good and lost a bit of gear on the snags. Haven't been back.

Cheers

Chris

[michael_Brewer]

it's all good! will catchup with ya soon!