The Weekend at Cleveland

[Beggsy]

Only fished twice on the weekend (Friday and Saturday night)

Friday night: fished from 9:30pm thru to about 1:00am. Caught a lot of Bream around 25 -30cm - chucked them all back (I've decided to throw back any under 30cm). Caught 2 of the biggest bloody Catfish I've ever seen (one was nearly 3 feet). Shame you can't eat 'em. Took home a few nice Tailor (one, just over 40cm) and a lovely 34 cm Bream.

Gotta be careful with those Catfish - I cut the smaller one off and was kicking it back into the water (not really watching what I was doing) and ended up with the bloody thing stuck to my jogger by it's dorsal spike which was stuck between my toes - must have looked a bit of a goose dancing around, shaking my leg with a large catfish stuck to my foot ............ I'll know next time.

Saturday night: fished from 1:00 am thru to about 4:00am. (Missus thinks I'm going mad - maybe she's right ). Got a few big runs on Pilly's, but lost them on the rocks. A few under 30cm Bream. Took home 2 nice Tailor, a nice 30+cm Bream and a 46cm Flathead (this is the 2nd one I've caught on Chicken Breast strip here - I didn't think they'd take Chicken ???? ).

The Bream I kept on Friday night had a big lump on top of it's head (sort of like a Snapper) - I've never seen that before and put it down to scarring or some sort of fungal growth - anyone seen this before ??

[Ron_Collins]

Hi Beggsy
Interesting report. Don't know about bream with bumps on their heads, though. Are you fishing off the bank at the Point, in a boat, or off the bank back towards the Grand View? Ron Collins.

[Beggsy]

Sorry Ron,

I fish off the bank near the lighthouse..... there's a nice gutter runnning around the point there.
The beauty of it is I can comfortably fish out of the back of my Tarago in pretty well any weather - the only limiting factor is the tide..... (and the missus )

[jaybee]

hey beggsy
which Lighthouse ??? old or new LOL..while ya at it draw us a mud map..thanks..
tight lines

[Harrya]

Hi Beggsy
that Chicken breast that you were using for Bait was it BarB Qued or just the skin or freash?
Sounds like you had a bad night aey Lol Lol
Regard Harry

[Beggsy]

Jaybee,
I can't draw for nuts........ I go right out on the corner next to the new lighthouse.. Tried near the old one once and just lost a sh$%tload of terminal gear. If you're down that way and see a little fat bloke fishing out the back of a Tarago - that'll be me

Harry,
Fresh Skinless, Boneless Breast fillet. Small pieces on a No.3 Long shank Chemically Sharpened or lately I've been using those "Tru Turn" hooks - only enough weight to keep your bait there...................... and Bob's Your Uncle.
I had never thought of using Chicken for fishing (preferred a nice Green Curry....) but I was fishing at Cleveland one night next to a little old Italian bloke - I was using Prawns/Squid and not getting a bite - he was landing monster Bream every couple of minutes. Just when I was getting ready to throw my rods at him, he came over with a big grin on his face, handed me a chunk of Chicken Breast and said he couldn't help notice that I wasn't getting any bites - well I stuck on some chook and caught a lovely Bream first cast......... haven't looked back since.

[Beggsy]

Oh,

By the way.........
Went out there this morning before work and got 3 lovely 40cm+ Tailor (not on Chicken ). Dropped a few as well >

Still can't work out how I'm dropping these Tailor - they seem well hooked, but seem to manage to spit the hooks after a short run ???

Also threw back 5x25-28cm Bream - so there's a bit of action about.......

[craigie]

G'day Beggsy,

Good stuff that Chicken Fillet !!! I have been using it for the last couple of years on the Bream down at Jumpnpin. It catches just as many fish as your conventional Bream Baits, with the added bonus of being clean to use (compared to Mullet Gut) and reasonable priced at around $10 a Kilo. You can do a hell of a lot of Bream Fishing on a Kilo of Chicken.
Actually caught a couple of Tailor on the stuff on my last trip !!!

The tides look good for Cleveland for an Evening fish next week, I'm going to give it a try on Tuesday Night (about a 10.30 pm huge High Tide).

See ya on the Pointy end of Cleveland !!!

Cheers
Craigie.

[Beggsy]

G'day Craigie,

Mate, it's great to hear from another Chicken-user..........

I don't know how many people have come up to me while I'm fishing out there and ask what I'm using for bait - when I tell 'em Chicken (and show 'em me fillet), they either laugh at me, or walk away muttering stuff like "be better off cooking the chook and eatin' that" - rude bastards. >

I love to see the looks on their faces when I land a snodging Bream not long after !!!!!! Chinese fella fishing near me the other night nearly swallowed his rod when I landed a nice Flathead on chook.... I caouldn't stop laughing

Mate, I just might see you there next week (weather and missus permitting).
P.S. With the number of enquiries I've had since I posted some of these reports, you'd better get there early to get a spot.

[craigie]

Hi Beggsy,

That's the only downside when you reveal a bit of good Fishing Info, The Crowds !!!!
It looks like being a bit Chilly next week, so that might keep a few people away ??
I catch a few Bream from the bank at Wynnum (Close to home) but It's always exciting to try a new location

I'm packing up and heading for the 'Pin' for an all night fish tonight. The first thing packed is the Chook Fillet. Looks like the weather has cleared, so I am expecting a big night on the Bream.

Cheers
Craigie.

P.S. I hope to catch you Tuesday Night.

[Beggsy]

G'day Craigie,

It was good to meet you and Jaybee last night - good to put faces to names.....

Things improved a bit after you left last night(actually it was after Jaybee left - I reckon he's bad luck
Around midnight - Both rods going at once - ended up with a nice 34cm Bream, having caught nothing else all night. Threw it back couldn't be bothered cleaning it - too cold, too tired, generally p$$%&ed off, thinking about a nice hot shower and a warm bed. Get home to an icy reception from the missus, baby's been screaming all night and it's ALL MY FAULT - can't bloody win. ???

So, to sum up this weekend - Saturday - cold/wet no fish, Sunday - cold/bloody windy (coulda blown a dog off it's chain) a couple of 25-27cm Bream threw 'em back - Monday - met two Ausfish blokes, cold, windy 1 Bream (plus the couple you blokes caught).

Don't know about tonight - bloody Jaybee's passed on his cold and I'm going down hill................ and my missus was still after blood this morning. (geez it was good to come to work today ).

Anyway, you never know - might need to escape and the Tarago makes a good doghouse

[jaybee]

bloody Jaybee's passed on his cold and I'm going down hill

gee ta beggsy, but i am used to be blamed for everything if its any consolation i dont feel much better myself today. Oh well cant help bad luck. Maybe you should go again tonight the fresh air may do you good NOT. I used that excuse last night. Anyway I am all set for a trip down the coast friday arvo / night. I am finally going to try chicken breast for the summer whiting I am lead to believe during winter the bigger whiting fire on it .. will let you know.
cheers.

[Beggsy]

Good on ya Jaybee,

We'll convert you to chicken yet , and as you said last night, if they're not biting, you can always fry up the leftover chicken.
Gotta beat old Pilchards for a snack (can't believe you did that )

Let us know how you go - lotsa luck.......

[jaybee]

have used chicken before for bream beggsy, gut and thigh, but over the years things change..as i said last night i am still to try bullocks heart and steak like the old man...it still amazes me how a fish can go for warm fleshed baits that are not natural to them ... but we can only try..however in the long run..these baits do work out cheaper then buying them at the tackle/bait shop plus on a cold night you can go home and cook ya bait..oh by the way ..dont knock the taste of salted pillies till you try em..dont be like my bro tho..pull the head n guts out first ...

[craigie]

Beggsy & Jaybee,

It was great to meet you guy's out on the 'Point', always nice to put a face to a name. I'm sure to run into you out there again sometime (I'll have to fish there again after catching a couple of solid Bream on our first attempt).

I'm not sure how the Chicken goes with the Summer Whiting, I guess you can't knock it till ya try it ??

I'll have to make up a set of rod holders like yours Beggsy. Upturned Coffee Table with rocket launchers sticking out of it works a treat for my liking. Any design features I should know about ??

Cheers guys,

Craigie