Fishingmad

Hi guys, thought i should kick off the bream competition with my favourite ways to target big bream in the onkaparinga river. 
 
My three favourite methods (in order) are:
-Baits
-Trolling 
-Flicking lures
 
Over the last month or so i have been fortunate enough to venture to the onk a few times a week targeting the big breeders as they are heading upstream and i have yielded some fantastic results with 4 over 40cm in the last few sessions. Now that most have moved up to breed i thought i would share some tips of how to target the skittish onk bream.
 
Baiting:
 
This is my preferred method for targeting the big bream although allot of the time you seem to be feeding the tiny mullet and salmon trout. My favourite bait would have to be half fillets of the freshest pilchard you can get your hands on. A benefit with this bait is that you also have a strong likelihood of getting a mulloway as by catch. My rig consists of 5lb braid for mainline with a 6 lb flurocarbon leader. I use a size 0 ball sinker, small black magic swivel with around 50cm of trace until i get to the hook. There are 2 hooks i like to use, if i'm using the rod holder ill use a black magic KL 1/0 circle hook, while if i'm holding the rod ill use a mustad size 4 longshank baitholder. I have found that the flurocarbon leader, light sinker weight and a baitrunner reel have increased my catch rate of these big bream ten fold. In the winter ill head more upstream around the pilons/old noarlunga area, while in summer my favourite spot would be the flats around the mouth. For the flats i prefer live beachworms or nippers for bait. I have also found upgrading to a graphite rod with a soft tip has increased my catch rate due to the better sensitivity. The best time to be targeting bream is on dusk on a strong incoming tide.
 
 
 
 
Trolling:
 
Since getting my kayak i have discovered a whole new joy to fishing. Trolling lures through the onk can be an absolute blast and just as effective as bait at times. After trying plenty of hard bodies in this system my absolute number one has to go to the ecogear sx 40 in 351 with the jackall chubby a close second. My personal best bream on this lure is 36cm, not a monster by any means but not bad for a novice lure angler. By catch using this method includes flathead, salmon trout, mullet, mulloway, YFW, KGW and i've even scored a garfish! A benefit of this technique over flicking is that your lure is spending more time in the water and your not battling the current. If you have a kayak id strongly suggest trying your luck at trolling a few lures through the onk.
 

 
Flicking Lures:
 
This technique i have found more efficient toward the mouth personally but plenty of other anglers still have success further upstream.My favourite plastic to use is the Gulp! 2" camo worm. When slowly worked along the borrom it is deadly on big bream and numerous other species such as YFW. From behind the wooden playground right up to the mouth during the summertime is the best time to using this method. Fishing from the slack on low tide through the incoming has provided best results personally. The next plastic i like to use is the Zman 2.5" grubz in motor oil. once again worked slowly but with shrp lifts and a slow pause instead of a shuffle along the bottom. I rig both plastics on TT 1/16 jigheads aand sometimes even up to a 1/8 for the worms if the tide is really rushing. I also like using my hardbodies from the bank and if wearing polarised sunnies you can often see bream and sight cast right in front of their noses and watch them engulf the lures. Once again my favourite lure is the ecogear sx 40 but a selection of blades are also quite effective in the deeper regions. If your really keen you can have a go using surface lures, i myself haven't nailed a bream on one yet, but its great watching the salmon trout launch themselves out of the water to smash your lure! 
 

 
I hope this has helped some of you get onto the big bream lurking in the onk waters. If i have left something out or you need anything don't hesitate to pm me or make a post on my facebook page Onkaparinga River Fishers! 
 

 
 

Managed my first ever fish on fly this afternoon under the aid of Southie the Banga! After getting back from Port Vic mid-afternoon, I was pretty well asleep on the couch when Southie told me he was heading out for a flyfishing mission. Grabbed the fly rod and jumped in the car and off I went. We met up and had a few looks at pools and spotted a few wily browns but difficulties in casting kept us out of action.
 
Moved onwards to a known pool of a nice couple of browns and the bigger one was out and about. We both threw an assortment of flies at him, clearly feeding, but nothing doing. I went for a walk further up to see if anything else was around and on my way back found a smaller brown swimming in less than a foot of water. A quick cast and he turned and smacked my fly and everything came tight. He jumped around a bit and hit dry land pretty quickly before a photo and release was done.
 

 

 
Afterwards, we kept persisting with the larger and clearly visible larger brown but couldn't entice a strike. At least this gives me the confidence in my ability as a flyfisho and will give me encouragement for when I intend to target other species such as carp and mulloway.

look out

The salmon comp is now over. Stay tuned for a winner 

Well I have been dabbling in a bit of fly fishing of late, mainly in dams and streams for trout and reddies and im really enjoying it...
 
Soo much soo that I have set myself up a task that This summer unless im live baiting the spin gear will be kept at home and I will be using FLY ONLY all summertime!
 
I have just bought myself an 9ft 6wt Templefork outfitters rod and will be matching it with an TFO BVK2 reel spooled up with 6wt WF rio perception line!
 
My targets that I am wanting to achieve this summer are as followed!
 
Bream
Yellowfin Whiting
Snook
Schoolie
carp
 
 
I am actually looking forward to the challenge especially chasing YFW in the shallows on fly!!
 
I will keep updating this post as new developments and gear as well as the flies I will be using so stay tuned!

Symetres are great reels and a good value (I own 4 of them), but the rod they pair them with in the BCF combo is crap if you ask me.
 
Best value for a good graphite stick are the Daiwa generation blacks, IMO.

went on the yak yesterday at seacliff and only managed 3 squid in the murky water. tried for some snook and whiting as well to no avail. may hit the onk sometime during the week

went on the yak yesterday at seacliff and only managed 3 squid in the murky water. tried for some snook and whiting as well to no avail. may hit the onk sometime during the week

Work and uni have stowed me up. Keep hitting the freshwater streams after my last report but only a few follows and no hookups.
 
Gonna be hitting Seacliff, Hallett Cove and Port Vic in my yak in the next three weeks hopefully when the weather is kind.

Because I havnt been on strike hook in a long time I thought I'd share some pics of last years tuna I got out from cape! Cheers

Just a small salmon comp...
 
Everyone who writes up a salmon related post from today (22/08/2014) until the end of September (30/09/2014 midnight local Adelaide time ).
 
Will go into a draw to win a Strike & Hook salmon pack.
 
The pack consists of:
 
Kamashark 21g lure Kamashark 40g lure Kamashark 55g lure Pack of two small surf poppers Strike & Hook cap Strike & Hook beanie
 
At the end of September a winner will be chosen by site moderators. A few things we'll be looking for are a great story, detailed instructions, nice photos or video and nice flowing, well written content , so no one liners.
 
Get in there everyone and get up your reports, recipes, how to's or what ever else you can think of that is salmon related.
 
The Kamashark lures and surf poppers are available at Fishing Wholesalers at Lonsdale. Please visit their site to view their range of great fishing gear, everything you need they have! www.fishingwholesalers.com.au 
 
GOOD LUCK!

Just a reminder to keep those salmon reports coming in until the 30th of September

Just a reminder that today the 1st of September 2014 is the start of the closed season for bream in the Onkaparinga River.
 
Please note the closed area is upstream of the Main South Road bridge at Noarlunga.
 
Closed season ends on the 30th of November 2014.

Few pics

I have sent out at least 10 messages so far to potential sponsors and people who could televise the event but only had one reply... frustrating but im going to keep trying! 

I have sent out at least 10 messages so far to potential sponsors and people who could televise the event but only had one reply... frustrating but im going to keep trying! 

The OnkaStompa is celebrating it's 10th year this year and the comp is quickly approaching.
 
The event will be held on Sunday Nov 16th from 7am-12pm followed by presentations at Perry's Bend, Onkaparinga River, Noarlunga Downs.
 
The OnkaStompa really needs more sponsors. Ideally business sponsors would be great to have on board but personal sponsors are just as important and are most welcome also.
 
To get in contact and sponsor the event please check out the links below.
 
 
 
Website www.onkastompafishingcomp.com
 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OnkaStompaFishingComp

headed down to my second home yesterday (the onk) and decided to target some bream. Arrived around 3 o'clock and bites were slow at first as per usual but managed a few small bream and a 35cm st. Once the light started getting low and the tide came up it was on! consistent bream of around 30cm every cast antil bang the baitrunner is screaming with a good fish which measured in at 36cm. Next cast and again the baitrunner was hit and this fish was solid. eventually got it in and it was a very fat and healthy 40cm bream. My third from the onk and was stoked! After that i had to leave them biting... Was a good session with all fish being released  
 

headed down to my second home yesterday (the onk) and decided to target some bream. Arrived around 3 o'clock and bites were slow at first as per usual but managed a few small bream and a 35cm st. Once the light started getting low and the tide came up it was on! consistent bream of around 30cm every cast antil bang the baitrunner is screaming with a good fish which measured in at 36cm. Next cast and again the baitrunner was hit and this fish was solid. eventually got it in and it was a very fat and healthy 40cm bream. My third from the onk and was stoked! After that i had to leave them biting... Was a good session with all fish being released  
 

headed down to my second home yesterday (the onk) and decided to target some bream. Arrived around 3 o'clock and bites were slow at first as per usual but managed a few small bream and a 35cm st. Once the light started getting low and the tide came up it was on! consistent bream of around 30cm every cast antil bang the baitrunner is screaming with a good fish which measured in at 36cm. Next cast and again the baitrunner was hit and this fish was solid. eventually got it in and it was a very fat and healthy 40cm bream. My third from the onk and was stoked! After that i had to leave them biting... Was a good session with all fish being released  
 

headed down to my second home yesterday (the onk) and decided to target some bream. Arrived around 3 o'clock and bites were slow at first as per usual but managed a few small bream and a 35cm st. Once the light started getting low and the tide came up it was on! consistent bream of around 30cm every cast antil bang the baitrunner is screaming with a good fish which measured in at 36cm. Next cast and again the baitrunner was hit and this fish was solid. eventually got it in and it was a very fat and healthy 40cm bream. My third from the onk and was stoked! After that i had to leave them biting... Was a good session with all fish being released  
 

Nice work mate, solid fish.
Bream were hard to get yesterday, only managed a few all day, but was fishing new territory so it was more about learning.
Biggest went 38cm, which put a huge smile on my face. Caught on a whole live bloodworm, sucked it in like a lollipop.
Eager to get back into them next weekend.

Awesome bream there mate! I deliberately left all the fish untouched in the morning so you could catch em all in the afternoon

headed down to my second home yesterday (the onk) and decided to target some bream. Arrived around 3 o'clock and bites were slow at first as per usual but managed a few small bream and a 35cm st. Once the light started getting low and the tide came up it was on! consistent bream of around 30cm every cast antil bang the baitrunner is screaming with a good fish which measured in at 36cm. Next cast and again the baitrunner was hit and this fish was solid. eventually got it in and it was a very fat and healthy 40cm bream. My third from the onk and was stoked! After that i had to leave them biting... Was a good session with all fish being released  
 

headed down to my second home yesterday (the onk) and decided to target some bream. Arrived around 3 o'clock and bites were slow at first as per usual but managed a few small bream and a 35cm st. Once the light started getting low and the tide came up it was on! consistent bream of around 30cm every cast antil bang the baitrunner is screaming with a good fish which measured in at 36cm. Next cast and again the baitrunner was hit and this fish was solid. eventually got it in and it was a very fat and healthy 40cm bream. My third from the onk and was stoked! After that i had to leave them biting... Was a good session with all fish being released