Conningham

Went to Conningham with Elizabeth. Got the boat out, but no action. The water was freezing!!!! Maybe the fish are in Queensland! Gave up after an hour.

First Bream

Got up at 6:00 am, and got to Bedlam walls by 6:30. It was a beautiful morning -- cold, clear, and still. The tide was running out, and was reasonably powerful. I was using soft plastics -- a silver minnow 65mm long on a 1/8 oz head. I couldnt cast too far, and was having no luck. I slowly worked along the shore, until I came to a deep bay. Fishing in the bay, I got a hook up from a fish. It was not a flathead -- it didnt have that characteristic head shake. It could have been a bream, small salmon, or sea run trout. There was no more action, so I assumed it was a small sea runner, as bream school and cocky salmon were not in season.

I kept working around the shore until I found a small beach. I saw a follow from a small fish -- but I couldnt see what type it was.

It was getting late, so I started back. I decided to have a few casts where I had hooked up, as I had rested the water for 30 mins. I was about to give in when I twitched and the minnow suddenly ran at full steam in the other direction. I had to adjust the drag. And then I noticed some line incorrectly spooled, and I had to walk backwards and release the line to prevent a tangle. After straighting that out I still had a fish! And a feisty one it was. Eventually I saw colour -- the golden colour of a bream from brackish water. And what colour!!! The bream was massive! I remember in NW river seeing a school -- whith lots of little bream and two or three large solitary fish. This fish was just as large as those in NW river. I can't estimate size, but it was BIG! (1 - 2 kg -- which is big for a bream). I released the fish -- but I can still see it in my hand, with its dorsal fin sticking up to make itself look big. What a fish!!!!

Season openner 2006/2007

Got up early and went down to Northwest River at Margate. Walked down the river, trying soft plastics. Saw a sea runner in the tidal section -- but it wasnt interested. Got home in time for breakfast.

Looked at a house on the river after lunch. THe picture is from the advertising brochure.

Nick.