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Ambition report 11th. January’ 16

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Facebook After a good run up to Port Stephens yesterday Sunday was an anticlimax.

The water in the Port is like liquid chocolate then out around 30 fathoms it turns greeny-brown and at fifty to a clean green were there is a lot of bait and we raised a couple of small Blacks.

Further out around the 70 fathoms was a very marked colour change and a jump in temperature of nearly 2 degrees where at least one boat raised a couple of Striped Marlin. From there on the temperature just kept increasing as you went out : I recorded 27.3 degrees out wide and other boats were registering up to 28.5. I know there is a high degree of inaccuracy in these readings but it is still very warm even though the colour is amazing and looks very fishy.

Results for the weekend, amongs those fishing was disappointing for the amount of effort put in, and the bite on Saturday had moved further South. The big problem was the general lack of bait – if you find bait and stick with it you are in with a chance and this was made difficult in the 2.5 knot current.

Next weekends weather is not looking real good at present but hopefully it will turn things around – ever the optimist…

Tight lines,
Ivan

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 1st. January’ 16

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FacebookHappy New Year everyone and I don’t think I am remiss in saying that weatherwise thank God its over. I know we are supposed to be in an El Ninio phase and it is generally windier but enough is enough – bring in the windless New Year !

KingfishAnyway back to reality, though the Kings still reign off Sydney being found in numbers schooling around the harbour with Salmon amongst them, mostly undersize but for those that know there are some good ones to be found – good bait being the sec…ret. Larger fish have turned up on the offshore reefs but they are sporadic.

040711_1Offshore Sydney the fishing remains patchy, the water being relatively cool for this time of year. But the occasional Stripy is turning up and some large ones at that, Warren Night of ‘Midnight’ tagged one of 130kg. plus after first calling it a Blue, a common occurence. Big Dollies are ranging about, Warren’s daughter taking a 17 kg. specimen in 15 kg. line for a potential Women’s record.

261014_1Though the fishing off Sydney is hard going at present Port Stephens is starting to happen, I don’t have exact details yet but I have heard reports of multiple taggings but I don’t know if they were Stripes or the inshore Blacks which are increasing in numbers along the coast and apparently going off at South West Rocks which augers well for the Interclub and points South in the coming weeks.

As I am sure you are aware AMBITION will be at PORT STEPHENS from next week and available for charter – reports to come.

Tight lines,
Ivan

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 19th. December’ 15

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I have been out a couple of times this last week when the weather has permitted and luckily missing the big one.

ambition_0005Yesterday Vic Levett on his boat MOJO tagged a Striped Marlin around the shelf area while I went out wide to chase the Blue Marlin, Spearfish and good sized Dollies that had been reported in previous days. It was hard going as the North-Easterly picked up early and was pumping 20 to 25 knots and gusting even higher.

I eventually found a huge amount of bait around Browns and the birds were beginning to gather however the discomfort of the seas got the better of the charter and the allure of the Watsons Bay Hotel was too great so it was back to shore we went.

Rumours are coming in about boats live baiting inshore for the Kingfish hooking up on small Black Marlin. Going back through SGFC records these Blacks usually turned up around Christmas or Boxing day so they are right on cue.

The Kingfish continue to frustrate fisher people with their small size. The legal ones and bigger are there but a lot of perseverance and live squid is needed.

Anyway the Game fishing is looking good judging by the amount of bait building up along the coast, the fish are sparse at present as the currents are still fickle but it will only get better.

I’m off to Port Stephens in a few weeks and can’t wait to get there anyone wanting to join me should give me a call.

Tight lines,
Ivan
Email   : webmaster@sgfc.com.au
Phone : 0427887707

 

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 7th. December’ 15

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The unseasonal run of Blue Marlin, jumbo sized Striped Marlin and Mahi Mahi continued over the last three days though the numbers decreased with each passing day.

Blue 041215_1Friday saw the most activity for those lucky enough to be out there. We managed a Blue of about 150kg. using my second favourite Pakula lure, the Blue Illusion, on the afternoon tide. Another few taken earlier in the day, one of around 200kg. was lost when it couldn’t be lifted after dying. The saving grace for John (Spanish Fly) was finding a large number of jumbo Mahi Mahi and landing several. These Mahi Mahi can turn up anywhere from the shelf to well beyond, a bit of a lucky dip.

Saturday saw more boats out but for fewer results since the waterBlue 041215_2 was changing, the good pool having moved further South. A couple of Blues were lost out wide and several Stripes were encountered from 75 fathoms out – at the same time there were fewer Mahi Mahi.

Sunday was even worse because of the expectations there were more boats out and the returns were few. One Blue was lost after two hours having died and was unable to be lifted, another estimated at 200kg. was lost at boat side after throwing the hook. A couple of Stripes were tagged and a few more were seen. I didn’t hear of any Mahi Mahi though there might have been some.

The unluckiest boat was CASEY – they were shark fishing and dropped a bait jig which loaded up and was then hit by a Marlin which was as you would expect, lost !

Until next time here’s a short video of the action…

Tight lines,
Ivan

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 1st. December’ 15

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HeaderDue to the great weather over the last week the out-wide fishing is an unknown quantity but with what looks like a great week-end coming up there will be ample opportunity to fill in the gaps.

Previously there were some very large Mahi Mahi taken along and around the shelf and I had run into a long liner out wide and caught a nice Yellowfin the currents would indicate they could still be out there.  Kingfish are still making their presence felt on both inshore and offshore reefs and there have been some huge Kings taken by spearfishermen also.

All in all this week-end offers a good opportunity to do some exploring in comfortable conditions unless of course the weather does its thing.

Tight lines,
Ivan

 

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 23rd. November’ 15

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221115_2I went out on Sunday with a plan which is unusual for me since I generally let the conditions on the day govern my approach. But after looking at Saturday’s chart with a ‘Zero’ line close inshore and hearing from the local ‘bottom bouncers’ that the water was hot in close, almost lapping up to the cliffs I planned to look for Marlin in close.
However, on Sunday there was no hot water in close and the current was raging so it was off to look for the good stuff. The temperature and colour didn’t get appreciably better until into the 80 fathom area but we kept going. After the 300 fathoms the water cooled to less than 20 degrees with no appreciable life but I was going out.
In the 700 fathom area it started to warm again I and there were birds both searching and working but on something small which I couldn’t make out.
221115_1Anyway to cut a long story short I found a Long liner and he was setting so I spent some time in the area where there were groups of birds heavily working on baitfish being pushed up but because of the current they were moving by quickly. As I worked one of the groups we had a triple strike and I saw the ‘Shotgun’ explode and really scream off, unfortunately whatever it was straightened one of the hooks. One of the others fish just threw the hooks so we ended up with one out of three, a nice 38 kilo Yellowfin.
Through the day there were some nice Mahi Mahi taken one of which is a potential Junior record going 22 kilo’s on 15 kilo line. – a good effort.

Tight lines,
Ivan

Fishing Reports, Home

Ambition report 17th. November’ 15

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KingfishWent out yesterday in glorious conditions, at last,  with the guys from Global Tackle to test some new gear the plan was to chase a few Kings then go out wide to see what was out there.

At the Peak there were plenty of fish showing on the sounder but we couldn’t entice them onto the deck either with live bait, squid or jigs.

We then went for a troll out to the FAD but nothing showed there, then out over the shelf where the current picked up and pushing into a Southerly breeze really lifted the sea. I didn’t even go to Browns as the couple of boats out there and wider indicated colder green water, possibly a result of the fresh pushing out after the stormy weather from the Northern and far North coast rivers. The radio especially during the week can be a great source of information unlike during the week-ends but we won’t go there.

At the 12 Mile a similar story to the Peak but after a lot of effort hooked a large fish, between losing rigs to Jackets, that beat the poor angler to the bottom on a jig then after what seemed like ages hooked another that went 94cm. but put up a fight like a much larger fish, guess that’s why we love our Kings.

There are good sized Kings being caught inshore on live squid and down-rigging and trolling along the cliffs is producing Salmon, Bonito and in places heaps of undersized Kings.

Tight lines,

Ivan

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 12th. November’ 15

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Went out for a quick one today before the weather sets in yet again.

20151112_091923_resizedManaged some nice Kigns at the Peak until the ‘couta’ and Jackets moved in, then it was off for a troll to find a Marlin or Mahi Mahi.

About 200 metres from the Botany Fad the rod went off and PSMarlin30what I am sure was a smalll Black Marlin took to the air. It didn’t last long as in the 25 knot North Easter it was difficult to stay upright and with that a bit of slack line is all it took but that’s fishing.

Tight lines,
Ivan

Fishing Reports

Ambition report 9th. November’ 15

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Again the purported weather for the week-end wasn’t as bad as it appeared a couple of days before – you’d think I would have learned by now.

Anyway to cut a long story short the warm current has settled in and raging around the shelf and with it both Marlin and good sized Mahi Mahi are making their presence felt. The marlin are mostly Stripies but the occasional Blue is showing up.

In shore and around the harbour there are good sized Kingies with the Peak and 12 Mile still holding their share and live bait or squid being he preferred bait, determining which one works better on the day is what fishing is about.

Well the fishing is getting better and the currents seem to be stabilising but the weather on the other hand is as fickle as can be. So at the present you don’t need as much luck with the fishing as you do with the weather.

Tight lines,

040711_1Marlin2101_2

Fishing Reports, Home

Port Stephens 2016…

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Home Splash BlackPORT STEPHENS 2016

From mid-January I will taking Ambition and  chartering out of the beautiful Port Stephens,  an easy 2.5 hrs. drive  North of Sydney.

Port Stephens is arguably the best game fishing port in N.S.W. attracting large numbers of the three species of Marlin available in the Pacific as well as Spearfish, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo and Kingfish – all attracted by the large schools of baitfish in the area.

I am discounting charter fees for those confirmed by 1st. January 2016. To take advantage of this offer call me…

Phone : 0427 887707

Email  : webmaster@sgfc.com.au

Tight lines,

Ivan