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Ambition report 23rd.March’20

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March Yellowfin…

 

Autumn is a great time to be fishing off Sydney. Currently March Yellowfin are the go but there are also Striped and Blue Marlin in the mix.

After hearing reports during last week  of yellowfin  ranging from mid 40 kilo’s to around 70 kilo’s I was obviously keen to get out there. I managed to raise a crew and headed out on Saturday. Reports during the week had been from widen of Broken Bay down to the Southern canyons. Since there was a Southerly due I went South. Just wide of Browns the water had reached 24 degrees so the lure were deployed and we went hunting. There was little action in the form of birds and bait until I found a temperature break from 24 degrees down to 23.6 degrees.

March Yellowfin...
March Yellowfin…

Further down the coast on the break birds started to appear then suddenly they were everywhere. I worked the birds for a couple of hours seeing the yellowfin busting up but unable to get to them in time.

I decided to look further afield and hadn’t gone more than a  couple of hundred metres when the ‘shotgun’ went off.

The One that Got away
The One that Got away

Sadly after nearly an hour and with the fish just out of gaffing range the ‘wind-on’  gave way.  It was devastating to lose such a good fish after a very tough fight so near to the end. Anyway these things happen.

On the radio during the day there were several reports of Striped Marlin on the shelf both up around the ‘Bait Station’ and further down inshore of where I was. There was  one Blue

The One that Got away
The One that Got away

Marlin being fought but after a 2 hour fight  I didn’t  hear  whether they caught it. There were also  quite a few Yellowfin taken .

So though Saturday was a great day to be out wide  after hearing the reports  it was decidedly better on Sunday.

It is such a shame that this  unbelievable bite is coinciding with this virus.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…
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Ambition report 13th.March’20

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]Port Stephens to Sydney

I brought Ambition back from Port Stephens last Monday. I fished all the way down starting just North of the ‘Car Park ‘ trolling skip baits.

The plan was originally to come back on Sunday but due to the weather on Saturday my charter was pushed back to Sunday. Consequently we made the  trip back from Port Stephens  on Monday. Surprisingly the weather was pretty good as we left the Port even though the week-end’s weather  pad been pretty ordinary.

On the Leader…
Blacks in action...
Adam takes the leader…

The plan was to run out North of the ‘Car Park’, find some bait and troll skippies for an hour or so then put out the lures and work our way back  home to Sydney.

All went to plan, we found some bait and slowed down to put out the skippies, Adam had just put out one . Then as he was setting the  second one it was pulled out of his hand and a good sized Black tore off at a million miles an hour, so to speak. This fish gave a good account of itself giving us a good run for our money however the 24 kg. inevitably took its toll and the Black was soon released. Excitement all round as it was the angler’s first marlin.

A good Black…
A nice Black...
A nice Black…

 

 

 

 

So, with one fish under our belt, with the baits deployed we started again. It took a little longer to find the second fish and a bit more difficult to finally hook it. This Black came in on one of the skipped baits , hit it and dropped back without getting hooked. We then put out a live bait which it again picked up and again no hook up. Then while we were waiting and hoping for it to take the live bait again the other skipped bait was taken while it was sinking and this time the Black was hooked.

It was a strange fight in that the fish , quite a large Black that we called at least 120kg.,  never took a run and didn’t even go deep as you’d expect from a Black , So after a  very short  fight we dully released the Marlin .

Continuing our trip down we had changed over to lures. Oddly just past the Newcastle canyons the water started going green and cooling. I went closer looking for better water, no go. I went out to 500 fathoms , no change.  Conditions didn’t change for the rest of the run down. We did however get a strike from a good sized Striped Marlin on the Southern edge of the Norah Canyons. On examining the leader it was obviously the fish had been bill wrapped. The water was only 21.5 C , green and apparently lifeless.

Conditions don’t seem to be getting any better off Sydney as we approach what I’ve always considered the best time of year for our offshore fishing.

But ever being the optimist , it will get better.Nothing stays the same for long in the ocean.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…
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Fishing Tackle :

Pakula Tackle
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Otto’s Tackle
Melton Tackle
Aftco
Campbell’s Pro Tackle
Electronics :

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Keogh’s Marine Electronics
Olectric Syste

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Ambition report 2nd.March’20

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Port Stephens Billfish in the form of Striped Marlin along with Blacks and the appearance of Blue Marlin were on the bite last week-end. Also amongst the Billfish  a good run of Mahi Mahi.

 

The Port Stephen Billfish turned on again last week-end. They were

Port Stephens March'20
Port Stephens March’20

big fish too. I heard of Stripies around the one hundred kilo mark and of at least one Black estimated at a hundred and fifty kilo’s by a very experienced skipper. Though they weren’t  in the same numbers as the Interclub the previous week there were  still enough  to go round. As usual it was a matter of find the bait and find the Marlin, so what’s new.

The baitfish along the shelf  were flighty and  difficult to stay in touch  with, however that is where the Marlin were. Those guys dunking bait into the schools didn’t fare as well as those covering ground by skipping rigged baits  or trolling live baits. Also, to make life more interesting for those dunking baits there were quite a few Whaler sharks in the mix.

Port Stephens March'20
Port Stephens March’20

The boats trolling lures also raised plenty of Marlin but as is usual the hook up rate not as good as with baits especially for the Striped Marlin. They did have the advantage though of raising the occasional Blue Marlin some of which I heard were on the large size. Apparently you didn’t have to go far to find the Blues either,  just wide of the ‘Car Park’ and other well known areas just over the shelf.

AMBITION…

I fished away from the crowds hovering over and trolling around the bait schools, looking for my own patch. I had quite a successful week-end skipping baits. The highlight, was after marking three or four fish under the boat , seeing four big Striped Marlin trying to eat two baits. We did hook two of them but unfortunately one was tail wrapped and while trying to keep up with it the other dropped off. It was pandemonium for a while  but we did get one of them.

Port Stephens March'20
Port Stephens March’20

So, Port Stephens Marlin. It would be hard to find a more productive area for catching all three species of our Marlin as well as all the other tropical species. The currents the bait  add up to a game fish  have.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…
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Electronics :

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Ambition report 25th.February’20

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This year’s Port Stephens Interclub could be seen as a make up for last year’s dilemma. The Marlin really turned it on. The Shootout the previous week-end  was a preview of what was to come.

Unbelievably the weather held off for the full three days of the Port Stephens Interclub tournament. Resulting in around 430 Marlin tagged by just over 110 boats over three days at the Port Stephens  Interclub .  Averaging over one Marlin a boat per day, not  a bad result.  The full results for the tournament may be seen a the NSWGFA  Facebook or web site.

Day 1
Interclub action
Interclub action

We on Ambition didn’t do too badly. We opted to skip baits to cover some ground and locate the bait.  I went well North of the crowd at the ‘Car Park’ and managed three tagged Marlin over the day, catching the first within minutes of putting out our first bait.  Below us at the ‘Car Park’  there was a bite happening but because of the numbers there  the individual results weren’t  so great. None the less some of the local boats stood out from the crowd.

Day two
Interclub action
Interclub action

I went back to where I’d been the day before but all had changed, the bait had gone. It was much the same all along the shelf. What bait there was, was holding deep .  After finally jigging up enough to use I again opted to skip baits and cover ground. I worked my way further North, around November 9, where a few boats were catching fish bombing the deep bait. However after a frustrating time watching several boats catch fish   I changed over to dropping baits on the bait schools , not a style of fishing I enjoy, and ended up hooking and tagging a Whaler Shark after a lengthy fight. So, that was enough for me.

It was back to skipping baits. We were a short distance from the crowd dunking their baits when a nice Striped Marlin hammered one of our skippies and we were on. After a short fight the Stripy was tagged and the baits  put back out . Unexpectedly just after we had set the baits a Black took a skippy and was off more in the air than the water. It was quickly tagged  and we were off again.  It took a while but again on the outside of the crowd dunking slimies we hooked and tagged another Striped Marlin, our third for the day.

Day 3

We headed out with great expectations, back to the same area as the first day. The bait was there again  and in fairly quick time we tagged two Striped Marlin, but then the wheels fell off. The bait disappeared  so it was off searching again. There was a bite happening further South . When we arrived several boats were fighting fish and all looked good.

Interclub action
Interclub action

I searched and searched but couldn’t find any bait. There were obviously plenty of Marlin and lots of boats hooking up  but where was the bait. We unfortunately didn’t end up catching any more fish . Later on talking to other skippers the story was much the same. Whereas some did find bait most didn’t but the marlin were definitely on the bite.

I theorised that the bait was quite sparse, the schools dispersed and broken up by the Marlin to a degree where most sounders couldn’t pick them up. Whereas those boats with  more powerful sounders could however mark the bait.

There were a few boats that went out wide and did find Blue Marlin. Two that I know of lost what they called very big fish. The Blues are usually at their best in Autumn as can be see from previous year’s results especially further South around Sydney.

Hopefully the bait will remain in the area and the bite will continue but if it doesn’t it will certainly be worth having a look out wide.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…
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Ambition report 17th. February’20

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Port Stephens Shootout…

The  Port Stephens Shootout  went ahead quite successfully on the week-end in spite of  weather predictions of disastrous conditions.

Black Marlin at the boat
Black Marlin at the boat

Sadly it wasn’t  plain sailing for at least a couple of boats crossing the bar. The conditions on the bar at the entrance to the Port were not exactly favourable and a great degree of caution was required with the four to five meter swells rolling over the bar on the run-out tide.

However once past the bar, even with the swell it wasn’t too bad . The only problem was the very brown water which virtually made the inshore fishing a waste of time. Consequently most headed offshore.

Black Marlin at the boat
Triple header

The fleet was basically divided into those chasing Striped and Black Marlin on the shelf tagging and releasing  and those venturing further looking for the $200,000.00 money fish, a 258 kilo Blue Marlin.

Sadly the big one wasn’t found but several boats said they had lost a possible winner. The boat ‘The Cuban’ did find a Blue of 157 kilo’s  and took out the heaviest Marlin category.

The Shelf…

The water on the shelf  wasn’t fabulous. But  at the known spots bait was holding up  and lots of Marlin were caught by those dropping live baits into the schools and  trolling lures or live baits around the schools. Places like the ‘Car Park’ have came alive again after a couple of lean years.

Black Marlin at the boat
Black Marlin at the boat

Out wider there were quite a few Mahi Mahi and Yellowfin taken. Although they weren’t large fish ranging from 10 to 25 kilo’s they were potentially good food for big Blues.

On Saturday I opted to chase the big one  which we didn’t find  but Travelled a long way looking for the good water which we also didn’t find. What I did  find was a very, very brown current  but on the edge the water looked quite good. Consequently I trolled along the edge. There were a few birds  in the area  and the occasional patch of bait.  Then out of no where we had a strike , then another and another, a triple.  As it turned out we tagged a  Black Marlin and kept two 10 kilo Yellowfin  and that was it for the day.

Sunday was the perfect day, it was hard to believe that such a large ground swell could disappear so quickly. The guys bait fishing on the shelf, bombing the bait schools continued to have success and those chasing the big one tried in vain.  We ended up with a nice Mahi Mahi.

So while we didn’t end up in the money we had plenty to take home for the table.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…
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Weatherzone
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Ripcharts
C.S.I.R.O.
N.S.W Bluelink

Fishing Tackle :

Pakula Tackle
Global Tackle
Otto’s Tackle
Melton Tackle
Aftco
Campbell’s Pro Tackle
Electronics :

Furuno
Keogh’s Marine Electronics
Olectric Systems

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Ambition report 27th.January’20

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After reports of the Black Marlin at Coffs Harbour and South West Rocks  coming down the coast they have arrived. Port Stephens Blacks are here. Over the last week or so the currents have pushed further inshore . With the currents have come the Black Marlin and the occasional Striped too.

Those who got wind of the bite have had great results tagging multiple fish a day. But fishing being as fickle as it is who knows what tomorrow will bring. Reports are still coming in of Blacks at Coffs and South West Rocks so with luck we’ll have a bumper season ahead.

Stripy at the boat
Stripy at the boat

These Port Stephens Blacks are just in time for the tournament sesason.

Saturday…

Because of the conditions I went out wide on Saturday. There was  bait  early on just inside the shelf but only in patches. However, after working it for a while the bait disappeared. It became apparent that nothing was going to happen so I went out wide. I heard on the radio of Blue Marlin, Yellowfin and Mahi Mahi down off Lake Macquarie  so I thought it was a chance.

All was quiet but the water was getting bluer  and  bird activity was increasing.   At around 500 fathoms there were patches of birds working on something that was fast moving, I assumed they were Yellowfin. It took a bit of doing but we eventually got a hit. Sadly after a short fight it escaped. On checking the lure I am pretty sure it was a Yellowfin.

Sunday…

Sunday morning was not what the BOM forecast so we filled up with bait and headed  North. I put the lures in off Broughton Island and in minutes we had a Small Black having a go. Problem was it kept hitting the swivel so no luck.

We arrived at the Gibber only to find all my bait was  dead; pump failure. I persevered using skip baits  while looking for some more bait to jig up, and was eventually rewarded  with of all things a Striped Marlin.

So, a frustrating week-end all round but at least with promise of what is to come. Meanwhile it is Port Stephens Blacks.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…

Weather and Sea State :

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Fishing Tackle :

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Melton Tackle
Aftco
Campbell’s Pro Tackle

Electronics :

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Olectric Systems

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Ambition report 20th.January’20

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Saturday…

I along with Ron Kovacs and Lee Cheeseman took Ambition up to  Nelson Bay at Port Stephens last Saturday. And what a trip it was. It poured the whole way up.  The sea wasn’t too bad to start with,  being about 15 knots of South-Easter with a Northerly current.  However as we moved wider the current turned to the South and increased markedly and so did the wind. The 1.5 to 2 metre Southerly swell jumped up to 3 to 4 metres and shortened making for a very uncomfortable ride.

Beautifully lit up Striped Marlin...
Beautifully lit up Striped Marlin…

We didn’t see anything on the way up and it wouldn’t have been much fun if we had hooked up anyway. When we reached Port Stephens the water temperature had dropped down to 22.5 C and off the lighthouse we marked lots of bait and since the current was coming from the South in close it was a lot more comfortable, but still raining. It was a pleasure to reach our berth at Nelson Bay and relax with a beer or two.

Sunday…

Sunday dawned a perfect day. It was hard to believe it could have calmed so quickly overnight.

Ron holding on tight
Ron holding on tight

We headed out to the lighthouse where there had been lots of bait and bird activity  the previous day. Surprise , surprise, there was no bait, no bird life and the water had jumped up to 25 C.

We’d caught bait at Cabbage Tree and I wasn’t going out to the shelf so we skipped a couple of  slimies close in shore.

Up near the V Reef I started  to mark bait and after working the area for an hour or so, we were rewarded with a strike. It turned out to be a Striped marlin of about 70kg. which sadly didn’t put up much of a fight however it was a first for  Grant . So, one more off his bucket list.

I worked the area for a little longer but with the tide starting to run out I worked my way back to the entrance intending to get back  to the lighthouse.

However, we never made it back, this time it was a Black, a very stubborn Black which gave Grant’s son a  very hard time. Then an even harder time to Ron when he traced it as you’ll see in the video.

So one quite  successful day after one very miserable day. Two firsts to two very excited and satisfied fishermen.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…

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Electronics :

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Ambition report 13th.January’20

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Experience Sydney’ hot Marlin bite , at present possibly one of the best bites for this time of years in years. It is ironic that I am taking Ambition up to Port Stephens in a couple of days  while Sydney’s hot Marlin bite continues.

Lee in action...
Lee in action…

Over the last couple of weeks Striped Marlin of varying sizes have been on the bite around the shelf. Just where they have been is the question. Generally you find them near the temperature breaks  where the bait is stacking up. So, find the bait and you find the fish.  Having  said that finding the fish can be the start of the problem. Striped Marlin being what they are can be the most frustrating of fish to hook up and keep hooked up. Small lures or bait are the go but even then nothing is sure.

Nice Stripy
Nice Stripy

In closer to shore where the bait has stacked up on the inshore reefs and off the headlands the Black Marlin have appeared. There was the occasional Black seen last week but since the water has warmed up inshore their numbers have increases significantly.  Reports of numbers of Blacks from further up the coast, around Coffs indicate  there could be more on their way down.

As I mentioned earlier in the report  I’m taking ‘Ambition’ to Port Stephens missing Sydney’s hot Marlin bite and will be there for the next couple of months fishing the tournaments and chartering . I still have a few days free and will keep you informed.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…

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Electronics :

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Ambition report 17th.December’19

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One of the biggest frustrations of running a charter boat is not being able to go out whenever you want. Especially frustrating is when you know the fish are there or when the bite is on. My situation last week-end.

Port Stephens Blue...
Blue Marlin…

And just to add to the  frustrations just hearing about the Striped Marlin bite off Port Stephens and Norah Canyons the previous week and the many encounters off Sydney last week. It finally happened, the greater body of Marlin moved into Sydney waters.

From what I have heard there were lots of boats out there with most if not all at least seeing a fish. As is usual with Striped Marlin for every fish hooked many were lost.

The Stripies seemed to come in a range of sizes with a few boats and experienced fishermen from SGFC tagging fish of around 100 kg. as well as fish in the 60 kg. range. It would appear there are a couple of year classes involved.

Port Stephens Blue...
Another Mighty Blue…

Will it continue ? Yes, it is the beginning. But at this early stage of the season the currents haven’t yet settled in so you still have to find the water and the bait.

I don’t know if anyone has heard about the Blacks moving down the coast in their annual run. I have heard there is plenty of bait waiting for them up the North but have heard nothing.

http://www.ambitioncharters.com.au

Tight lines,
Ivan

Don’t forget Port Stephens, the best Game fishing spot in NSW, I’ll be there and available from 20th.January’20 until 16th.March’20…

Blue Msrlin tagged
Tagged

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Electronics :

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Ambition report 2nd. December’19

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That elusive Marlin.

At this time of year the  keen Game Fisher people are out looking for the first Marlin of the season. In most clubs this is a much contested trophy with a great degree of kudos and boasting rights  to the winner.

robs-yellowfin
robs-yellowfin

With that in mind and seeing that the water was warming up I and a four  other members of SGFC  went out hunting. On the way we had a look at the 12 Mile but it was loaded with Jackets and after losing two rigs we were off. Out went the lures and the hunting began. It was pretty lumpy going for a while  and I lost sight of a couple of crew members for a while, sleeping they said.

robs-yellowfin
robs-yellowfin

There was no apparent bait or birds working around the shelf so we moved on, working our way out. It wasn’t until near the thousand fathom line that we saw any  life.

A couple of Sunfish showed up near a temperature break in a thousand fathoms and I saw a school of what I thought were Striped Tuna. There was life here so I worked the break and was eventually rewarded with a crashing strike on the short corner. The fish took such a long first run I thought at first we might have found our Marlin. However the fish never jumped but it did stay near the surface . It must have taken two hundred meters on that first run and poor Rob had to work really hard to get it back. When we did eventually see  it was a Yellowfin we were a little surpised. It never went deep and never did that gut wrenching  circling.

robs-yellowfin
robs-yellowfin

So even though that elusive Marlin eluded us we did have a good 40 kilo’s of Yellowfin to satisfy our needs. At least until we get out again to chase that elusive first Marlin.

Tight lines,
Ivan

LINKS…

Weather and  Sea State :
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