A: Trilene knot Trilene spent considerable research money and time developing the Trilene knot. Under an electron microscope this knot was seen to deliver stress more evenly than any other fishing knot known. The breaking strength for the Trilene knot is close to 100% for most lines and diameters. It is always above 90% if tied correctly.
	Dropper Loop: Form a loop of the desired length, say 1.25m. Twist a section into a small loop. This is the only tricky part - hold this loop with thumb and forefinger, the thumb extending above the finger, and with the loop standing up beyond the tip of the thumb. Wind the doubled line around the thumb and the loop 5 times. Send the rest of the long loop through the small loop, and pull gently to unwind the turns off the thumb. The knot is now formed and worked into tight coils.
Spider Hitch -Variation	Dropper loop - variation Take the end of the line and double it to form a loop of the required size. Tie an Overhand Knot at the desired point, leaving the loop open. Bring the doubled line through the loop again. Repeat passing the doubled line through the loop another 3 times ( 4 passes) Hold the line and the end part together, and pull the loop to form a knot.
	Figure of 8 Knot The figure of 8 Knot is relatively simple to tie- just make a loop of about 4 inches and follow the diagram.

Get to know these knots, they are tried and true, and practise tying them until they become second nature to you. It is most important that you use knots that can be easily remembered . There is little point using a knot that can only be tied by reference to a diagram. You'll find that even one hours practice with a knot will make for perfection.

Charter Boat fishing is a particular field of fishing, It is not perfect and does not allow us the same freedom of choice we have in other forms of fishing, there is up to 14 of us fishing in rather crowded conditions, all using a 1lb sinker. "We are all in the same boat" and a successful day depends on everyone co-operating. The number of sinkers the club carries onto the boat is limited and if they run-out, the day will come to an end and if any one or two persons are the main culprits, you may be sure that their popularity in the club will severely decline.

Another sure way to lose sinkers is by letting out too much line, as this greatly diminishes the angle of the line from the boat to the bottom and ensures that your sinker will get severely snagged on any obstruction instead of bouncing over it, as it would if the line was almost vertical.

Sometimes you can free yourself from the bottom, by taking up the strain almost to breaking point and then releasing the line quickly. This sometimes springs the sinker free, but you have to be careful how you do this. Do not take the tension on your reel, as besides doing the line on the reel no good at all, it will backlash on the reel when you release it and you will end up with a tangle on the reel or sore fingers as you try to stop it from happening.

A 1lb sinker is now worth about $3 retail and if you had to buy them at this price, I am sure everyone would be more careful in their choice of dropper line and how they tie their knots.

CHARTER BOAT FISHING TECHNIQUES

Charter boat fishing is different to all other fishing, for a start, everyone is in the same boat. The luck of the draw sometimes determines who catches the most fish on the day, and the hardest part to learn is to able to distinguish a fish bite, particularly when you are using a 1lb sinker, 60 fathoms (120 Metres) down to the bottom and with a strong current running.

It is typical on a charter boat for one person to be catching fish, whilst the people at his elbows are catching nothing. But while the lines may be close together at the rail, they can be many metres apart on the bottom.

If a strong current is running, it is difficult to stay on the bottom and the lead can lift nearly to the surface. In these conditions you have to work hard to catch fish. You must play your line out to reach bottom again and again, then rewind and start all over again. On some occasions it is impossible to hold bottom for even short periods with a 1½ lb Sinker, if this is the case we either try to fish closer in to the shore or abandon the trip all together.

Sometimes being snagged on the bottom will feel like a fish, particularly when you first become snagged, or have caught onto a soft-coral or weed growth, as the elasticity of the line will allow you to recover a fair amount of line. If you are snagged, let off your "drag" slowly and let your line go slack, then take a couple of turns of the line around the rail and let the drift of the boat break you free. This technique will not only allow you to keep your fingers attached to your hands, but avoids pressure damage to your reel, its mechanism and the line on it. - When you have taken the turns of your line around the rail, Don't allow it to slip or cross over, as the resulting friction, will break you off at the top.

You may be able to spring your line free from a snag, by suddenly releasing your grip on the line at the rail when it is at its maximum pressure, but make sure your fingers are well clear of the line and do not attempt to do this while there is any pressure on the reel.

As soon as your line becomes light, wind it in immediately, even if you think your gear is intact, as in all probability your bait has gone and if you go straight-down you will probably pick-up the same snag again.

Tangles

In some sea conditions, tangles are unavoidable and are caused by lines crossing over each other with the drift of the boat, or becoming tangled with a fish that someone else is winding in. If your line suddenly goes light, you can be almost sure that you have become tangled with someone winding in. He may think that the extra weight on his line is a fish, so do the right thing and say loudly "I'm Light !". Determine who you may be in the tangle with and start winding your line in straight away.

It is important that you keep the slack line out of the water as this will create a worse tangle when the lines are finally brought in and waste valuable fishing time.

If the other person signifies that he has a fish, " Help Him" let him take most of the weight, and allow him to play the fish, Don't try to beat him to the surface and maybe lose the fish for him. If you both think you have a fish, let one person take most of the weight and control the speed of the wind in and sort out the fish, once they are in the boat.

On a bad tangle day, tempers can become frayed, Cut out of bad tangles, lend assistance, Remember wire traces and three way swivels are banned, primarily because they aggravate tangles. Extra long snoods, using a different weight of lead, and careless fishing habits, like letting out too much line can all lead to tangles. In all "Keep your Cool" on these occasions, smarten up your fishing, do not play more line than it takes to reach the bottom, wind in as soon as you go-light, and everyone including yourself will spend more time fishing and less time, untying tangles.

It is often easier to get out of a tangle over the side of the boat, while the sinker is still exerting pressure on the line, but if a good fish is involved, the fish takes priority. Get it inboard! if necessary use the gaff, a net is sometimes difficult to use if a number of lines are involved and a heap of tangles in a net, means a lot of lost fishing time.

Don't leave your line unattended for any reason. Wind it in. Then do what you have to do..

Getting the fish on Board

All Charter boats should have a good gaff on board and our club always takes along a landing net. If you think you have a large fish on, call for the gaff or net, early in the peace - as someone, usually the person next to you has to go and get it. Don't "Cry Wolf".

Gaffing demands a reasonable amount of skill, particularly in a heavy sloppy sea, so if you are the one with the fish, help the gaffer as much as possible, bring the fish gently to the surface, don't try to lift it from the water, but keeping line pressure on it all the time, slowly just keep its head up slightly and try to lie it on its side. The gaffer will put the gaff hook in the water underneath the fish and behind the head, wait till the fish is relatively still and then, with a clean continuous movement upwards, strike the fish and lift it from the water. A lot of species, and in particular trevally, have a very soft mouth and must always be taken from the water by gaff, irrespective of size.

Caring for your catch

Fish are hard enough to catch, and now that you have one that you, your family or friends can enjoy eating, knowing it's fresh, the best tasting fish in the world.... Or can they?....

Fish quality deteriorates rapidly after they are caught, the stomach gases of a dead or dying fish have a habit of imparting a bad smell and taste, to the flesh around the cavity, and it is now a proven fact that the stress of a dying fish causes the fish to release hormones , which also reduces the table quality of the whole fish . So for best results, Kill the fish as soon as it is caught, and gut it as soon as possible . The best way to humanely kill a fish is to spear it in the head, just behind the eye , with a sharp pointed implement, ( an old ground down screwdriver is ideal).

To Gut (most fish), lie it on a flat surface with the stomach nearest you, and with a sharp knife, cut from the vent, straight through to the gills, while you hold your fish steady with your free hand. Do not insert the knife any further than necessary into the body cavity, as this cuts the gut and releases bile etc, into the stomach cavity.

Open up the fish with your hands and remove the gut and gills and return the offal removed to the sea. It is important to remove the gills as these have the greatest effect on turning the fish bad. Make sure you remove everything from the cavity, clean down the bloodline alongside of the spine and remove all traces of blood, a stiff brush is ideal for this task, and also for removing the black inner-lining from such fish as Morwong or Mullet, Rinse the stomach cavity with clean water, removing all traces of gut, gills, and blood. Do not scale the fish at this time, but wipe it down and return it in a damp bag, to an ice filled or cool esky ., preferably standing the way it swims, so that any fluids will drain from the stomach cavity.

Your fish will not only taste better if you carry out the above instructions but will weigh-in better as fish lose body weight after they are caught, if not kept cool and moist. For example a 2.3kg Morwong "Over the Side" left in a bag or warm fish box would weigh 2.1 kg's within 6 hours and just over 2 kgs within 12 hours, a loss of 300gms (11oz) .... (There goes another record)

It is also a good idea to skin your fish instead of scaling it, The Fish keep much better either in a refrigerator or Freezer if they are left with their scales on, the flesh tastes much better, It is quicker than scaling, the fish look better and their weight loss is less. Don't skin your fish on the boat though, Skin them just prior to cooking.

Skinning may appear difficult, but after the first couple of tries you will find that it is quicker and easier than scaling, and with a lot less mess.

Whatever you do, Do not leave your fish exposed to heat, either in the boat or in your car, and don't put them in a plastic bag, as plastic sweats the fish and sends them off quicker than anything. - If you leave your fish in the fish box, cover them with water, and remember to change it frequently as this too can get pretty warm.

Clothing

Weather at sea can be extremely variable and almost impossible to predict. Good wet-weather gear should be standard equipment and ideally consist of waterproof trousers and a ¾ coat with a hood and a broad rimmed felt hat. Light plastic clothing does not usually last out for even one full day under the strain of fishing, so be warned - buy cheap, buy twice, and still get wet... good wet-weather gear will last for years and is also ideal for keeping out the wind. Even on what in Sydney is a hot summers day, a strong North-Easterly out at sea can be freezing, cold winds are a constant companion at sea, so even if you fell quite warm when you leave home, take warm clothing with you.

As the deck is frequently awash with waves or the deck hose in the hands of ex navy types (No offence Artie) Those who don't like wet feet should also wear Gum Boots, these not only keep your feet dry and warm but give you a good foothold on what can be a quite slippery deck and also do not damage the deck. A Broad rimmed hat, Sunglasses and factor 15+ Blockout is also essential.

Food

There is nothing like a good day at sea to whet your appetite or crush it completely (See Sea Sickness) There are no set meal times and food is eaten in between drifts or when the fish are quiet, any food bought should therefore fit this pattern - chicken pieces, rissoles, cold sausages, sandwiches etc. Do not bring anything which can only be eaten with a knife and fork.

An Esky is probably standard equipment for everyone and as well as keeping your food dry and your fish and drinks cool, and providing it is strong enough, can be used as a seat if you draw a standing position, it is a good idea to secure some rubber buffers onto the bottom of your esky to top it sliding around on the deck. It is a good idea if you can share an Esky with your mate.

Light polystyrene coolers are frequently blown overboard or end up being quickly broken and may therefore be regarded as useless

Do NOT bring GLASS containers, Broken Glass is very unpleasant and not welcome on board

Drink

Contrary to popular opinion, the objective of a day's fishing is not to see who can drink the most. Drunks are dangerous companions as Sea as well as on the road. Drink sensibly and everyone including yourself will have a good day. Remember Cans are preferable to bottles and Alcohol does not mix with sea-sick tablets...

SEA SICKNESS

Sea sickness is unfortunately a very individual complaint and affects different people in different sea conditions. If you are unsure , the cost of a sea-sick tablet is very small compared to the consequences, again the same tablets seem to have varying success between different people, so be advised by your pharmacist or Doctor on which brand you should buy.

Some common sense hints can minimise your risk factor:

Have a good nights rest the night before, with minimum alcohol
Have a light breakfast before you leave home
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the boat
Don't Rush and panic.
Take your sea-sick tablet at least 1 hour before you get on the boat, some people find it necessary to take a tablet the night before.
When on the Boat, Stay clear of the Cabin or anywhere where you may get diesel fumes
Avoid spicy foods
Don't accept unfamiliar foods, spirits etc; offered to you (in good faith) by other crew members as sure fire cures for sea-sickness.
Avoid reading or other tasks involving concentrated eye effort
Don't lie down
Minimise fluid intake until you are well outside the heads and have your sea legs
Wear loose fitting clothing

IF YOU START TO FEEL SICK

(Clammy, Sweating, Hot and Cold)

It's now too late to take your first sea-sick tablet, but give it a try at any rate.
Keep your head in the breeze
Bow out on conversation, particularly on sea-sickness.
Concentrate on the horizon

IF YOU REALLY ARE SICK

Wind up your Line.
Do what you have to do on the OFF-Side of the boat, Not over your mates
Have a dry biscuit, It's better to have something down to bring-up.
IF you are really bad, find some place to lie down.
Lying on your side will definitely bring some relief
Sometimes sea-sickness is only temporary so try to continue fishing, and take your mind off your troubles, but avoid tangles or looking down.
Expect a lot of advice and comparisons between yourself and other sea-sickness casualties of the past
Only in very serious sea-sick cases will a trip be called off so be prepared for a very long day (Approx 36,000 Seconds)
Remember you will immediately feel better and start eating again, once you are back on the wharf.

Skin Cancers

• Skin cancers are mostly caused by over-exposure to the sun
• They are the most common cancers in Australia
• Australians have the highets rates of skin cancers in the world.
• There are a 140,000 new cases of skin cancer in Australia each year
• About 1,000 people die from skin cancer in Australia each year, of these people about 80% die from Melanoma.
• Most skin cancers can be prevented by protecting the skin from the sun.
• Nearly all skin cancers can be cured if detected and treated early.

How to save your skin.

• Cover up, especially in the peak radiation hours of 11am to 3pm, even if the temperatures are in the low 20s. More people get sunburnt on cooler days than when its hot.
• Wear a closely woven, long sleeved shirt (one that casts a dense shadow) Natural fibres are the coolest.
• Slop on SPF30+ sunscreen (or higher) broad spectrum & water resistant, before you go out for the day. (It is best to apply the screen before the skin starts to perspire.)
• Reapply the sunscreen regularly, during the day.
• Wear a good, broad rimmed hat.
• Wear a pair of good quality sunglasses

Remember a tan doesn't prevent skin cancer. See your doctor if you notice a freckle, mole or lump that is new or changing in size, shape or colour, or a sore that doesn't heal.

(Extacted from Cancer Council brochures - Phone toll free 1800 422 766)

Some fisho's claim that sunscreen on your hands will put off the fish, if you subscibe to this theory, there are special deoderant hand cleansers available from most tackle shop, or just rub you hands with some bait and then wash them in the salt water.

BAIT

As a general rule try to obtain good quality and size Hawkesbury River prawns, but these are not always available, Mullet fillets, Squid, Octopus, Chicken- Gut, Pilchards and Garfish are also used on occasions by various people with varying results on the day. Remember if you run out of bait- It's the end of your fishing day.

If the Prawns are large and there are a lot of Nannygai or Sweep around, conserve your bait or you will soon run out. - Cut up your prawns to make smaller baits.

Sergeant baker, bonito and mackeral are also a good fish bait, so if you catch one, cut it up and use it

Prawns soon deteriorate in the sun, so look after your bait, cover them with a damp cloth and keep them moist and you will catch more fish

Preserving Prawns

Prawns can be preserved by beheading, peeling and sprinkling with Borax powder. This way there is no smell on the boat, the prawns are pleasant to handle and what is more important- the fish don't mind the Borax. To preserve for a longer period, remove the heads, wash and spread on paper to drain. A mixture of one desertspoonful of sugar to a cup of salt. Place the prawns in a glass jar, a few at a time and cover with the mixture. Make sure they are totally covered when the mixture turns to liquid and do not seal the lid too tightly.

Octopus

To use octopus tentacles effectively as a bait, you should remove the outer skin. Fish are attracted by the white flesh. You can remove the skin by rubbing the leg hard through a rag or boil the leg and the skin becomes easy to remove. To use, thread the leg ( thin end first) and push the bait all the way up the hook and even onto the line then secure it with either with a half hitch or tied with a very light line. Some anglers use small rubber bands. Make sure the barb is clear of the flesh, otherwise you will miss a hookup.

Tried everything.....

The common garden snail is an unusual bait, but one that can be used with great effect The snails are placed in boiling water to toughen up and when removed from their shells are a hard, white bait. They stand up to a good bashing by 'pickers' and are enjoyed by snapper, morwong, nannagai and leatherjackets.

Preserving Fish Fillets for bait

There are many ways of preserving bait, but you can't have fresh preserved bait, its either fresh or it isn't and for most species, fresh is best.

The following method is not the complete answer, but it may suggest a means of ensuring that your bait is working for you and not against you.

Mullet & Bonito Fillets: Scale and fillet the fish. Wash each fillet without changing water. Wipe dry and cut off the belly and fins. If the flesh is thick it is advisable to trim off any surplus that may tend to become soft; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt; and store in a dry cool place for about two hours then remove any surplus salt and place in layers in a plastic container, separating each layer with a piece of greaseproof paper. Seal the container and freeze. When going fishing the greaseproof paper should allow you to easily separate the bait and take only a layer or two.

Mackerel: Fillet and wash in luke warm water and mop dry. Sprinkle with coarse salt and leave for 8 hours. Remove any liquid from the fillets by wrapping in dry cloth, then freeze (as above).

Bonito and large mullet are best prepared for bait by cutting them into steaks, across the body (about 2cm slices) then trimming the edges as shown in the diagram.

Tip: Oysters and Mussels are good baits, but are soft and awkward to keep on the hook. One method is to use a fine hair net to wrap the baits in. The netting is so fine it doesn't worry the fish. Thawing and salting down pilchards a couple of days before the trip, will toughen them up.

Fish Feeding Times

Wind, Warnings & Forecasts

Wind speed is almost always in knots - A knot = 1.8 kilometers.

Australian Volunteer Coastguard coverage

Castle Hill RSL Fishing Club has an arrangement with the Australian Volunteer Coastguard to cover all boats registered with the Fishing Club on all Club small boat deep sea trips , under the radio callsign ENA692 followed by your Castle Hill RSL Fishing Boat No.

Details required for Radio Log on.

Call Sign / Vessel Name:-    ENA692 - Castle Hill X

* Vessel Registration No....

* Vessel Description:    Hull Type... Length...  Colour.... Other...

Number on Board:  Adults ... Children ...

Leaving from...

Destination....

Estimated Time of Arrival/Return (ETA/ETR)

* Not required by Coastguard Sydney for registered fishing club boats

Remember to:

Leave your radio on all day.
If you change position, inform the coast guard base.

If you require assistance, contact your local Coast Guard Base with:-
Your Location
The nature of the problem
Description of the vessel ( if your not logged on)
Number of people on board

The Australian Volunteer Coastguard is a purely voluntary organisation, therefore if you require their assistance, (towing etc) be prepared to pay at least for their fuel costs. Also consider joining their association at least as an Associate member. For further information contact the Registrar Jan Foster - 02 9484 7870 or Coast Guard Sydney P.O Box 148 Drummoyne NSW 1470. 

SMALL BOATS DEEP SEA - RADIO PROTOCOL

Phonetic Alphabet

When out of sight of land or lost in a fog in all kinds of weather, nothing beats the convenience of the marine radio for keeping in touch. There is a trend among some fishermen nowadays to ignore this valuable tool in favour of the mobile telephone. They maintain they can speak directly to the source without interference and with privacy. This is a fallacy and potentially dangerous, Mobile phones can fail when exposed to moisture or drop out suddenly or fail to respond when communication towers are distant or in a blind spot, or when the battery is not fully charged. Another very important and limiting factor against mobile phones is that when calling for assistance, only the person you are talking to can hear you, whereas on radio, all vessels with a set can hear you and may be close enough to render immediate assistance in life threatening situations.

The most common radio equipment used on small fishing boats operate on 27MHz. This equipment is usualy line-of-sight and the power permitted is only a few watts, but this is sufficient at this frequency to transmit 5 to 20 miles.

The frequency normally used is 27.880MHz. (OR 27.860) This is known as the safety frequency. Between Broken Bay and Wolongong there are about 12 shore stations including 4 coast guard stations that keep a listening watch on this frequency. This channel is for calling the Coastguard, Emergencies and Bar crossings only.

Other frequencies  used by fishing clubs for boat to boat communication are:-
Ship to Shore:  27.900, 27.910
Marine events: 27.940
Chat:                27.960
Marine radios are compulsory for all vessels operating more than 2 nautical miles out to sea.No certificate is required to operate 27MHz radios nor are the units required to be licenced with the Australian Communications Authority.

For effective communications it is important that all parties are aware of "who is talking to who"; especially between parties that are out of sight of one another.
Before using the radio listen carefully so as not to interupt another transmission.
Plan your message so that it is clear and brief.
Speak slowly at a normal volume
And importantly- Always announce your call sign clearly.

The basic rules are that the calling ship should name the ship or station they wish to contact and then follow on with their own name or call sign. The receiving ship or station should reply by naming the calling ship followed by their own name or call sign, then advise the calling ship to change to a working frequency.

Changing to a working frequency is most important as other vessels may be waiting ti use the calling channels - perhaps urgently, besides it is a requirement of the Australian Communications Authority.

When you have finished talking on a working channel, change back to the emergency/calling channel.

Special Call Signals:-

"MAYDAY" - Distress
Remember MAYDAY is the distress signal. It is not the distress message.
Example of a distress call and message.
MAYDAY, MAYDAY,MAYDAY, THIS IS ENA692-CastleHill X, THIS IS ENA692, Castle Hill X, THIS IS ENA692-Castle Hill x, 10 K DUE EAST OF PALM BEACH, HULL HOLED, TAKING WATER FAST, ESTIMATE STAY AFLOAT TWENTY MINUTES, 3 ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN ON BOARD.
If you cannot remenber your call sign then give your MSB registration No.

"PAN PAN" - Urgency
PAN PAN repeated three times is the urgency signal. It should only be used concerning the safety of the vessel. For example lost propellor and needing a tow.

"SECURITE" - Safety
SECURITE (Say-Cure-E-Tay) repated three times before a message indicates a safety message is following, Weather warnings, floating logs are just some examples.

Silence Period
A silence period is a period beginning on the hour and half past the hour and lasting for a period of 3 minutes. During this period all stations should cease transmission so that weak distress calls can be heard. It is not mandatory on the 27MHz frequncies but it is highly recommended.

Radio Checks and Distress Calling
Local coast guard base stations are located at, Cottage Point (Broken Bay), Sydney (South Head), Port Hacking and Wollongong and these stations monitor the 27.88MHz on all week ends and public holidays, Week-day service is limited to operator availability.

A radio check should take the following format:
1)Call the coast guard on Channel 88
"Coastguard Sydney, Coastguard Sydney, Coastguard Sydney - This is Echo November Alpha 692-Castle Hill X, Requesting a radio check"

2) The coastguard  will reply and ask you to switch to channel 90 or 91

3) Switch to the channel instructed and wait for the Base station to call you back - (there may be other traffic which you cannot hear)

4) The coastguard will reply

"Echo November Alpha - 692 - Castle Hill X, this is coastguard sydney, your radio check, Strength 4, Reliability 5 - please report your position.

5) Reply

"Coastguard Sydney here is Echo November Alpha 692, Castle Hill X, we have 3 male adults and 2 male children, we have just cleared Sydney heads and are proceeding the Peak, estimated time of return 1630 hours.

6) Sign off

"Coastguard  Sydney, this is Echo November Alpha 692, Castle Hill X, we have returned to harbour. Thank you for your watch - Echo November Alpha, Castle Hill X- clear"
"Echo November Alpha - Castle Hill X, Coastguard Sydney confirms your return, Coastguard Sydney Clear

7) After all messages are finished, conclude your transmission with the word "OUT" and return your radio setting to the Ch.88 or dual watch.

All Small boats registered with the Fishing Club are covered by the Coast Guard under the call sign ENA 692 plus your Castle Hill Boat No.

The Trip Captain will log-on all boats on the day with the coast guard.

All boats must use Channel 96 to talk "boat to boat".

The 'Dual Watch' button on your radio should be engaged. This allows you to also hear the Coast guard reports and alerts which are broadcast on Channel 88. - However before communication on your radio you should switch the DW off and resume it when you have finished your dialogue

Make sure you know your Castle Hill Boat No. If you need a copy of the Boat No.s - See Rod Wood.

If you need to contact the Coast Guard. Use Channel 88 then use our call sign plus your Castle Hill Boat No. The correct protocol is as follows:-

"Coast Guard Sydney, Coast Guard Sydney, Coast Guard Sydney - This is ENA 692, Echo November Alpha 692, Castle Hill.. X"

The Coast Guard will then ask you to switch to a working channel   Ch90/91.. - Do so, wait for Coast guard to reply then continue with your report.

The Trip Captain will log-off all boats at the end of the trip.

Overwork (noun): A dangerous disorder affecting high public functionaries who want to go fishing.

Anchor size.

The Volunteer Sea Rescue Organisation says an anchor should weigh 450g for every 305mm in length for a boat upto 9m. The chain leader should be half the length of the boat and the anchor line should be three times the depth of the water in which the boat is anchoring in calm waters and five times that depth if the conditions are poor.

Rope size used is also important and the following table gives a guide to the appropriate size.

Maintenance Tips

Small Boat Batteries ( Roy Kington- Tight lines September/October 2001)

On a recent fishing trip we left one of our boats at the ramp with a disabled engine. The starter motor had burnt out.

One has to ask how this could happen to an almost new engine which was well maintained.

It can be summed up in one word.... BATTERIES.

If you ask most small boat people they will tell you that batteries cause them the most headaches. The cause is not hard to find for lead and acid, the main components of a battery, do not sit well in a marine environment. Add to that, the deep cycling that takes place,  that is batteries being depleted quickly from a fully charged state, like long cranking at the ramp, to being highly charged again when powering out to sea, which has almost the same effect as hitting the battery with a hammer

Another thing that is often missed is that you cannot equate the operation of a battery in a car to the way you use thae ones on your boat. In your car you are soft cycling your battery. A quick twist of the key and the car is running. More importantly you are using them almost every day. I know we would like to use our boats everyday, but we are lucky to use them twice a month.

Car batteries spend most of their time in relatively warm conditions, being cuddled up to a warm engine most of the time, which helps them retain their charge level. Boat batteries are invariably kept in much cooler environments and for a longer period of time and can lose their charge just by standing.

So you get the idea... batteries on boats are subject to quite different operational conditions.

Having a lowly charged or flat battery, will cause havoc with your boats electrical circuits and can effect equipment from your starter motor to your bilge pumps and most sensitive electronics.

It was no coincidence the boat disabled on the ramp had a burnt out starter motor. The Battery was down on charge so was not producing sufficient current to spin the outboard engine fast enough to get it going. Outboards need to attain at least 90rpm to get them going. When it did not start first time, the second delivered less current and so on and so on, until there was no longer enough current to turn the engine. There was enough current however to burn out the starter motor winding coils as all they were seeing was a dead short.

Electronics do not go out immediately but the consistent shock experienced when having to operate in low voltage situations will eventually wear down vunerable components to the point they just give up one day, seemingly, for no apparent reason.

Well, what is the answer?   You might well ask, seeing all that is on offer is batteries of lead acid construction.

The first things you have to determine is
What you want the battery to do.
How much you want to spend.
What level of maintenance can you live with

The thing about batteries is thatv everyone seems to be affected by them negatively and so it stands to reason some engineering brains have gone into trying to fix the problem.

It would seem that most people are driven by price and all I ever hseem to hear is how cheap they bought the battery for and nothing about its performance or expected life. If you are one of those who look for a cheap marine battery stop reading this article now for it is not going to do anything for you.

First, what do you want your battery to do? That might sound a silly question but do you want it to solely crank your engine and run a small bunch of low power accessories or do you want it to do all the former plus provide cabin lighting for long periods.

90% of applications would be for cranking yet most people go out and buy whacking great truck batteries with high ampere hours with marine stamped on the side. These batteries might provide a lot of power but if you have the right battery you are not looking for excess power, all that will do is give you a longer time cranking a reluctant engine, and forget the maine label for that is all it is, just a label.

Lets assume you want a good cranking battery, if that is so then forget ampere hours and concentrate on break away current, that is the volume of electricity supplied to the starter motor during the crank cycle.

One of the dampers on break away current is the lead battery terminals for contrary to popular belief lead is not a particularly good conductor of electricity it is just a good material for creating a sacrificial electrolytic action. The usual lead terminals are just extensions of the battery cells and the lack of good sealing with the battery case allows the acid to leak up the sides of terminals and cause a build up of green corrosion.

These batteries only have a life of two years if you are lucky and have avoided any deep cycling and maintained them well. They also tend to die very quickly and generally with little warning.

Finally, the small boat maine environment is probably the worst environment one can think of for a battery; poor maintenance, deep cycling and intense vibration.

The solution is what is called new technology batteries with the following attributes.
     47 ampere hours
    1/3 less in physical size. About the size of a normal car battery
    Twice the break away current of a normal battery
    Riveted ends on the sacrificial cells in the battery prevents early disintegration under severe vibration conditions
    True deep cycling ability
    Minimal loss of power when standing
    No maintenace. The battery is sealed with a pressure relief valve and the electolyte (water) replaced with a jelly
    Seals on the terminals as they emerge from the battery prevent any corrosion on the terminals.
    Phosphor bronze terminals delivering maximum conductivity and maximum break away current.
    Five year life.

Downside Twice the price for twice the life but from experience, I have two in my boat, well worth it.

The Proper Prop ( Aust Volunteer Coastguard)

There's another step you can take to minimise wear and tear on youe engine. Ask your mechanic to identify the size and type of propellor on your outboard, make sure you have a working tachometer on board and ask what the tach' should read at wide open throttle. This process is critical, because next to installing the motor properly and using the highest quality oil, correctly propping an outboard is a most important factor in egine life. Here "pitch" is the crucial element. Simply put, pitch - expressed in inches- is the distance a propeller would travel forward in one complete revolution under ideal conditions. ie, no cavitation, slippage or friction.

Under propping, which means installing a propeller with too little pitch, can lead to over-revving the outboard, causing subsequent failure of the 'reed' valves ( one way gates between the carburetors and the crankcase) and even the crankshaft. Both are very expensive to replace. Conversly, over propping or installing a wheel whith too much pitch can result in coking of the rings, predetonation, (usually undetectable) and, so, piston failure, necessitating a costly rebuild. With the high alcohol content and sometimes poor quality of today's petrol, the likelihood of this latter problem occuring is very high. As a rule of thumb, after break-in, an outboard should be able to run at or near its maximum rated rpm when lightly loaded. This benchmark provides a margin for those times when extra weight ( like water skiers or extra passengers) causes a drop in rpm. If, despite your dealer's assurances, you find that your engine isn't operating at the right rpm, ask that the prop be changed to one of a more appropriate pitch. The dealer may also recommend a different diameter and/or blade design, as these factors also affect an outboard's performance and, therefore its longetivity.

A final note. At some point, you're going to hit a log or a rock, thereby bending or breaking one or more blades on your propeller. This may, or may not cause noticible vibration and/or cavitation, but it will almost certainly alter its effective dimensions. The undamaged propeller might have been the right one for your boat/motor combination, but the impact may have changed both pitch and diameter, leaving you either underpropped or  overpropped. Have your prop rebuilt if possible or buy a new one without delay.

Battling the Black Stuff - (Australian Volunteer Coast Guard)

As for carbon deposit or piston ring coking, O/B mechanics advise a two pronged strategy. First use aerosol "de-carboning" sparay at the intervals recommended by your engines manufacturer (usually every 50 hrs) Some outboards have a a fitting onto which you can screw a a short length of tubing that is attached to the can. In other case you will have to spray the stuff directly into the carburetor. Adhering slavishly to this decarboning routine can as much double the working life of an outboard that's particularly prone to coking, (some models are far worse than others).

The second and even more important damage avoidance weapon in the outboard owner's arsenal is TCW-3 oil. This latest generation of lubricants for water cooled two stroke engines is specifically designed to couteract the carbon build up that results from today's fuels. Thes oils are extremely "miscible" meaning they blend throughly with petrol and stay blended. Note however that TCW-3 is a standard and not a brand. On one hand there are a host of relatively inexpensive "no name" oils carrying this designation, on the other are certified TCW-3 lubricants made to the specifications of the major outboard manufacturer's

ANGLER FICTION

The Following story is reproduced from "Fishing World", December 1977 and tells the story of a typical "Charter Boat Fisherman", For the first timer its a fairly accurate description of what to expect, and the seasoned veteran will be able to relate to many parts of this story.

"ALL AT SEA WITH THE RSL"  By Ray Parkin

When I was in my prime, I never thought much about joining the RSL. But there came a time when my kids grew up, my wife took up tennis and the RSL had the only decent Fishing club in town.

There are other fishing clubs of course. The local Amateur Angling Association ( The name says it all) which never seemed to go fishing but spent the meetings I attended whingeing about the Governments apathy toward amateur anglers, small boys who caught small fish from wharves , bastards without Radio licences and finally livened up the Annual General Meeting by having the Treasurer concluding an argument with the Secretary, by handing him a bag containing the evenings takings, a bundle of various papers, and stomping out of the meeting.

Then there was the local Leagues Club Fishing Club, which seemed to have a great number of members long on alcoholic bonhomie and short on fishing experience.

By comparison, The local RSL Fishing Club talked very little ( Annual General Meetings usually run about 30 minutes - and 25 minutes of that is prize giving) and went fishing a lot; once a fortnight from either Kiama or Wollongong, departing the Clubhouse as 0330, which if nothing else, proves how keen they are about fishing.

Now being a husband of a woman with a firm conviction about dedicating leisure time to your kids, my fishing in the past twenty years had been limited and, in fact, apart from a couple of trips in a RAAF crash boat out to the reefs east of Townsville, I'd never fished blue water at all.

As a consequence, when I joined the RSL Fishing Club, I needed advice on what gear to buy and what techniques to use. But there are disadvantages in joining a taciturn mob and my queries on these matters left me none the wiser.

So.., on my first trip seawards, my rig consisted of a short, tremendously heavy, solid glass rod that I'd bought out of pity from a little Indian trader in Singapore ( I later saw him driving a Mercedes! ) a 5 inch plastic centre pin reel that I'd once bought for my elder son ( who had rejected it outright ) and some 30mm cannon shells cases filled with concrete and intended as sinkers. Before leaving the wharf, I gagged down several ant-sea sick pills not really believing that they'd stop me being sick. They didn't...

We left the wharf in darkness and rolled our way seaward into a cold grey dawn which I now know is standard on most of these trips. On reaching the grounds, everyone lowered away and I rather shamefacedly plopped in my first 30mm cannon shell. One wit asked me if it were "live". After a long period, I guessed it had reached the bottom, but I couldn't be sure. Nothing Happened! although the middle aged gentleman on my right, who I knew as the Club president, was extremely active with an Alvey winch repeatedly hand-lining in several metres of line with an intent expression on his face, then letting it sink back.

Contrary to my fondest expectations that on these trips, fish would come in like flies to a BBQ, nothing appeared from the deep and, after a spell, the charter boat skipper called for "lines up". The centre pin of my plastic reel promptly broke away from the base plate with the strain. Everyone else was reeled up and waiting

for me,... watching as I held my reel together and managing finally to get back the 60 odd fathoms of line that I had reeled out. Floating alongside my makeshift sinker when it appeared, was a dead snapper of about 2 kg's. I hadn't felt a thing....

We moved on a piece and I spent the transit journey wondering why the hell I'd looked forward to taking up this sort of fishing. There was surely no fun in winching hundreds of yards of line up and down if you couldn't feel the fish biting anyway. Besides which, as expected, the ant-sea sick pills weren't working, the sight of my companions wolfing down cold fried food and cold cans was revolting and the moderate swell was now being reinforced by a rising sou'easter.

At our next stopping point, it was Nannygai that I couldn't feel and my despondency deepened. Who wants to catch a 250gm fish and haul them up through 60 fathoms of water using a defective reel? I didn't. But among the Nannygai, occasional Morwong were coming aboard. Occasional that is, except for the aforesaid middle-aged gentleman on my right who was bringing aboard a steady succession of the buggers. His plastic clothes basket was half full of fish while mine contained one Snapper and two tiny Nannygai. He continued to fill his basket while I retired to the leeward side of the boat, threw up the pills and two weetbix and in the resultant but short lived clear headedness, wondered whether, after all, there might be some skill involved in this sort of angling.

Well, it's now two years later, many a brace of Weetbix have gone to join the original pair and with a masochistic perseverance or stupidity, take your pick, I'm still fishing with the RSL. I've yet to catch another snapper perhaps because I've stopped using 30mm Shell cases and, I'm still learning though not necessarily about fish.

I've learnt that the drift is either too strong to hold the bottom with a 1lb lead (I don't call them sinkers any more) or too weak to prevent the boat gently spinning in circles and just as gently tangling every line over the side. I've learnt that any rain in the area will always fall over the boat. That no wet weather gear is waterproof. That rain during the preceding week ruins the weekend fishing. that on cold days there is always a cloud hanging over the boat but, on hot days the clouds cast their shadows only over some one else's boat.

I've learned that getting up once a fortnight at 0200 to go fishing is not often enough to change your biological clock and that if you are in the habit of going to pot brown in the boss's time at say 9.30 every weekday then, you'll find yourself needing to do the same thing at say 9.30 when you are ten miles due east of Australia on a Sunday, with three layers of clothing on and wet-weather gear on top of that!... As a result, I've learned to bog in a cracked plastic bucket out on a wet heaving deck while thirty knots of freezing rain lashes at my bare backside and, of course, how to dangle the old man in a baked bean tin with jagged edges when its too rough to lean outboard for a pee.

I've learned that a Morwong spine run under your thumbnail while cleaning fish can ruin your whole week with blood poisoning and that it doesn't pay to lift a lightly hooked rock cod inboard over your lap when your back is jammed against the wheelhouse, your knees are tight against the rail and there is a fisherman at each elbow. Having an agitated rock cod on your lap is no time to be wearing "Stubbies", I tell you!

I've Learned that charter boat decks are cluttered with Eskies, fish boxes, and sundry gear that will move around as if it is alive in a heavy sea, that the hard wooden seat you sit on when fishing does nothing for your haemorrhoids problems nor your prostrate. From observation while waiting for the charted boat to turn up, I've learned that owning an outboard boat must be a dubious method of relaxation, unless you actually like towing a boat in darkness to the launching ramp queue, waiting two hours to get the thing into the water, by which time the wind has sprung up and its too rough to get outside the harbour, and then waiting another two hours waist deep in harbour pollution to get your boat back up the ramp again. Don't look for me at the Boat Show.

I've learned that when the Nannygai are thick, the answer is not to rig up with four of five hooks, wait until you you've got a fish on each hook ( yes truly, I've learned how to tell when I've hooked several Nannygai one after the other) and then winch up the lot. After being lifted a few feet, the Nannygai lose heart, turn on their sides, and begin to rotate like little propellers, the line twisting as they turn at each dropper knot. Inevitably, the line will break at one of these knots.

I've learned that the snapper rig shown in most of the fishing books, the one that features a weight and a single long trace, usually arrives back, with the trace wound tightly around the main line. Judging by the success that I have had with this rig, I suspect that it reaches the bottom in the same condition.

I've learned that it is a delicacy of touch and not brute force, that counts when fishing the bottom offshore, but this is probably not surprising to anyone but me. After all, there is usually about 60 fathoms of rather elastic mono filament between you and the fish, which usually isn't much more above two kilograms anyway. Felt along this length of line, bites are often more of a vibration, more like a voltage fluctuation on a telephone cable rather than say, the healthy rap of a six inch whiting on a 4lb line.

I've learned that then eight or ten Club members are fishing shoulder to shoulder, using the same basic rig and the same bait, there will always be one or two blokes who catch more than the rest of us. And that one of these blokes is always sure to be that bloody middle-aged gentleman on my right.

And what have I learned about the RSL? I've learned that they are cheerful at 0330 on Saturday Mornings. That a lot have funny accents. I've learned that they "hop in" to do their share of work on the boat, and they don't whinge. What more could anyone want? I'll stay in this club until I'm eighty if they let me. - I'll have to if I want to catch more fish than old whatisname!.

ROLL ON NEXT SATERDEE....

End of article.

Tip: - Always carry a small plastic jar of flour, to put your hooks in after fishing, The flour stops them going rusty. and is much more fish friendly than talcum powder or WD40.

DEFINITIONS & Fishing Jargon:

Baker Type of Fish - Sergeant Baker.

Boat Captain Office holder of the Castle Hill RSL Fishing Club or His Nominee.

Bird's Nest Tangle of line around a reel caused by an over-run

Blurter Type of Fish - Trevally.

Boot Type of Fish - Wirrah.

Butchers Type of Fish - Maori Wrasse.

Crew Members and visitors on a Charter Trip.

Deckie Skippers off-sider, to help him handle the boat.

Drift Usual method of fishing, boat is stopped and drifts with the wind and or current over the reef area selected. Drifts can last from 5 minutes to 5 hours. Usual method of fishing, boat is stopped and drifts with the wind and or current over the reef area selected. Drifts can last from 5 minutes to 5 hours.

Estuary River or river mouth River or river mouth

Fathom 6 Feet or approx 2 metres 6 Feet or approx 2 metres

Flower Pot Type of Fish - Rock Cod. Type of Fish - Rock Cod.

Go Down Signal to Start Fishing.

Good Aboard Good crew member - Try to be one at all times. Good crew member - Try to be one at all times.

Good Time Typical Day on a Charter Boat. Typical Day on a Charter Boat.

Green Eye Type of Fish - Green Eyed Shark. Watch out for sharp spines on Dorsal fin and Tail. Type of Fish - Green Eyed Shark. Watch out for sharp spines on Dorsal fin and Tail.

Heads Toilets on the boat, or the entrance to a main harbour Toilets on the boat, or the entrance to a main harbour

Hold Bottom To be able to feel the lead bouncing on the reef with the movement of the boat.

Jacket Type of Fish - Leatherjacket. Type of Fish - Leatherjacket.

Junior Any Child or Guest of a Member under the age of 18. Any Child or Guest of a Member under the age of 18.

Lead Sinker. Sinker.

Light No weight on line - usually caused when your line is tangled with someone else who is winding in.. No weight on line - usually caused when your line is tangled with someone else who is winding in..

Lizard Type of Fish - Flathead.- Watch out for sharp spines on the gills Type of Fish - Flathead.- Watch out for sharp spines on the gills

Outside "outside" of a river mouth or harbour headland, Deep Sea Fishing. "outside" of a river mouth or harbour headland, Deep Sea Fishing.

Pinkie Type of Fish - Red Hussar. Type of Fish - Red Hussar.

Rail Pipe Railing along side the boat. Pipe Railing along side the boat.

Reddie Schnapper or squire Schnapper or squire

Skipper Captain (Usually the owner of the boat) Not to be confused with the Boat Captain. Captain (Usually the owner of the boat) Not to be confused with the Boat Captain.

Snood Charter boat fishing rig. Charter boat fishing rig.

Soapy Small Jewfish, So named because that what it tastes like, Small Jewfish, So named because that what it tastes like,

Spikey Type of Fish - Small undersized Flathead. Again watch out for sharp spikes on gills Type of Fish - Small undersized Flathead. Again watch out for sharp spikes on gills

Swell Long Unbroken Wave. Long Unbroken Wave.

Swell Height- Mean Maximum Height

Swell Distance between peaks

Up Front Fishing From the Front. (Bow or Sharp-End of the Boat ) Fishing From the Front. (Bow or Sharp-End of the Boat )

Up Lines Signal to wind in your line. Signal to wind in your line.

Visitor A Guest of a Member. A Guest of a Member.

Wave Height

Winch Charter Boat fishing Reel attached to the Side of the boat with a clamp Charter Boat fishing Reel attached to the Side of the boat with a clamp

Wire Wire Trace or Rig. Wire Trace or Rig.

 Using the Tides to Advantage

Generally fish feeding habits are influenced to varying degrees by tides and the time of day.

When the tides are higher than usual, fish can scatter over the flats where under normal conditions they cannot venture. This means your chances of finding their feeding ground can be considerably greater than at other times. On the other hand when tides are low, the fish have to congregate in the channels and subsequently there is a great concentration of fish, enhancing the chances of a catch.

When breaming at night, a small rising tide and not too much moon is best. When the moon is bright it tends to make the fish timid. Again, when the night is very dark you find phospherescence is prevalent in the water and this is not good for fishing. The "fire" as it is called, attaches to your bait and there’s nothing you can do about it.

GENERAL

• To attend at, and participate in all Divisional meetings.
• To assist in the running of all Fishing Club Activities.
• To actively promote the Fishing Club and assist in gaining New members
• To read, and be familiar with, all fishing club rules, eligible species, legal fish sizes and bag-limits.
• To collect any fees due on the day
• To pass on to the Treasurer within 7 days of the trip, full details of monies collected for trip fees, winch hire, memberships etc, together with receipts for of any expenditure which is to be reimbursed by the club
• To pass on the Recorder within 7 days of the trip, the score sheet for the day
  

Specific

To organise and conduct all Trips within their divisions of the Club
This includes being responsible for ensuring:-
-  That the regular trip notice is placed on the notice board at least one month in advance
-  That every effort is made to fill each Trip by ringing around if necessary.
 -  That no illegal size fish are retained by any crew members.
  - That bag limits are strictly adhered to.
  - That the Weigh-in is properly conducted and that the Trip Score Sheet is completed correctly.
  - That Crew members act in a reasonable manner on all trips.
  - That all club rules are adhered to.
  - That all Crew members are notified of Trip cancellations.
  - That all visitors, guests and Juniors complete the Visitors Register and that this record is forwarded to the Parent Club.

If the Boat Captain is unavailable to attend on any trip, he must delegate his responsibilities to another person attending the trip, and ensure that any such person delegated is aware of these duties and is prepared to carry them out.

In The Charter Boat Division

-That the "Draw" for positions is conducted and that Crew members sit only in the positions they have "Drawn".
-That their is adequate "lead" on the Boat. That the signal to up and down lines is given on each drift
-That all charter-boat equipment is maintained in good-order, and that Winches, Nets, Scales Etc are carried on all trips.
-If Surface fish are being caught, on the troll lines, see that each crew member gets a turn. and that    no more than three lines are trolled at any one time.
-That the Boat is left in a clean condition.

The Boat Captain is also responsible for liaising with the Charter boat "Skipper" as to:-

-When and Where, the boat will fish on the Day, where to fish and when to move or  go back over the drift
-Calling off the trip in the event of bad weather and notifying all the crew if the trip is cancelled .

In The Small Boats Deep Sea Division

-To ensure that all boats are logged on and off with the Coast Guard
-To ensure that radio contact is maintained with all boats at regular intervals
-To ensure that no boats are fishing alone
-To ensure that all boats are accounted for, back at the ramp

BlackFish

Also Known as Luderick. A good table fish if properly prepared. Blackfish can develop a strong "Weedy" flavour if not skinned and filleted. Grilling and frying are both good methods of cooking

Bream

There are six species of Bream in Australia, Black or Southern Bream is generally considered the best eating fish although in NSW Silver Bream is more popular. A versatile and readily available fish, it has excellent keeping properties

Flathead

All three species of Flathead have a good flavour. Both the tiger and sand Flathead have tender, white flesh, The Dusky flathead is a little dry but has firm flavoursome flesh and ranks high as a food fish.

Use a line about 15lb breaking strain, and a 2/0 or 3/0 long shanked hook. Best results will be obtained on the drift on a run out tide, using fish bait. Use a bean sinker stopping about a metre from the hook, large enough to keep it on the bottom. Always use a landing net and net them head first.

Flounder

Flounder is an excellent table fish with succulent, fine textured flesh. These qualities deteriorate quickly, so it should be eaten fresh. It is ideal for cooking whole.

Flying Gurnard, or Latchet

Closely related to the Flathead with a rather dry flesh, and a course tough skin, meaty and good in stews and soups. Skinned and filleted they are sometimes marketed as Flathead.

Jewfish or Mulloway

Excellent table fish if chosen and prepared correctly, Jewfish can grow to more than 50 kg. Between 1 and 3 kg, their flesh is firm textured and delicious. Smaller fish tend to be soft fleshed and larger fish can lose flavour and become coarse and flaky. Dry cooking such as baking or barbecuing is ideal

John Dory

Extremely popular for its delicious, succulent flesh, but the head weighs almost as much as the body.

KingFish Yellowtail

Found in large schools off the east and souuth coasts, yellowtail Kingfish can grow to 2.5 metres and is regarded as an excellent sporting fish. However, the flesh becomes coarse as the fish grows larger, although when smaller it has a delightful flavour and is ideal eating, usually cut into steaks.

Ling

A member of the cod family, Ling's moist white flesh is similar in texture and appearance to that of Barramundi and is sometimes sold as such. However Ling is milder in flavour and is, in its own right a versatile and usually inexpensive table fish.

LeatherJacket

Pleasant to eat with a firm chunky flesh and a mild almost bland flavour. It needs to be skinned before eating.

Mackerel (Jack) or Cowan Young

A rather oily, dark fleshed fish with a strong, distinctive flavour, Jack Mackerel is ideally suited to smoking, pickling and canning. Younger fish aresold as yellowtail or scad and can be delicious fried in batter.

Morwong or Deep Sea Bream

Several species exist, but the Jackass Morwong is most popular for it's firm, delicate flavoured flesh. A good eating fish similiar to bream, although a little stronger in flavour, Red morwong is much oilier than the jackass spercies but all are suited to a variety of cooking methods

Mullet

Mullet are an oily fish with a rich flavour and tender well-textured flesh. The sand and yellow-eye Mullet are the most popular.

Nannagai or RedFish

The tender white flesh of the Nannagai is often confused with that of Schnapper, although its flavour is not as fine and it's texture is courser. It is a popular table fish with a mild flavour. (See Recipe later in this handbook)

Schnapper or Snapper

Names change with age, size and locality and include, Cockney Bream, Red Bream and Squire. It is a classic table fish with firm, tasty, white flesh, larger Schnapper ( more than about 4kg) tend to have coarser flesh and taste rather dry. If bought whole, the head and bones make an excellent fish stock.

Best fishing times are at first light and dusk around reefs where there are patches of sand. If it is shallow, a floating bait is best.

Bait: Mackeral, Mullet, Yellow-Tail, Bonito, Squid, Octopus, Prawns.

Snook

Of the Barracouta species, it is the short finned snook which makes the best eating fish. It has soft white, fine-textured flesh which can be cooked in many ways. However, care should be taken not to overcook, as it can become rather dry. Normally the flesh is quite oily.

Spanish Mackeral

Slightly Dry, firm-textured and well flavoured. Usually cooked in cutlet form and is ideal for baking, barbecuing and marinating

Tailor

A popular, versatile fish with a slightly oily, dark-coloured flesh. Tailor is excellent smoked and is readilly available in this form. It keeps well and is best grilled or barbecued.

Tailor travel up the coast each year with regularity. They usually appear around Broken Bay as "Choppers" in February and by April the average weight improves considerably. The peak period is usually April and May.

Trevally

A fish with a firm, dry flesh, few bones and a subtle sweet flavour. Trevally does not keep well and should be eaten fresh and as soon as possible after being cleaned. It's excellent smoked.

Tuna

Larger Tuna are cut into steaks, but in all cases the skin, which has a strong taste, should be removed. Tuna must be very fresh, otherwise it loses its flavour and becomes pulpy.

Whiting

Fine textured white flesh with a sweet delicate flavour. Sand and School witing are also good eating.

  "There's No Beer in Heaven boys - so drink up while we're here" (Brian Bonser)