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You’ve Gotta be Keen
  |  First Published: August 2005



The fishing hasn't been anything to get excited over in the past few weeks. In fact, it's hardly been worth getting off the couch for. Why go and stand in the wind and rain for two hours when you could relax with a warm cuppa in front of the telly? This is a question I have asked myself many times recently and I can't come up with a logical answer. Why don't I just stay at home?

This time of year really sorts out the die-hard fishermen from the rest of the pack. It seems that every time I venture out for a fish I'm bumping into the same handful of anglers. These are the guys that stand next to you in summer and pull out fish after fish while everyone else watches in amazement. I could drop names like Nat Barry, Josh Lee, Jimmy Black and James Ivans and not many of you would have heard anything about them. You have probably stood beside them, seen them land fish and thought that they got lucky and you didn't. But these guys deliver the goods on a regular basis.

Besides the odd salmon from the beach or trevally in the harbour, the only other realistic option has been bream in the rivers, when it isn't flooded or dirty. These are all worthy options during winter but nothing to get too excited about. You’re only pulling a fish here and there.

If I ask Nat what's biting he replies, “Not much, only a few salmon. I got three yesterday and five the day before.”

When I ask Josh the same question he says, “It's been pretty quiet, I got two bream the other day and saw a thumper chase my lure today.”

Blacky says “Oh, not many fish around. I've only been catching three or four a day.”

Now if most people caught a few salmon and trevally they’d be over the moon and reports of a hot bite would be all over town. Well, these guys are doing it every week while the majority of anglers are sitting at home on the couch.

It's not that the fishing has been quiet, it's that the fishermen have gone quiet. The fish are still there and willing to take your offering. It's just a matter of getting out there and having a go.

So while everyone is talking about the quiet times, I'm heading out for a fish. If I don't see you out there, rest (on the couch) in the knowledge that Nat, Josh, Jimmy, James and hopefully me, will be hooked up somewhere close by.

For the most up-to-date report call Surf-n-Fish on (03) 5237 6426.

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