8 Mile Reef - Lakes Entrance

[Elmer Stratty]

G’day all - long time stalker and now first poster.

We’ve been heading out to 6 & 8 mile reefs off Lakes during COVID as Newlands Arm is close to where we live. Mainly targeting pinkies and then flatties closer in.

We’ve picked up some good pan size pinkies under 40cm and a new to us species, Morwong, which we’ve discovered is very tasty crumbed in a store bought herb/garlic crumb.

Plenty of throw back species caught including Sgt Baker, ‘Coota, Barber Perch, Banded Sea Perch and Gurnard. A mate got nicked by a small gurnard a few trips back and was in a bit of pain for an hour until it eased into a tolerable throbbing pain - I was glad it wasn’t me

We generally go to the reef mark (8 mile) sound up the edge where it goes from ~46 to ~42m and drift with a sea anchor out to slow our drift and repeat.

I’m a bit hesitant in dropping anchor as with my luck I could see myself getting the anchor snagged and having to cut away...any thoughts on anchoring on the edge of the reef?

Edit: photos attached...

Heading across the Lake on a foggy morning



Some of the catch



















Elmer

[Mattblack]

Great post Elmer...thanks for contributing to the forum

[Tackleberry]

G'day Elmer just get a galvanised Reef anchor not only are they cheap but very effective.
I anchor out there all the time same area as you have been for decades never lost at anchor yet, I use 6 m of chain helps hold the bottom of a lot better than a shorter length and use a big foam bouy for retrieval on a slip ring

[Lightningx]

Great first post mate!
Some very nice pics there with a variety of fish
Looking forward to reading some more of your reports in the future.
Cheers

[Tackleberry]

That ocy is top bait

[re-tyred]

Yeah my go to spot once the water cools off. I anchor with a reef anchor . Only ever had one I couldn't get back. I had the bars bent to far around and couldn't straighten them out. Now I have them only just past a right angle.
The mowong are my target out there. They are better than pinkies to eat. You can get some big at times. There are two types. Jackass mowong with the black patch, and the bigger green hued rubber lip.

[re-tyred]

That ocy is top bait

Top eating too. I pickle them. I usually just pickle the tentacles. Keep the hood for bait. Get quite a few come up on the sinker, but have to be quick with the net

[Tackleberry]

That ocy is top bait

Top eating too. I pickle them. I usually just pickle the tentacles. Keep the hood for bait. Get quite a few come up on the sinker, but have to be quick with the net

That might explain something I have noticed over the last couple of weeks.
at times it looks and feels like I am snaged on the bottom pick up the rod put a bit of pressure on and it does not just let go all of a sudden it's like a slow gradual easing of pressure like you're pulling through something soggy .
but I have not been able to bring whatever is doing this to the surface .

[re-tyred]

That ocy is top bait

Top eating too. I pickle them. I usually just pickle the tentacles. Keep the hood for bait. Get quite a few come up on the sinker, but have to be quick with the net

That might explain something I have noticed over the last couple of weeks.
at times it looks and feels like I am snaged on the bottom pick up the rod put a bit of pressure on and it does not just let go all of a sudden it's like a slow gradual easing of pressure like you're pulling through something soggy .
but I have not been able to bring whatever is doing this to the surface .

Yeah that is an occy hanging on. Slow steady wind in. Only get one in ten up to the top, and they let go as soon as you stop winding. Have to have the net handy.

[re-tyred]

Spent a couple of hours out there this morning. 1 pinky, 2 mowong and 3 ocean perch. Just had the perch for lunch. They are top eating.
So back to painting the house tomorrow. Nearly finished the lock down reno at last.