Spring into Sydney

Putting pen to paper or in this case, fingers to keyboard comes with an added twinge of enthusiasm for me at this time of the year. Out the window I can hear the call of a distant Channel Billed Cuckoo and I can see a stunning veil of yellow plants flowering on the hillside.
Both the Cuckoo and Dillwynia retorta, otherwise known as egg and bacon pea signal the arrival of spring, and much to my excitement, the arrival of schools of Yellowtail Kingfish.

Spring in Sydney is a special time, with the cool morning air making a welcome segue into invigorating mid-morning warmth. The bays of Pittwater and Middle Harbour are usually glassy smooth, the calm only interrupted by the gentle push of rat kingfish slurping hapless bait from the surface. You could be mistaken for thinking trout were rising on duns until a bunch of gulls swoop down to take advantage of the desperate baitfish.

Outside, at the mouth of Sydney harbour and Broken Bay, the hordes of young baitfish are being swept out to sea and a churning, boiling mass of salmon feed aggressively in the warming water. They must take advantage of the bait now before water temperatures climb above 23 degrees, for it will then be too warm and they will migrate south to cooler pastures. As the salmon swoon a menagerie of species, both piscatorial and mammalian joins them. Kingfish both large and small, Trevally, Kowanyoung, Slimy Mackerel, Tailor, Bonito, Mack Tuna, Striped Tuna, Seals, Dolphins and Sharks. There is also a flotilla of boats in tow; each touting heavily armed fly warriors with the latest high tech laser guided rods and fish seeking flies. They’re a funny crew; passionate, cheerful, dedicated and just a little bit obsessed. It’s a real camaraderie amongst the fly brothers as a quick glimpse reveals a host of bent fly rods from amongst an army of flaccid baitcasters and spinning rods. Sure, the fish will take a few select lures and plastics but the salmon are focused on micro bait and they just don’t seem too keen on 150gram metal lures travelling at 30knots.
About a kilometre to the East an enthusiastic crew have decided to risk alopecia by chasing striped tuna. A single Tern dives and quickly ascends again after snatching a baitfish from in front of a purple rocket. The boat is doing 15 knots just to keep in front of the fish. Following the tern, the driver decides to get well in front and wait for the fish to come to him. The tern is now a few meters off the water and approaching fast. The fly angler is nervously waiting, no time to false cast just one back cast, shoot some line, drift, hands together, forward, explosive haul and wham!!! The fly must be moving before it hits the water. A blue and white cotton candy lands 4 meters in front of the fish and is racing toward the boat; all too suddenly it disappears in an explosion of white water. Back on deck there is just enough time for the angler to glance down and raise his foot as line screams off the floor. A small circle with the stripping hand and the reel turned sideways ensures a smooth, snarl free transition for the reel to start screaming. It’s 0 -100 in point 5 of a second with150 meters of line leaving the reel and a rooster tail crackling whilst backing arcs through the water……………..if only they grew to 40kg, then again, thank god they don’t!!

Soon the warming water has seen the last of the estuary perch head back up river to a more solitary life amongst snags and rocks. There will be plenty of shrimps and fish eaten before the next spawn run in June.
The smaller perch will have to be more wary now as the large Jewfish and Huge female Flathead stir into action. They are ambush predators that will happily gobble a carefully placed fly or careless perch.
The flathead will be sitting in the sand on the edge of channels or at rocky points with current eddies. Hidden in the sand they will be using all their senses to give them the best chance of a feed. Sight and vibration will be the two keys for the fly angler in search of Flathead. The lateral line that divides the fishes flanks will be positioned to pick up maximum vibration; the eyes are positioned on top of the head for the best view. A clouser bouncing along the bottom with skips and jerks puffs up sand and draws the fish’s attention. In the blink of an eye the fish darts forward and inhales the fly. Above water in the boat there is a mutter as the angler feels pressure through the rod. He strips again and is met with the headshakes of a solid fish. A few strips of the line and the fish rises to the surface, hearts pound and adrenalin rushes as the fishes true form is revealed, a head like a shovel! At sighting the boat the big girl surges off taking the line almost to the backing, it will be 10 minutes before this girl is netted, photographed and released.

As spring settles into her ways and the water continues to rise there will be anticipation of what bounty the Northern currents will bring. Marlin, Sharks, Spotted Mackerel, Watson’s Bonito, Cobia, Amberjack, Sampson fish and even Longtail Tuna will be short-term visitors.
I hunger for the lucky dip that a berley trail so often becomes in the warmer months. Do not be fooled however, a berley trail only brings the fish to the boat; it does not mean instant hook-ups. The flow of chook pellets seasoned with pilchards will often see numerous curious kingfish within patting distance of the transom. After the tenth fly change you may be lucky to pin one. Other days any fly will have your 10 weight straining under the power of a yellow-tailed hoodlum. I do however love the slow, almost mesmerising pulse of a polar fibre minnow slowly worked through the trail…it seems the kingfish feel the same way.

As summer makes way for autumn the host of species that call Sydney home for part or all of the year will be stocking up on food for winter. Cooling water sees the return of the salmon. Tailor and trevally also return whilst the tropical species start to filter north.

Soon the Bays will sing to the sound of Salmon slurping, Tailor chomping, perch spawning and the odd kingfish snapping 30-pound tippet.

The cuckoo’s job will be complete, having fooled a Currawong to raise its young it has now headed to the warmth of South East Asia. The Dillwynia has long since flowered but its seeds are now sown in productive soils. Now they are waiting for the warmth of spring.
I will be waiting too, but meantime there will be many days of bent rods and stunning winter weather to occupy me…………..I just love this city.

Justin Duggan