Step by Step procedure of tying Fishing Knots

Finding food is the number one priority for any fish. Very occasionally their attention turns to other needs but whatever the distraction, their thoughts must soon come back to food.

The one thing that does vary between the different species is the volume of food that they require. Flathead are a classic example of a fish that can ‘sit' on a decent feed for days. The nickname lizard was derived from their appearance but flatties actually have a lot more in common with their namesake than just a hideous head.

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Pelagic fish are the opposite, requiring a continuous turnover of sustenance. The reason for this is that they are constantly on the move and burning energy at a high rate.

Just because you are not catching flathead does not mean that they are not there. With pelagics it is reasonable to assume the opposite. If you are actively fishing for pelagics for more than a few days and not catching them – then they are probably elsewhere.

The good news is the lower reaches of Sydney's bays and harbours are pelagic heaven. This is mainly because these places are also baitfish heaven.

The larger rivers have the depth and the baitfish but not the pelagics. This is because they pump huge volumes of fresh water into the ocean. This creates two conditions unfavourable to pelagics – lower salinity and turbid, low visibility, water. Pelagics are physically less able to deal with fresh water than estuary fish like bream or mullet for example. They are also visual hunters, so clear water is an obvious advantage. The bays and harbours, on the other hand, have smaller freshwater catchments when compared to the rivers and, except in times of severe flooding, remains clear.

Why depth is so important to pelagics is not so obvious at first. It certainly gives them another option when fleeing from predators but mostly the reason they dive deep is to give their sensitive, lidless eyes a break from the midday sun!

Coastal harbours are a baitfish magnet being warm, still and clear. They obviously supply the nutrients they require as well.

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WARM WATER ACTION

The bulk of the pelagic action happens in the summer months when the water is warm. A temperature of 190C to 210C is optimum in an average year, however, occasionally it climbs as high as 250C due to the weather and currents. When this happens the kings clear out but the compensation is in the form of an influx of tropical species. Salmon, trevs and bonito are comfortable somewhere between 16 and 20 degrees, making them a good winter standby, although in the Sydney region any of the pelagics can show at any time.

Even within the pelagic group there are variations in the type of food and the quantity required. The tunas, with the exception of Bonito, appear to never stop swimming whereas the likes of kingies, tailor, salmon, and trevally and to some extent bonito, will ‘hold.' It appears that these less active pelagics can ‘switch off' for short periods when conditions are not favourable.