31May 2020 by Warren Prior No Comments
First Thoughts – My Scott Aspect 930 on the Manly Dam Mountain Bike Track

First Thoughts – My Scott Aspect 930 on the Manly Dam Mountain Bike Track

Mountain Biking
Having spent Saturday pushing my 3 year old around the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail, it was time for me to put my new mountain bike to the test. And since we were yet to sort out a bike rack for the car, I decided to cycle to the Manly Dam Mountain Bike Track to put it through it's paces. The ride to the track went better than expected. After taking a wrong turn early on, and chasing a B-line bus down the hill to Spit Bridge, the climb back out was easier than expected, possibly due to the bike's gearing ratios. The remote lockout for the front fork was a life-saver, as I transversed from tar to dirt (and back) on a multitude of occasions. The Scott Aspect 930 Once I…
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13Apr 2020 by Warren Prior No Comments
Narrabeen Lagoon Doughnut

Narrabeen Lagoon Doughnut

Fly Fishing, Kayak Fishing, Salt Water
On Easter Monday I loaded the yak onto the ute (is there a more Australian sentence?) and headed for Narrabeen Lagoon. I'd read mixed reviews on the venue, but wanted to check it out for myself, and form my own opinion. At the very least I believed it held a healthy population of bream and flathead, which alone was worth a visit. After a brief 20 minute drive I arrived at the water and was instantly impressed with it's beauty. The wind was yet to pick up, and the lagoon was still devoid of the crowds I expected would arrive shortly, leaving the surface of the water perfectly flat, reflecting the abundance of greenery lining the lagoon's shore. Launching the Hobie Outback at Narrabeen Lagoon After kitting up a few…
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28Mar 2020 by Warren Prior No Comments
Flathead at Hen and Chicken Bay

Flathead at Hen and Chicken Bay

Fly Fishing, Salt Water
After a very successful first trip to Hen and Chicken Bay (read about it here), I decided to take advantage of the fact that fishing was still an allowed activity during the Coronavirus lockdown (as long as social distancing guidelines are followed), and headed out for a second session. Amazingly, the park was still relatively busy, with kids playing and adults exercising, although most of them appeared to be following the guidelines. Hen and Chicken Bay from the air I snuck between them and waded out onto the flats. The water was cleaner than on my previous visit, although it was still relatively dirty, with limited visibility. I stuck to what had worked for me before, a 7 weight rod with a long leader and a weighted fly, resembling a…
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21Mar 2020 by Warren Prior No Comments
Yellowfin Bream at Hen and Chicken Bay

Yellowfin Bream at Hen and Chicken Bay

Fly Fishing, Salt Water
On Saturday afternoon I was itching for a fish, but didn't have the energy to load my kayak onto the roof. Instead I threw my fly rods into the ute and headed for Hen and Chicken Bay, to spend a quick hour or so wading the banks, in the hopes of picking up a few new species. Hen and Chicken Bay My first impression of the venue was good. There was a beautiful green park, including a playground for the kids (making it more likely I'd be allowed future visits), and one of the larger flats I'd seen in the Sydney Harbour - perfect for us fly fisherman. When I got down to the flats I was even more impressed. There was an abundance of nipper holes, which I hadn't…
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29Feb 2020 by Warren Prior 2 Comments
A Dirty Manly Dam

A Dirty Manly Dam

Bass, Fly Fishing, Fresh Water, Kayak Fishing
On Saturday afternoon I made a sneaky dash for Manly Dam, eager to flick a fly for a few Aussie bass. After months of drought, Sydney had finally had a week of heavy rain, and I was interested to see the state of the dam. The water level was significantly higher than on my previous two visits and, as expected, was substantially dirtier. That said, looking at the water from the bank, it looked tannin stained rather than muddy, which gave me some hope that it would still be fishable. An afternoon kayak session on Manly Dam I launched my kayak from the ski area boat ramp, and was promptly given a talking to by one of the skiers. Unbeknown to me, the ski zone was for powered boats only,…
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22Feb 2020 by Warren Prior No Comments
Fly Fishing Middle Harbour on a Hobie Outback

Fly Fishing Middle Harbour on a Hobie Outback

Fly Fishing, Kayak Fishing, Salt Water
After a few still water, bass outings, I decided it was time to take my kayak out onto the harbour in search of some larger saltwater fish. My plan was to spend the early hours looking for pelagics, specifically kingfish, in deeper water, and then to hunt a few bream or flathead if the going got tough. When I woke up the weather was less than ideal (from a human perspective), and I was forced to load my kayak onto the roof in the pouring rain. As a result I waited for daylight, not wanting to deal with the dark and rain, and therefore only ended up launching just after 8am with a hot cup of coffee in the Hobie's drink holder. I chose to launch at the Tunks Park…
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26Jan 2020 by Warren Prior No Comments
Kayak Fishing Budgewoi Lake

Kayak Fishing Budgewoi Lake

Fly Fishing, Kayak Fishing, Lure Fishing, Salt Water, Trip Report
Sunset over Lake Munmorah After a long and painful journey back from the USA, including a lost bag and a delayed flight, I was happy to climb into the ute and head north for Budgewoi. We'd booked a deluxe cabin on the banks of Lake Munmorah at the Budgewoi Holiday Park, and were ready for a long weekend of fishing, swimming pools, and beach. The cabin was by far the best we've stayed in. Firstly, it was either newer, or at the very least, recently renovated. It also had incredible, uninterrupted, views of the Lake Munmorah, whereas most of the other cabins we've stayed in have had limited to no views, and are usually surrounded by multiple other cabins. Inside the cabin was pretty standard; there were two bedrooms, one…
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