Julie/Graeme, Anglers Warehouse Tweed Heads (07) 5536 3822
anglerswarehouse@shopsafe.com.au
Wayne, Kingscliff Bait and Tackle
Matthew/Charlie, Deep Sea Fishing Charters

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Too big even for surfing. Rent a video!

David Keevers, Coastal Fishing Tackle 02 66 857 133

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At Evans Head at 4pm on Friday the wind was about 25-30 knots with stronger gusts. The swell was around three metres and building with another couple of metres of chop on top. Might be a jew on the walls but you’ll need a raincoat just for the spray. Worth a look for a jew up the beach in deep gutters once the wind backs off but it’s safer to walk than drive and be cut off by the tide and waves. Little to report during the week apart from a few school jew off the rocks and Airforce Beach. Might be good blackfish around the walls once the wind backs off. Nothing outside all week.

Dave’s Bait Shop 02 6686 2481
&
Tony Zann

t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Glen Porter, 6646 2017
The Bait Place 6646 2017
ports@reeltime.com.au

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Peter Russell, Fish Tackle Australia 6652 4611
motackle@midcoast.com.au

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Mark and Denise Bird and Paul and Michelle Martin
Rocks Marine Bait and Tackle 6566 6726
birds@tsn.cc

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While the rains over the past week have been most welcome our catchment did not receive quite enough to really muddy the river and create the bonanza many were hoping for. Our river did brown to some degree late last week but the amount of fresh water was insufficient to force the vast majority of marine life downstream. What runoff did eventuate will certainly prove beneficial over the coming few weeks, adding some much needed colour to the water and will lead to increased catches across the board.
In the estuary, the breakwalls were the place to be, with both walls fishing quite well for bream, particularly towards the top of the tide when the clean water pushed back against the dirty runoff. A few energetic lads were seen tossing lures from the tip of the north wall for jew but the level of runoff was just not quite enough to get things going.
Elsewhere in the estuary, blackfish numbers picked up a little, but during the dirty water all they wanted was black weed. Now the water has begun to clear, catches are on the improve from the usual haunts. Some good flathead are on offer from the lower reaches and breakwalls, while a few nice whiting have been snared from around Blackmans Point. Heaps of muddies in the lower reaches but the blue swimmers have gone quiet.
Since the rains, Lake Cathie has filled considerably, with the water height now at around 0.8m, still well below that required for assisted opening. Judging by the level of sand at the entrance, it is difficult to see it opening naturally in the short term. This past week has seen the lower reaches again produce the goods, with plenty of prawns. Included amongst the schoolies are the occasional XOS tiger prawn which adds a bit of excitement for the scoopers. Heaps of blue swimmers have also inundated the lower reaches but many are undersize and the rest only marginally over. Those tossing a line have again scored well on whiting and flatties.
Off the beaches, catches have been reasonable but the rough seas and strong winds last weekend saw fishing difficult. The odd good whiting and bream have been snared, along with a few chopper tailor from the cleaner parts of the beaches. Jewfish have been rather quiet.
Off the rocks, the big seas saw Shelley beach fire during the worst of the weather, with plenty of blackfish and a few bream on offer for those who braved the elements. Tailor numbers are down but once the seas settle, expect numbers to improve. On the land based game scene, little to report courtesy of the weather.
Outside reports have been somewhat quiet as expected with conditions not being favourable. Those who have ventured out have caught mahi mahi and reasonable numbers of both rat and decent kingfish off Point Plommer. A surprising number of quality jewfish taken during daylight hours. Small black marlin are still around, with several sightings over the past week despite limited opportunities. Snapper have been somewhat quiet but drifting the flattie grounds has yielded some top lizards.

Jason and Virginia Isaac, Ned Kelly’s Bait and Tackle 6583 8318
cjisaac@ozemail.com.au

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Offshore: Mahi mahi are now common around trap floats at Five Mile Reef and wide of The Pinnacle. All reefs fished well following last weeks big blow. The occasional small black marlin is being reported. Bonito are thick with mac tuna numbers on the increase.
Beaches: All beaches are providing a good mix of bream, whiting, dart, small mulloway and some tailor.
Rocks: Still no LBG action to speak of. Traditional rock fishing went off last week with massive drummer being taken off what few rock platforms that were safe to fish. Plenty of Bream being reported.
Estuary: Mulloway galore are coming from the Tuncurry breakwall, although not all of them are giants. The lake system is in good shape with the standard of bream on the improve and flathead in good numbers.

Lloyd Campbell, Great Lakes Tackle 02 6554 9541

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Estuary: Northern bluefin in Shoal Bay to Soldiers Point early mornings. Luderick on the breakwalls. Bream mainly on the racks in Cromarty Bay, Rocks Awash. Flathead Corrie Island. Whiting Middle Ground, mud crabs on in Tilligerry Creek.
Rocks: Snapper Fishermans, Boat Harbour; kingies Sunny Corner, tailor One Mile, Boat Harbour. Big luderick around Cemetery. A few northern blues off Tomaree LBG.
Beaches: Whiting Fingal, Stockton; jew on Little and Big Gibber, tailor on Box.
Outside: Snapper at Cod Rock, Sisters, Mungo, jew on The 21, The Vs; trag Gibber, Uralla and The Tank. Bonito Cabbage Tree. Small mahi mahi around the Minefield and Boulders traps, bigger ones in 50 fathoms, plenty of marlin on the shelf, a few yellowfin to 40kg.

Graham Duffy, Salamander Bait and Tackle 02 4982 0711

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Jordan Armstrong,
Tackle Power Fishing Stores,
Jordan@tacklepower.com.au

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Peter Sanderson, Fisherman's Warehouse (02) 4945 8922
enquiries@fishermanswarehouse.com.au

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Gary Oxley Coastline Bait & Tackle, East Gosford ph/fax 4325 4255
kathgaz@bigpond.com
http://www.coastlinefishing.easysites.ws

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With last week’s wild weather down came the barometer and up came the swell. Best part: Down came the rain and washed big jewies out! All week we’ve had reports of solid jewfish from murky Wiseman’s Ferry down to Broken Bay, into Pittwater and up into Brisbane Water – from wild beach gutters all along the coast and up into the Harbour reaches. Big baits got the best results with whole or butterflied mullet and big fresh squid most popular. Big live yakkas scored a few beefy jews as well.
Reports all week of chunky bream all over as well. Live nippers and fresh Hawkesbury prawns are best baits and expect a lot of big fish on small softies around the moorings and structures. Top examples coming from around Scotland Island, Yeoman’s Bay and also under the railway bridge.
From Narrabeen Lakes we hear of good flathead all along the Parkway shore. Soft plastics again – bloodworm and Gary Glitter colours fairing well. Amazing report of a huge mangrove jack from a secret backwater on a poddy mullet! Another report of two monster mud crabs from a deep lake hole.
Murky water from the big flush hasn’t put the kingfish off up in Sydney Harbour. They’ve been herding baitfish all the way to Roseville with some great action around Bantry Bay. Stickbaits in most colours – especially pearl blue and olive – have been most effective. Also had reports of fresh squid baits producing mixed bags of legal kings and jewfish in the same area.
Fly fishos have been in on the action with silver/pink Clousers going hot when the bait schools surface. Larger than usual greenback tailor have been are being caught around North Harbour, across to Grotto Point and in around Sow and Pigs. Clifton Gardens has been going off with tailor and small kings early and late each day – along with some large leatherjackets. Flathead continue to be taken throughout the Harbour in large numbers with most fish around 60cm. Small fish baits such as whitebait and anchovies are the pick. Shallow sandy shell grit slopes will provide the bigger female ‘flatettes’ as they settle into breeding territories over the next month. Big deep-diving lures trolled slowly to plough the bottom gently or larger fish baits drifted deep will give best results.
In Pittwater Pete from Harbour & Estuary Charters is still hooking kings on the downrigger. Surface action has eased up so find a school or some working birds and fish baits deeper and make a heavier then usual berley trail by using bigger fish bits. Church Point has also been quite successful in the evenings during the past week.
Maybe this week a smaller swell will let a few boats get out and safely fish. Look forward to hearing your reports.

Peter/Kurt
Darren Thomas, Fish Outta Water 9949 9488
captainkurt100@hotmail.com

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Mako Tackle
Gary Brown / Greg Mercedes 9600 6999

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Garth, Deans Bait and Tackle, Windang 4295 1615

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Kevin Gleed reports.
Estuary: says there are masses of bream in the river despite the disappointing results from the BREAM event last weekend – but they’re gun-shy. Lots of good whiting and flathead in the river.
Offshore: Kingfish anywhere from Moruya to the Tollgates. A fair few striped marlin on the Tuross Canyons and inside the shelf – wherever there are bait schools. Coming on to yellowfin season.
Rocks and beaches: Some salmon and tailor on the beaches along with some big whiting (42cm) on worms. Try any of the estuary mouths open to the sea and you should do well.

Rodney Stockman,
Harry’s Bait and Tackle
ph 02 4472 4393, fax 02 4472 3405

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Offshore: Five or six days of solid swell and wind but on the odd days when they can get out there’ve been striped marlin to 115kg, mahi mahi to 22kg and some albacore and yellowfin frames were spotted around the boat ramp the other day.
Plenty of salmon and tailor off the beaches and plenty of pigs around the rocks.
Estuary: Quite a few school jew to 7kg turning up in the inlet on live mullet or tailor. Stewie Hindson got a 6kg flattie in the Clyde last weekend and EPs, bream and even an estuary cod in the river the next day.

Darryl, The Ocean Hut 4476 2278

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Darren Redman and Mark Rose,
Bermagui Ocean Hut and Charter Booking Service, 6493 4688

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