Fishing Monthly - Latest Fishing Reports - Updated Weekly
COMPILED WEEKLY BY TONY ZANN IN EVANS HEAD:
e-mail: t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au
Tweed Heads
Coffee-coloured water and big seas but we should have a big winter.
A few mud crabs is about all the entertainment there has been in the river and the beaches have been eroded by heavy seas. Before the blow mackerel, wahoo and small black marlin were going well on the reefs

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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Byron Bay

David Keevers, Coastal Fishing Tackle 02 66 857 133

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Ballina

Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop says the lower river clearing and good bream on the run-up tide. Plenty of flathead along the porpoise wall and around the ferry. A few whiting stirred up as well and blackfish taking yabbies around the walls. Tailor improving as the water clears around the river mouth and when the seas flatten off they’ll be around the beaches and headlands again. A few jew lured from the walls and headlands in the big swells but be careful. Plenty of mud crabs in the lower river.
At Evans Head there have been bream and blackfish around the walls in the dirty weather and not much happening up the beach or around the headland because of the swell. A few bream in the river with best catches after dark.

Dave’s Bait Shop 02 6686 2481
&
Tony Zann

t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Yamba

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

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Coffs Harbour

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

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South West Rocks
Last week we were subject to very ordinary weather with a heap of rain and strong winds, so reports have been a little patchy.
The river has gone back to a dirty colour after the rain but the fish are still biting. One fellow fished at the end of the break wall in the poring rain and was rewarded for his trouble with two nice Jewfish around the 12 kilo mark. There has been nice Tailor out of the same location up to a couple of kilo. Bream are still the standard fare out of the river. Still reports of good Flathead coming in out of the river. Black Fish are just starting to show up in small numbers. We currently have green weed in stock to catch these tasty critters.
The beaches have been a little wild with messy conditions. Back Beach is fishing well for Whiting with some very nice ones coming in. Smokey Beach is producing Tailor but you need to be there just before the sun comes up to be successful. Bream and Whiting are still on the beach as they are on Gap Beach.
Rock hoppers were doing well before the swell, with Tailor and Bream coming in from most locations around the rocks. Hat Head is fishing well with some Blue fin action down there.
Very slow out outside, that’s when they were able get out with the big swell. Reports are a little Patchy coming in. Very few Spotties off Grassy Head. Early in the week there were some nice Reds if you can find the reefs in close around grassy and Scotts Head. Small Dolphin Fish are around the FAD. Some Good Snapper have been lurking at Black Rock. Around the reefs in front of the Jail you should get your smaller Reds. Conditions will improve as the swell subsides. Hopefully the Spotties will come on after the southerlies last week.
Don’t forget the Seabreeze Hotel fishing comp is on this weekend. Have a go and win some of those prizes on offer. For $2 for adults and $0.50 for kids it is cheap entertainment. Entry forms available from our shop.
Keep the 22nd and 23rd of May open for the 2004 Kempsey Toyota Fishing Classic. Over $20,000 in Prizes up for grabs.
Entry forms will be available soon.
I will advise more information as it comes to hand.

Until next week

Wishin’ you good fishin’
Paul Martin

Mark and Denise Bird and Paul and Michelle Martin
Rocks Marine Bait and Tackle 6566 6726
rocksmarine@dodo.com.au

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Port Macquarie

Despite the fact we are still on level 3 water restrictions, it looks as if we could be in for a wetter autumn than the past couple. This past week has seen a lot of good rain which has resulted in a significant rising of the upper Hastings. This will see another moderate fresh dirty up our river system and again confine the action to the lower reaches. Wet and windy weather is not the most comfortable environment in which to wet a line but it’s time to strap on the raincoat and try to take advantage of what could prove above average fishing.
In the estuaries, bream will be the top target with the breakwalls and surrounds the place to be. Best results will be on the run-up tide with gut or strip baits the way to go. On the run out, look for a significant increase in mulloway activity, largely dependent on the level of fresh. As a rule, the dirtier the better for big jewies during a fresh. The lower estuaries should also fish reasonably for quality flathead, with the insides and outsides of the breakwalls your best bet. Blackfish will also be concentrated in the lower reaches, with best results using black, rather than green, weed.
Beaches: Before the seas blew up early in the week, tailor were excellent. Plenty of choppers have been about, as well as the odd greenback, highlighted by Gary Williams’ fish of over 4kg. Bream numbers and quality are on the improve with several reasonable bags, including a stud 1.81kg fish taken by Scott Barnes. Whiting have been a little quieter but once the seas settle, good numbers should still be around. Jew have been relatively scarce but April onwards is the time to focus on schoolies from the sand. North Beach has been the pick but Lighthouse has a number of excellent formations and will provide a feed for those willing to put in the time.
Rocks: Bluefin remain scarce. Tailor numbers are excellent for those out at dawn or dusk, whilst night anglers have been scoring increasing bags of well-conditioned bream. A few good mulloway are rumoured to be around Point Plommer and Big Hill and should be hungrier once the seas settle. Plenty of blackfish from most usual locations, while a few drummer have trickled.
Offshore: Ocean Star charters have been having a great time chasing mahi mahi from 3-6kg. One lucky lady angler also scored a top jew of over 20kg. Snapper have been excellent, with Dominic Vidot scoring a great red and Bob Dennington managing a stud fish of 5.5kg. Plenty of solid pearl perch have also been reported from off Plommer, with a few to 4kg.

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

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Forster

Lloyd Campbell, Great Lakes Tackle 02 6554 9541

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Port Stephens

Blowing for a week but clearing up.
Estuary: Flathead still in Shoal Bay, Fly Point, Corlette groynes, Corrie Island, the Myall River. Luderick on the co-op wall, bream in the marina, crabs North Arm Cove.
Beach: Not much to report in the wind and big seas.
Offshore: Should settle well and truly by the time the Trailer Boat Comp rolls around in a week.

Graham Duffy, Salamander Bait and Tackle 02 4982 0711

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Hunter Area

With the movement of large numbers of fish through the estuaries and onto our local beaches reports of good beach fishing are being recieved. Many anglers are finding quality bream along their preferred beach with some exceptional fish coming from the northern end of stockton this week. The best of the baits have been a half pilchard or fresh pipi`s baited on either a chemically sharpened long shank or suicide hook. Other species available are tailor, flathead, flounder which are all making a presence on Blacksmith beach this week. The availability of quality Whiting is also continuing with the southern end of stockton producing for those willing to purchase live worms.

Offshore, gamefisho's have seen a very hot bite occur over this last week with reports of multiple captures of Marlin and some very large sharks from the southern canyon's area off port stephens with huge schools of baitfish present. Other's report the presence of Mahi Mahi (Dolphin Fish) from around the anchor chains of the visiting coal ships as well as the floats of the profishermen's traps. Flathead and squire are still available from the popular inshore spots close by and bonito schools are starting to appear.

The prawn run in Lake Macquarie for this month does not seem to have eventuated with reports of small catches over the last week. Bream and tailor have been caught in the channell and tailor, flathead and squire from the northern end of the lake.

The second round of the NSW Pro Bass was held over the weekend on the banks of the Clarence river near grafton with 30 local angler travelling to compete. Recent rains had muddied the waters with catches of Bass down on the previous rounds. Buladelah's David Malone came in first from Metford's Clinton Misiack and Muswellbrook's Justin Scott taking third with best female angler going again to Tracey Mcnicol of Kahibah.The third round will be run on the Hawksbury river at Lower Portland on the weekend of the 2nd & 3rd of April and for more information contact Chris Craig on 49 733373.

Tight Lines,

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

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Newcastle

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

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Central Coast

Offshore: Not a lot happening with the wind and sea.
Estuary: Plenty of bream from Woy Woy into Broken Bay on live pink nippers, peeled prawns and chicken gut. Bream to 43cm coming in. The weekend BREAM comp in the Hawkesbury should be interesting with most emphasis likely in the lower part of the river.
Beaches: Small jewfish coming in, best around 7kg off Wamberal Beach. Some nice tailor just on dusk..

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

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Sydney Northern

It’s been a fairly slow week with the weather gods throwing an assortment of conditions our way – mostly unpleasant. But that’s no reason not to get out there and have a go.
The mahi mahi have finally started to get their act together according to Mick Lyons of Allie Hunter Charters with reports that almost every offshore FAD and fish trap float is holding decent numbers of fish from 2-4kg. With this late start we could expect them to be around for a while yet. While trolling a few skirts around Mick boated a pair of nice yellowfin, 22kg and 24kg, with a couple of striped marlin taken the next day. As far as bottom bashing there are still plenty of flathead on the chew in the usual haunts.
Inside the Harbour, Des Toms of Hookem Cookem Charters says this recent rain should start to mix things up a bit. There’s been good numbers of bream, trevally and kings around the cardinal markers off of Dobroyd Point, which is often overlooked by anglers. Up inside the Harbour things are becoming very hit or miss with kings smashing bait within casting distance of the Rosy boat ramp one day and then joining the piscatorial witness protection program the next. But when they are making their presence felt you need to be on the ball if you want to get among them – they’re mainly feeding on smallish gars and herring so leave your big guns in the tackle box and try some of the smaller plastics like the 3” Berkley Drop Shot Minnow rigged on a Squidgy Finesse jig heads. These have to be one of the most effective and versatile lures I’ve seen in a while, taking everything from snapper and bream to kings and mahi mahi. And that’s coming from a hardcore fly-fisho.
There are also reports of masses of nice sized bream spawning throughout the Harbour – try any of the rocky outcrops or moorings with some lightly weighted plastics or small flies to see if there’s anyone home.
Not much to report on the beaches this week except that there’s been a fair few sharks taken from a number of the local beaches, so chuck some wire in your bag before heading off after some tailor or whiting and you might be bringing home some flake and chips.

Mark Hudson

Darren Thomas
Fish Outta Water 9949 9488
fishon@uunet.com.au

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Sydney Southern
Peter Roberts fished the drums in the middle of Botany Bay earlier in the week for 3 kingfish. All three were caught on live squid that was suspended about 1.5 metres off the bottom. Peter also berleyed up 3 bream, 2 trevally and 1 dusky flathead. Best baits were pink nippers and white bait. John Peterson also fished the drums and berleyed up 12 trevally and stacks of small yellowtail.
Bream are still being caught in numbers at the middle grounds, the end of the old and third runway and out in front of the sand bar at Dolls Point. If you are after flathead I would suggest you start at Towra Point, then try the sticks and then work your way into the beaches in Yarra Bay.
Surface fish are schooling near the Captian Cook marker buoy. Early in the morning seems to be the best time to chase them. The oil wharf and the hot water outlet have been producing the odd kingfish up to 70 cm. Try using either the Mann&Mac226;s Shadow or those 9‰ Sluggos. Try either a fast skipping retrieve or a slow and pause retrieve. Once you have worked it out, then stick with it.
The bream have been on the chew for plastics up the Georges River. Try from Kangaroo Point to the Alford&Mac226;s Point Bridge. Mark Higenbottom managed to snare a few bream, the biggest was 38cm to the fork of the tail.
I fished early in the week just up stream of Bald Face point for bream with plastics. I managed to get a couple that were around 27cm to the fork of the tail.
Port Hacking is worth a try for whiting and bream on the sand flats at the entrance to southwest arm. Fish the rising tide in the late afternoon seems to be getting the best results. Luderick are being caught along the shoreline near Deer Park and if you are after a few squid for bait or just to eat, you wouldn&Mac226;t go far wrong by fishing up in the end of Gymea Bay. Not far from the swimming pool. Leatherjackets are also in numbers in Yowie and Burraneer Bays.
The beaches off Cronulla have been producing some very good catches of whiting, but you will need to use either beach, blood or tube worms for the best results.
Snapper and drummer are being caught off the Poss at Kurnell.

FISHING CLASSES.
My fishing classes will run for 3 consecutive Tuesday nights and if any one would like to come along to one of my classes all you need to do is contact me at my Email address at gbrown1@iprimus.com.au or phone me on 0422 994 207. The class will cover every thing you need to know on „ How, Where and When to fish the waterways of Sydney „ from both the shore and the boat. The cost for the three nights is $80. You will need to book and pay and will run depending on numbers.

Mako Tackle
Gary Brown / Greg Mercedes 9600 6999

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Wollongong
Estuary: Whiting on worms near the entrance on the southern side. Good blackfish under the bridge on weed and worms. Good bream Macquarie Rivulet on nippers early and late, also a few in Mullet Creek.
Beaches: Good salmon and tailor off Coniston on pillies and mullet strips. Fishermans at Port Kembla for bream and whiting with a few on Port Beach as well. South Shellharbour for whiting and a few bream on worms.
Rocks: Bream and drummer going well around Kiama near the rock pools and the loader off Bass Point. Hill 60 has plenty of blackfish on cabbage.
Offshore: Plenty of annoying leatherjackets everywhere, good kings at Pig Island and Gap Island at Port Kembla. Nice bonito on the Church Grounds off Shellharbour. Good reds off Windang and Helensburgh.

Garth, Deans Bait and Tackle, Windang 4295 1615

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Batemans Bay

Offshore: Rumours of quite a few yellowfin from some close grounds. Marlin have gone a little quiet. Plenty of kings around from Richmond, Jimmys Island, Burrewarra Point and the reefs off Moruya. The odd mahi mahi as well.
Rocks, beach: Salmon everywhere with lots of tailor as well. Pigs showing up well with some fish to 3kg.
Estuary: Same old thing with plenty of bream but they’re skittinh at themoment. Lots of whiting with Tuross going very well for them. Flathead also holding up well. Good estuary perch on surface lures in the upper Clyde, says Murray Cooper.

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

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Narooma

Darryl, The Ocean Hut 4476 2278

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Bermagui
Offshore: A few nice marlin out there with stripes, the odd black and mahi mahi. A lot of 30-50kg yellowfin on Thursday, busting up on sauries. Water 21.8° on the 12 Mile.
Beaches: Plenty of salmon with some to 4kg
Estuaries: Bream, blackfish and good flathead in the Bermie River with flathead also going well in the nearby lakes. A few prawns on this dark.

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

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