Offshore: Snapper at night in close around Cook Island. Mackerel slowing down but the odd one at Palm Beach.

River for flathead and bream pretty much throughout the lower reaches.

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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Outside: During the early days of the week there were still a few nice spotties to be caught but after a cold current came through on Thursday they seem to have gone with only the odd one caught. With the spotties gone the dog mackerel have moved in with large numbers being caught. This is making life very hard for the snapper fishermen with bait getting chopped, chewed and bitten off. Good numbers and size of jewies up to 13.5kgs.

Rock & beach: Some nice whiting being caught on the South Beach (in front of the surf club up to the sign) but the small dart are making it hard to get the bait to them. The small sea has moved the big tailor on from Grays Lane but with any luck it will pick up for the weekend. Chopper tailor are hanging around Seagull Rocks and look to be staying there with plenty of bait in the corner of North Beach. Bream around the breakwalls.

River: Flathead around the traffic bridge and bream around the co-op walls. Plenty of blackfish on all the river rock walls. The river is a little quiet this week.

All Questions are welcome please just email or phone me.

Craig Wraight
BP Discount Fishing Tackle, Brunswick Heads
ausie_28_red@yahoo.com.au
Phone (02) 66851268

Still getting big tailor under the lighthouse at The Wire and around Tyagarah. Some really big whiting around the Belongil which is unusual and heaps of flathead. Spotted mackerel still about. The odd reasonable jew under the cape and around Broken Head on lures, with the outlaw Toad in pink working well.

David Keevers, Coastal Fishing Tackle 02 66 857 133

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Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop says bream are improving through the river. Blackfish coming on nicely along Prospect Bridge, the Porpoise Wall gaps and the ferry. A few flathead up-river around Pimlico with some good school jew of an evening up there, with some also in the Town Reach.

Big seas pushing up so there should be jew and bream around the walls and headlands. Tailor have been all right but it’s just a matter of how far up the seas get with the southerly.

Outside was fishing OK for snapper and pearlies but it’s again a matter of seeing the weather.

At Evans Head there have been tailor and bream along the beaches and headlands before the southerly change came through on Friday around noon. Some nice bream in the river with the better catches at night. Offshore there have been some decent reds and the occasional nice jew.

Dave’s Bait Shop 02 6686 2481
&
Tony Zann

t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Paul Kneller from Big River Bait and Tackle says Browns Rocks has been OK at night for bream but not so hot in the day. Flathead are coming on OK around Maclean along with the odd nice school jew. Also schoolies and jew around the ferry park in South Arm.

Some snowy bream from the beaches north and south of Yamba and down to Sandon River. Plenty of tailor about off Plover Island at Sandon, One Man, Lovers and Iluka wall and the Bluff. Good blackfish on the Woody Head rocks.

Glen is away.

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

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Good week for fishing. Plenty of bream along the beach gutters, around the rocks and in the estuaries. Good tailor and the odd big jewfish in the beach gutters, even a couple of dart.

Estuaries have slowed down a little but the bream should really turn on as they head in from the beaches.

Offshore: Still a good mackerel run with spotties to 10-kg and the odd Spaniard to 29kg. Get in quick because they won’t last long now. Good snapper with most big fish coming from deeper water.

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

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Fishing the beaches, apart from the view is almost a waste of time. There have been some bream and whiting about on Smokey Beach but you won’t be bagging out in a hurry. Barry Hobbs caught a couple of 400g-plus whiting last week, so they are out there. I have also had reports of big dart off the beach, caught on live worms. Gap Beach is a non-event apart from the possibility of a tailor on the north end of the beach. Small flathead and bream are off the Back Beach.

There are fish in the river but you have to work for them. Keeper bream and school jewfish are around the bridge at Jerseyville. Blackfish are being frustrating as only they can be with only a few being caught up around Rainbow and Cox’s Wharf. There are heaps of undersize flathead up past The Cut through towards Stuarts Point. Smithtown is producing small jewfish around the bridge with reports of a few bream. We weighed in a 1.4kg bass caught around Kempsey this week, one of the best I have seen. These great sportfish should be moving down to Belmore soon. Very strict bag conditions apply to these.

Fishing from the rocks last week was not spectacular with some tailor being caught along with reasonable bream. The tailor seem to be in larger numbers around Hat Head. If you are not used to the conditions around the rocks, just watch out when you have a southerly swell.

Fishing outside has been slow. They are still getting fish on the 60-fathom marks and a little closer but beware, the green toads are around. These mongrel fish will bite you off in an instant. Big pearl perch are being caught around this location along with some bar cod. A few reports of snapper have come in off the reefs north of Grassy Head. Fish Rock is finally producing some kingfish, they are not big but they are there. The current appears to OK out there, you just need to put up with the wind.

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

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On the beaches at present, tailor numbers continue to be reasonable albeit a little more patchy than over recent weeks. Whiting numbers have begun to dwindle which is often a sign the cooler water is not too far off. North Beach has given up few good quality bream, as has Lighthouse, whilst a few hardy souls who fished the wee hours last week managed a few solid school jew. Gun local mulloway angler Bert Hayes proved persistence can pay off, snaring a sensational 27 kilo jew off the beach at Diamond Head last week. With the full moon phase and good tides now upon us, look for the schoolies to pick up considerably.

Of the rocks, there are plenty of tailor with fish well above the chopper class on offer for those fishing the more eastern points. Bream numbers have been patchy however Plommer and headlands further north have given up a few reasonable bags. Drummer numbers have begun to pick up a little however will not fully fire with the water as warm as it is at present. Plenty of blackfish however, although many are spawning and at times simply not in the mood for even a well presented bait. For the land based game diehards, the brief appearance of bluefin didn’t last, so it may be time to pack the big the gear away until next season.

In the estuaries, flathead have been the star attraction adding the confusion of lure-tossers and bait-soakers alike. We have several reports of quality bags taken from both the Maria and Hastings proper, with a few big females well over 5 kilos released to breed another day. Bream numbers off the wall remain quiet however areas upstream around Rawdon Island continue to produce the better results. Blackfish have picked up a little much to the relief of local enthusiasts. The Coal Wall has also been home to a few solid leatherjackets for anyone keen on chasing them. Keen crabbers have also continued to enjoy success with some enjoying their best catches of the year.

Offshore anglers have been enjoying some reasonable results, with most fish boxes containing good mixed catches. The FAD and other buoys continue to hold good numbers of dolphin fish although don‚t expect this to last for too much longer. Bottom bashers have managed some reasonable snapper together with a few solid pearl perch and mid size kingfish. Plenty of leatherjackets are also about, so either make sure wire and long shank hooks form part of your arsenal for the next few months, or expect to donate a large portion of your terminal tackle to the depths of the ocean.

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

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Offshore: While conditions over the last few days have been ideal, the reef and pelagic action has not. Those in smaller craft have had the most fun tucking in close to headlands and fishing for bream, tailor and some monster salmon.

Beaches: Beach fishing has been at its best in the last week with bream, tailor and salmon on offer up and down our section of coast. There have been some reports of mulloway but these have slowed from recent weeks.

Rocks: In addition to the species mentioned above, blackfish are thick off rocks to our south, particularly the Booti Booti and Seal Rocks areas. Big drummer have been caught at Cape Hawke.

Estuary: The last few days have seen acres of salmon off the ends of the breakwalls early most mornings. Tailor have been active in the main channel. Big bream have been caught after dark as they move into the lake on the new moon flood tides. Water temp in the lake remains unseasonably high and flathead are still active.

News flash:
Wallis Lake bream can be caught on lures other than the hard-to-get Berkley 3" Drop Shot Minnow!

Lloyd Campbell, Great Lakes Tackle 02 6554 9541

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Graham Duffy, Salamander Bait and Tackle 02 4982 0711

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The drop in air temperatures is making it harder for most anglers to rise early for that dawn session at their local fishing spot. Bitterly cool westerlies are being mixed with the occasional southerly change over the last week have brought winter fish species on the bite with the local rock platforms like Merewether, Dudley and Catherine Hill Bay the places to fish when safe conditions allow. I competed in the annual Rockfest Challenge last weekend at Seal Rocks and found the black drummer (rock blackfish) and luderick in good numbers with all drummer falling to cunjevoi after responding to pelleted berley and the luderick taken after dark on unweighted peeled prawn. Other fish caught were bream, tailor and salmon with Bradley Harrison awarded 2004 Champion.

A rise in swell limited offshore anglers but those who ventured out to the Farm area report good catches of long finned perch (ocean perch) as well as big leatherjackets and a few snapper. Warren Sinclair fished the FAD off Port Stephens last week and reported large numbers of mahi mahi still available with live baits working best. Others have caught kingfish and teraglin with the good tailor still available off Redhead Bluff.

The strong westerly winds have continued to keep Lake Macquarie very clear with the bottom visible to 8-10 metres. This has kept the bream timid but catches of tailor and flathead continue with Mitchell Cullen catching and releasing a 4 kilo flathead from the northern end during the week. Reports of good numbers of luderick and some bream are being received from anglers fishing the Earring outlet over this last week and good numbers of squid are still being caught in the channel.

Over 150 keen anglers attended this week’s information night regarding the upcoming Tackle Power Lake Macquarie Pro Bream Event (12-13th June) with the crowd gathering vital tips from previous successful anglers Russell Marsh, Laurie Beckett and Steve Gresham. Entry forms are available from both stores or by calling Chris Craig on 49 733373.

The good work continues from our local fisheries officers with the booking of three visiting anglers who had amassed over 200 tailor in a session in Swansea channel this week and the Port Stephens boys apprehending two commercial fishermen who had illegally set and left a net in a fish closure zone.

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

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I have been receiving consistent reports of bigger than normal luderick and drummer coming from places like Redhead/Dudley rocks, Catho and Moonee and don't discount Merewether rocks. With the water still around 18°-19° and light westerlies prevailing, these are making for some excellent rock fishing conditions. Make sure you have a spin for tailor just on sunrise.

LAKE MACQUARIE

Hordes of big bream in the channel shallows (Air Force Channel), try of a night with chicken or mullet. Also some big tailor moving around. The Swansea bridge has been copping a hiding of a night with fishos targeting the tailor and getting their bag limits in no time. Full pilchards doing the damage there. Plenty of squid at the entrance and around the bridge. Hint: dip your squid jig into tuna oil for some better results.

Newcastle Harbour: Water is very clear at the entrance and some good-sized squire have been caught just off the breakwall. Jason Golding and Barry Urquart fished there last weekend and came home with a half a box of fish including some tailor which were hard to get a bait through. Still some jewfish coming from the Stockton Bridge but have thinned out somewhat but some big flathead around the same area.

Offshore: Plenty of flathead on all the gravel patches off our coast, in particular the Dumping Grounds off Newcastle have been fishing very well with some small snapper being reported, mainly in the mornings and just on the high tide.

Going Shark fishing with Mick Kennedy aboard Headhunter' on Saturday, let you know how we go.

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

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This week we have seen the water temperature fall to a chilly 18° offshore. The estuary waters are still warm but as the big high tides this week start to push in, the water in the sheltered estuary systems will start to cool down.

Fishing has slowed down this week both for offshore fishos and also for the estuary angler the gin-clear waters are making fishing very difficult in the rivers and bays.

The Hawkesbury River is still producing some top quality bream around the oyster leases on the rising tides. Lures and baits have been working well but you do need to beef up your lines and leaders if you’re going to tackle these brutes in the racks. The smaller tides are preferred for this style of fishing so next week is looking real good. These big bream are a real challenge in the winter months and I will be heading back down there in the next couple of weeks.

Out in the Broken Bay area schools of salmon have started to arrive for winter. They tend to bite best on the run-out tides but you will need to approach them with care, as they spook very easily. Small metal lures will get a few hook ups but the best bet is to pull out the 7wt fly rod and lay a few baitfish flies across the water, then hang on these fish will keep you busy for the next 20 minutes. Tailor have also been swimming with the salmon so take a few flies with you, as the toothy tailor will make short work of the first few you cast.

The Brisbane Water system is producing some nice size blackfish but finding good green weed for bait is harder than catching the timid fish. Tailor have also been on the chew down near The Rip bridge but they are not the big greenbacks that usually come into the channels at this time of year.

Offshore the fishing has been average with the deeper reefs producing the better catches. Some quality snapper are still coming in but the fishos are working hard for them. Those big leatherjackets are also still about same of these toothy monsters are well over 2kg and wire traces are required. Green toads are also still active along the coastline, they have been a real pest now for months and don’t look like moving in the near future.

The coming June long weekend will see the top bream fishos descending on the huge Lake Macquarie system with the running of round 3 of the NSW Pro Bream Series. Wangi Point will be the weigh station and already this week I’ve sighted a few boats out doing their homework. Last weekend while travelling down to the Swansea Bridge we counted eight bream boats scattered about the lake testing their skills around the deep drop-offs and boat moorings.

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

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After last week’s positive report this week seems to have gone nearly backwards with most species off the chew and pretty much playing hard to get.

The offshore fishos had some pretty bad conditions to tolerate and not many fish on the scene. Our offshore current is roaring north and water temps have dropped to just under 20º. Most mahi mahi will be looking to catch that free ride north in search of warmer bluer pastures. From Port Hacking to Port Stephens only two reports from the weekend: Gavin Jago hooked a 20kg+ yellowfin trolling on an ugly on Saturday near the shelf and game boat Avanti hooked a tiger shark on 6kg gear.

Sydney Harbour shut down during the week with only a few fish keen on a feed. Peter Zurita fished around Manly for trevally, bream and john dory. Live yakkas and soft plastics did the job. Thousands of small dead leatherjackets floated around the Harbour on Sunday and Monday from North Head to Vaucluse, There could be a few reasons for this and infection is possibly one of them so don’t use them for bait and definitely do not eat them!

Further north, Pittwater has had the most action with salmon and tailor taking trolled lures near the Joey and while you’re out there try the drift over the Palm Beach sand bar near the red marker buoy to chase some flatties and bream. Use boiled wheat for berley. McCarrs Creek has produced a few john dory; slow moving livies are your best bet.

A school of 5-7kg kings are roaming the southern end but are refusing all offerings including stickbaits and fly but may be enticed with an unweighted peeled prawn, you have to be quick on the strike though as they’re even spitting these out!

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

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Mako Tackle
Gary Brown / Greg Mercedes 9600 6999

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Lake: Blackfish on the southern side on green weed. Plenty of bream in the channel between the islands. Macquarie Rivulet and Mullet Creek for bream on bright lures.

Beaches: Nice salmon near the Windang surf club with bream as well. The odd flathead on south Shellharbour Beach and good bream on Corrimal Beach on pipis.

Rocks: Bass Point for bream and drummer on royal reds with groper on red crabs. Salmon on Windang Island on lures and live baits. Blackfish off Hill 60 at Port Kembla on cabbage. Also good groper there.

Offshore: Nice mowies off Wollongong Reef with bonito and salmon in close on trolled metal lures. Big gemfish in the Kiama canyons. A few reds at Bandit Reef.

Garth, Deans Bait and Tackle, Windang 4295 1615

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Outside, the marlin fishing is slowing down although the water is still a little too warm for the yellowfin tuna. There have been some good fin caught south of Narooma. Trailer boat anglers have been doing quite well on snapper, mowies, trevally and the odd hoodlum kingfish. Snapper anglers love this time of year as there are bigger reds getting around close to shore and plenty of them at the moment. Justin Lake scored a 10kg red just a couple of days ago. If the fishing is a little slow, try a slow troll home and you should pick up enough salmon to make a dull day exciting. These are excellent fish on light tackle with high-flying leaps and deep slugging near the end of the fight beside the boat.

Beaches are fishing well with salmon and tailor keeping your rod bent most of the day with some stud bream in the washes and jewfish on the cards after dark, especially around the moons. I’ve been catching plenty of flathead and the odd bream in the quiet corners of the beaches son lures. I even managed an angel shark of 10kg on a 4” Berkley stickbait but I thought I had the mother of all flathead.

Rocks: Salmon, trevally, bream, large numbers of tailor and some snapper to 10kg.

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

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Offshore: Yellowfin and such have been a but quiet since the previous blow but some albacore and fin turned up on Thursday afternoon, with night fishing possibly the go on the moon. Kingies going well at the island with the current dropping off nicely. Last weekend fish up to 13kg working there with plenty of bust-ups as well. A few bonito.

Plenty of salmon and tailor on the beaches with drummer off the rocks.

Estuary seems to have settled into a productive pattern with plenty of nice flatties, bream, flounder and still heaps of tailor around 45cm.

Darryl, The Ocean Hut 4476 2278

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Beaches: Salmon and tailor with some nice gummies and good bream.

Rocks for salmon, tailor, a good run of trevally and everyone is having a ball on some great drummer.

Estuary: A little quiet but the Bermie River has good tailor around a kilo at the entrance, bream and trevally in the harbour and bream can be berleyed up on the rising tide further up the river.

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

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