Fishing Monthly - Latest Fishing Reports - Updated Weekly

Fishing Monthly - Latest Fishing Reports - Updated Weekly

These reports are updated weekly.
Last Edited: Friday, 14 January 2005

Quick Jump Links:
Byron Bay, Ballina, Yamba, Coffs Harbour.
South West Rocks, Port Macquarie,
Forster, Port Stephens, Hunter Area,
Newcastle, Central Coast, Sydney Northern.
Wollongong,
Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bermagui.
Archived Reports, Weather & Tides.

COMPILED WEEKLY BY TONY ZANN IN EVANS HEAD:
e-mail: t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

Tweed Heads

Flathead in the upper reaches around Tumbulgum and Stotts Island with the odd one around Chinderah. Whiting around The Anchorage and along the Fingal reach. Bream around the mouth and in around the trawlers at The Anchorage. A few jacks up towards Tumbulgum, around Condong and the by-pass bridge.
Beaches: Whiting and dart.
Offshore: Haven’t heard of anything with this wind.

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

Brunswick Heads

Outside: Snapper and tag with an odd mackerel around
Rock & beach: Bream and tailor on South Beach. Bream on New Brighton Beach, South Wall for bream and tailor
River: Bream and blackfish around the boat harbor, bream around the Spur Wall. Whiting and flathead at Simpsons Creek right up to the bowing club. Bream, flathead and mangrove jacks around the highway bridge, flathead around the Ferry Reserve Caravan Park, whiting up the river with one weighing in at 740gm cleaned. Mangrove jacks and mud crabs as well.

Joe
BP Discount Fishing Tackle Brunswick Heads (02) 66851268
brunswick-fishing@netspace.net.au

Byron Bay

Pretty quiet with a bit of sloppy swell around 2m. Gaje Vagne, 6, of Kingscliff, caught a 1.7kg snapper in the Brunswick River on a 2.7kg line and a prawn, so it’s all happening. Heaps of giant whiting on the beaches along with really big dart and a few big bream, try Tallow Beach and the Belongil. Belongil Creek is open and clear up to the railway bridge with mud crabs and flathead. The odd good tailor from the rocks.

David Keevers, Coastal Fishing Tackle (02) 6685 7133

Ballina

Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop says whiting are going great guns in the river and North Creek with Pimlico going fantastic on bloodworms and a few on beach worms. Try along near the waterslide with yabbies and worms at night. Quite a few flatties around the Porpoise Wall and a few up-river. A few school jew and trevally also up above the ferry and around Wardell bridge. Well upstream for the muddies.
Beaches have been good for whiting and a few good bream on South Beach. Rising swell should work the washes along the walls for jew and bream. No outside reports.
Ordinary sea conditions and wind have kept the Evans Head holiday fleet bar-bound this week, although those who have brought along their beach rods have been having a field day on some great whiting and a few decent bream and dart from the surf club (get out of there early when the surfers move in) up to Airforce and Broadwater. Not much action on the exposed beaches or rocks and the river is getting pretty well peppered by the usual holiday crowd.

Dave’s Bait Shop (02) 6686 2481
&
Tony Zann

t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

Yamba

Paul Kneller
Big River Bait and Tackle, Maclean (02) 6645 1834

Coffs Harbour

Offshore: Good mahi mahi around the FADs with nice snapper and jew on the inshore reefs. A few small marlin getting around.
Beaches: Great whiting and the odd school jew on the beaches
Estuary: Good flathead on softies in most estuaries with jacks mainly on livies and trevally on lures upstream.

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

South West Rocks

The river is fishing well at the moment with plenty of good fish being landed. Whiting are being caught at Jerseyville around the sand flats with nippers or live worms the way to go. There are lots of small bream all over the river with the bigger ones a little harder to find. Try the oyster leases around Clybucca and fish as light as you can. Nice bream are off the North Wall fishing the turn of the tides. Spencers Creek has produced some good flathead and whiting. Jewfish are starting to appear again off the North and South walls.
Tailor have made a return off the rocks with some good catches in front of Green Island and under the lighthouse. Small tuna are on the bite as well. Fishing in front of the Jail should get you some tailor and bream. Hat Head is another hot spot for big tailor.
The beaches are fishing well with whiting on the menu. Smoky Beach is really firing with good bream, dart and whiting with the run-in tide bringing the most success. Gap Beach is fishing well for whiting and tarwhine. Back Beach has been good for whiting.
Fishing outside has been exciting with a good number of marlin being hooked. These fish are still in close and are around 30-40kg kilo. Hat Head is also fishing well for marlin. Bigger fish are out wide with a 160 kilo blue caught out at the canyons. Big live bait has been a little hard to get but the skirted lures are working. There have been plenty of mahi mahi around the traps and the FAD to keep you entertained. Snapper are off Scotts Head with a report of a 9kg monster coming in. Earlier last week there were a few kingfish down at Fish Rock. Fishing in close to Fish Rock and Black Rock should produce snapper. The good news is warm water is with us at the moment which should keep the fish biting.
The Seabreeze Hotel held their annual Pro Am Fishing Club comp last weekend with some terrific results from a well-attended event. A good variety of fish were weighed over the weekend with the major prize of $500 to James Lewis for the biggest snapper at 4.155kg and the largest bream went to Bob Nips with a .770kg specimen. A great weekend had by all thanks to all the sponsors, The SeaBreeze Hotel, Toohey’s, Raine and Horne and Shimano.
Don’t forget to check your safety gear and watch the Bars.

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

Port Macquarie

The Golden Lure game tournament has been the focus of the week and there have been some terrific captures of marlin, wahoo, mahi mahi and tuna. For bottom-bouncers, the big seas have seen limited opportunities but John from Ocean Star managed to get out for a couple of charters for snapper, pearl perch, kingfish, mahi mahi as well as numerous mixed reef species. With the water temperature still on the rise and currents beginning to ease, John is looking forward to some top action. The odd report on the grapevine of Spanish and spotted mackerel off South West Rocks and Hat Head so fingers crossed for favourable currents over the next few weeks.
Off the beaches, the constant south-easters have created challenging conditions with few locations easily fished. Some of the better catches have been reported from low-tide sessions but this could simply be due to these same locations not being able to be fished with the high tides, strong winds and swells. Lighthouse has held a few solid bream over a kilo, along with improving numbers of whiting. Tailor are becoming a more common although the numbers have not reached levels often encountered at this time of year, while a few solid salmon remain. School mulloway numbers are reasonable but the vermin to jew ratio remains poor.
Off the rocks, Lighthouse has given up a few tailor and bream, while Rob Carmody managed a terrific mulloway of 25.8kg unassisted last weekend. Drummer continue to surprise with Hat Head and Point Plommer producing the better results. Little to report in the land-based game action but with warm water circling the coast, it should be too long.
In the river, blackfish numbers have improved with reasonable fish taken from the walls, Limeburners and the Maria. Bream numbers have been on the improve with several good fish being snared during the middle of the day. Areas upstream continue to fare well with lure-tossers achieving better results. Flathead numbers are as thick as they have been all summer, with plenty of good fish eagerly taking lures and baits. Good to hear more reports of the larger fish being released and far fewer being kept. The benefits of this increasingly popular practice, combined with the effects of the Hastings now being a recreational fishing area, are now really beginning to show with an abundance of fish just short of legal length throughout the system.

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

Forster

Lloyd Campbell, Great Lakes Tackle 02 6554 9541

Port Stephens

Too busy to talk, same as last week, basically.

Graham Duffy, Salamander Bait and Tackle 02 4982 0711

Newcastle

In Swansea Channel there are so many bream around at the moment that anybody who can tie a hook on (and some who can’t) are catching them. As usual, the guys throwing soft plastics are absolutely braining them at any time of the day. What has been surprising is that the bait guys are also getting them at any stage of the day, although not as freely as on the lures. Some of the bait guys who work harder than others have been getting 19 or 20 fish a trip. Don’t be scared of all the boat traffic. On Tuesday I pulled eight bream in an hour from around 15 boats roaring around the one patch of water. There were people on ski biscuits and people snorkelling but the fish were still there.
The flathead continue to thrive despite the constant pressure they receive at this time of year. They are eating most things including lures and fish baits but by far the best bait at this time of the month is prawns, due to the fact that the prawns are running. So either a nice large prawn like the Hawkesbury River prawns or live prawns caught yourself are the go.
The prawn run it is in full swing as we speak with this run being consistent without being spectacular. The guys are still getting 3-5kg a night and in all honesty, how many prawns do you need for one feed?
The whiting are still going strong but they are very sensitive to the boat traffic. The snorkellers are telling me that there are heaps of big whiting over all the sand flats but the amount of boats on the water is putting them off so find a quiet spot or just hold off for a little while longer until the water traffic settles down.
In Newcastle Harbour there are heaps of school jew but what is surprising is the number of very large fish also being taken if you put the time in with live bait or fresh squid at the moment.
The fishing offshore has been steady with a lot of flathead, tarwhine and bream being caught and with the weather this weekend looking pretty special, the reports should be coming in thick and fast The water is magic at the moment so if you are heading out there, make sure you put in some smallish surface lures because the mahi mahi are expected at any time and not a nicer fish is there to eat on the barbie than these.

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

Central Coast

Plenty of bonito showing up around the rocks with a lot of rat kings as well.
Lots of flathead on soft plastics on the flats and bream on the leases going well. A few nice jewies to 340kg towards the mouth of the river.
Offshore plenty of small mahi mahi and some good snapper with even some bag limits.

Aaron / Joel
Freddys Fishing World (02) 4367 5555
Shop 1/ 229 The Entrance Rd Erina

Sydney Northern

More warmth has been the catch-cry of the past month or two, so it’s nice to be able to report that it’s a bit warmer on the water this week. Blue skies and kingies big enough to keep Pinocchio from lying are the perfect Pittwater recipe. Pete Le Blang of Harbour and Estuary charters says there’s no shortage of kings, landing bagfuls from 74cm to 87cm and getting monstered by some real hoodlums among the moorings. Pete has taken 95 kingies in the past three weeks for his customers, mostly on live calamari or the freshest of white squid strips. Water temperatures have been as high as 24° this week, usually in the afternoon, but are averaging around 23°. It’s still plenty warm enough to bring on a couple of less common hot water species. Amberjack have moved in among the kings with a fish 5kg-plus landed last weekend from just off Longnose Point, and a school of small samsons has made a showing around Towlers Bay.
The Harbour has not quite hit Pittwater’s heights yet, not that it’s too surprising given the 2° cooler water. Scratchy and patchy is how Des Toms from Hookem Cookem Charters reports the week, with fish about but unsettled and on the move hunting bait. Tailor and salmon schools are the most obvious sign of activity with birds circling over feeding fish off Rose and Rushcutters bays. Spinning around these schools with small metals should see a bit of action, and might even excite a kingy or two from underneath. There are also some big kings holding on structure in the same area. Fresh or live squid fished in a bit of run is the most effective. The slimies holding around the mouth of North Harbour make great bait. The odd flatty is still about on the drift, loving whitebait.
Offshore conditions are good and it can only be a matter of time before the fishing really takes off. Water temperatures in close are still a little cool but off the shelf there are some warmer patches and a few fish are showing, especially striped marlin around 80kg. Not too many mahi mahi have arrived yet, with the wave-rider buoy full of rat kings.
For the reefies, plenty of mowies are being taken, along with some plate-sized reds. A few bigger reds are also moving in towards the coast, allowing rockhoppers the chance of picking up a decent feed. Live squid or fresh crabs are the baits of choice.

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

Wollongong

Consistent north-east winds and warmer temps have provided a lot of fun for rockhoppers and boat anglers. Kingfish in good numbers with some around 10kg. Best rock sites Bombo Headland, Hill 60 and Bellambi Point. Other pelagics like salmon, tailor and bonito at Bass Point and Windang Island on pillies, lures and livies.
Beaches: Best opportunities in shallow gutters for abundant whiting on live worms at Windang, Fishos Beach at Port Kembla, Mystics at Minnamurra and Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa. Salmon on Coniston and Fairymeadow beaches.
Offshore: Kingfish on the troll hitting skirted lures and minnows at Gap Island and the gravel loader at Bass Point. The northern gravel loader, Minnamurra Headland and Towradgi Sands reefs have morwong and tiger flathead. Sand flathead drifts worth a look include Windang and Rangoon Island for fish to 60cm.
Lake: Try the channel for bream at Bevans Island and the road bridge, flathead at the Humps and Mt Warrigal flats on soft plastics and whitebait. Whiting at the entrance with good tidal flows working worms well. Prawning has been subdued but picking up after some rain. Size is promising but numbers are down.

Garth, Deans Bait and Tackle, Windang 4295 1615

Batemans Bay

Locals who live in the bush well upstream tell me they are hooking a lot of bass in the evenings on surface poppers and as I write this cicadas are buzzing outside.
Bream, flathead, flounder and whiting seem to make up most of the catches for holidaymakers and baits of worms, prawns and tuna seem to be doing the job.
Snapper are still being caught off the rocks from Malua Bay to Durras. Floating out a squid or a pilchard seems to be the best method.
Beaches around Batemans Bay have been fishing well for bream, whiting and flathead but the salmon have been a bit quiet, though down at Tuross heads the salmon have apparently been red-hot.
Outside there have been a lot of fish on the reefs and plenty of snapper around the 40-fathom mark. The kingfish have also showed up with a few boaties in the know starting to catch them. Still reports of a few tuna filtering through along with a few marlin.

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

Narooma

Offshore: Thick sea mist today (Fri) but albacore and rat yellowfin out wide are going well. A few marlin getting tagged. Around the island for rat kingies and the odd keeper but the ratio is about 25:1. Plenty of reef fish. Plenty of tiger flathead in closer.
Rocks: Blackfish going OK but the drummer have gone off. The odd good bream around Mystery Bay.
Estuary: Loaded with good-sized trevally to 1.5kg. Plentiful flathead and some good bream around the leases and the bridge. Whiting also going well on worms and nippers.

Darryl, The Ocean Hut (02) 4476 2278

Bermagui

Offshore: Weather hasn’t been too flash and a massive sea fog on Friday at noon. Marlin are kicking in nicely with quite a few getting tagged. Small yellowfin, albacore and striped tuna are hitting lures. Reef fishing is excellent for snapper, mowies, huge tiger flathead on the edge of the Six Mile and golden Head. Plenty of sand flathead in closer.
Estuary: Good flathead in Wallaga on lures hard and soft. Bermie river fishing excellent for solid yellowfin bream to 45cm, lots of blackfish over the flats on the high tides, nice whiting and some good trevally as well. Get in to the shallow flats on the big tides and berley and feed out a nipper the trevors will be fantastic, along with those whiting. A lot of flounder have been caught, too. Brogo Dam is full and fishing well especially on surface flies in the evenings.

Darren Redman and Mark Rose,
Bermagui Ocean Hut and Charter Booking Service, (02) 6493 4688

Archived Weekly Reports

Year 2005 Weekly Reports
07/01/2005

Year 2004 Weekly Reports
05/01/2004	09/01/2004	16/01/2004		30/1/2004
06/02/2004	13/02/2004	20/02/2004	27/02/2004
05/03/2004	12/03/2004	19/03/2004	26/3/2004
02/04/2004	08/04/2004	16/04/2004	23/04/2004	30/04/2004
07/05/2004	14/05/2004	21/05/2004	28/05/2004
05/06/2004	11/06/2004	18/06/2004	25/06/2004
02/07/2004	09/07/2004	19/7/2004	23/07/2004	30/07/2004
06/08/2004	13/08/2004	20/08/2004	27/08/2004
03/09/2004	10/09/2004	17/09/2004	24/09/2004
01/10/2004	08/10/04	15/10/2004	22/10/2004	29/10/2004
05/11/2004	12/11/2004	19/11/2004	26/11/2004
03/12/2004	10/12/2004	17/12/2004	24/12/2004	31/12/2004

Year 2003 Weekly Reports

07/01/2003

10/01/2003

17/01/2003

24/01/2003

31/01/2003

07/02/2003

14/02/2003

21/02/2003

01/03/2003

07/03/2003

14/03/2003

21/03/2003

28/03/2003

04/04/2003

10/04/2003

17/04/2003

24/04/2003

02/05/2003

09/05/2003

16/05/2003

23/05/2003

30/05/2003

06/06/2003

13/06/2003

20/06/2003

27/06/2003

04/07/2003

11/07/2003

18/07/2003

25/07/2003

01/08/2003

08/08/2003

15/08/2003

22/08/2003

29/08/2003

05/09/2003

12/09/2003

19/09/2003

26/09/2003

03/10/2003

10/10/2003

17/10/2003

24/10/2003

31/10/2003

7/11/2003

14/11/2003

21/11/2003

28/11/2003

5/12/2003 12/12/2003 19/12/2003 29/12/2003

Year 2002 Weekly Reports
04/01/2002	11/01/2002	18/01/2002	25/01/2002
01/02/2002	08/02/2002	15/02/2002	22/02/2002
01/03/2002	08/03/2002	15/03/2002	22/03/2002	29/03/2002
05/04/2002	12/04/2002	19/04/2002	26/04/2002
03/05/2002	10/05/2002	17/05/2002	24/05/2002
01/06/2002	07/06/2002	14/06/2002	21/06/2002	28/06/2002
05/07/2002	12/07/2002	19/07/2002	26/07/2002
02/08/2002	09/08/2002	16/08/2002	23/08/2002	30/8/2002
06/09/2002	13 /09/2002	20/09/2002	27/09/2002
04/10/2002	11/10/2002	18/10/2002	25/10/2002
01/11/2002	8/11/2002	15/11/2002	22/11/2002	29/11/2002
06/12/2002	13/12/2002	20/12/2002		30/12/2002

Year 2001 Weekly Reports
25/1/2001
01/02/2001	08/02/2001	15/02/2001	22/02/2001
02/03/2001	09/03/2001	16/03/2001	23/03/2001	31/03/2001
6/04/2001	12/04/2001	19/04/2001	26/04/2001
3/05/2001	10/05/2001	17/05/2001	24/05/2001	31/05/2001
7/06/2001	14/06/2001	21/06/2001	28/06/2001
5/07/2001	12/07/2001	19/07/2001	26/07/2001
3/08/2001	10/08/2001	17/08/2001	24/08/2001	31/08/2001
7/09/2001	14/09/2001	21/9/2001	28/9/2001
5/10/2001	12/10/2001	19/10/2001	26/10/2001
2/11/2001	9/11/2001	16/11/2001	23/11/2001	30/11/2001
7/12/2001	14/12/2001	21/12/2001	28/12/2001