Fishing Monthly - Latest Fishing Reports - Updated Weekly

Fishing Monthly - Latest Fishing Reports - Updated Weekly

These reports are updated weekly.
Last Edited: Friday, 25 February 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

Offshore: A few spotties at Palm beach, some Spaniards and mack tuna on the Nine Mile. Not much out wide.
Estuary: Mangrove jacks around the bridges and rocky outcrops are still going great guns. Flathead around Cobaki Lakes, whiting at the golf club.
Beaches quiet.

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: Cobia, bar mackerel and nice spotties around The Local, Wooyung and Black Rock.
Rock and beach: There are a some nice whiting being caught on South Beach. Bream on South Wall and tailor on North and South beaches.
River: Flathead around the traffic bridge, bream around the co-op walls. Blackfish on all the river rock walls. Jacks around the Spur Wall and boat harbour. Whiting and jacks up river. Still good mud crabs in the river.

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

Byron Bay

Raging current around Julian Rocks and it’s heading north and the water cool. The northerly has blown for about a week and closed pelagics down. Whiting and dart from the beaches along with a few big tailor around 3kg.

David Keevers, Coastal Fishing Tackle (02) 6685 7133

Ballina

Mandy from Dave’s Bait Shop says whiting and flathead are on the bite throughout the river. Up at Pimlico the whiting are going well on the deep running flats on worm baits. School jew at night near the RSL and along the Porpoise Wall. Tailor from the headlands and a few nice dart and the odd whiting from the beaches. Mackerel have slowed down outside but there are a few snapper being caught.
The water off Evans Head is murky and cold, going down to 19° during the week and not much better on Friday morning at 20.3°, so the mackerel are a non-event until we get strong south-east weather to blow in clean warm water. A few snapper and a heap of trag just under or on legal length are the pick of what’s out there. Some nice bream in the river on plastics and poppers along with the odd flathead and whiting. A few bream and tailor form the beaches and headlands.

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

t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

Yamba

Offshore the water is cold and dirty and the mackerel have gone right off. A few snapper on the reefs along with a few pearlies. Snapper going well off the rocks at the Bluff and around Woody Head with fish to 4kg. Also some good school jew from the southern beaches like back beach at Brooms Head and Shelly Beach. Bream are going OK in the river as far as Maclean with mullet gut and Bass Minnows the pick of the baits. A few jew turning up.

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

Coffs Harbour

Murky water around but a few good Spaniards and spotties turning up beforehand and they won’t have gone far. Plenty of snapper on the deeper reefs. Beach gutters fishing particularly well for a nice run of tailor to 3.5kg and some good bream, the odd whiting and a few jew. Late tides this weekend should produce well.
Estuaries have received a little more fresh which keeps things on the boil for the weekend. While the flathead have diminished in size there are still quite a few around along with good bream and whiting.

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

South West Rocks

North-easterly winds are again slowing down our blue-water fishos, but the big fish are out there if you don’t mind getting knocked around a bit. After a glimmer of hope late last week the live bait is still hard to get. It seems the reefs in close off the Jail are the most productive for slimies. Marlin are taking baits and lures with the average bill about 30-40 kilo. There have been plenty of cobia coming out of the marlin grounds to 20-plus kilos. The odd wahoo is out there towards Fish Rock. Good reports of kingfish also around Fish Rock. Snapper and pearl perch are also turning up on the cleaning tables. Mahi mahi are still out there around the FAD in fair numbers and at the time of writing, the current has been very fishable. Spotted mackerel are off Gassy Head taking livies or pilchards, Spanish are a little harder to find but the odd one is coming in.
There has been more action off the rocks this week with some good catches of tailor. Little Bay is the hot spot with tailor and good kingfish using garfish or pilchards. The kingies in close are reportedly around the 8 kilo mark and hard to stop.
I would love to say the beaches are firing but the mystery continues: Where have all the whiting gone this year? Apart from a few patchy catches it’s a desert out there. If you are persistent Smoky Beach is your best bet using live worms or pipis. Gap Beach has some tailor and flathead on the north end with the odd whiting. Front and Back Beach have been quiet but still, it’s not a bad way to pass a few hours.
The river again has been good, with the lure guys nailing the bream on the oyster racks up around Stuarts Point and Clybucca. Good bream are up at Smithtown around the snags. Berkley Power Baits and fizzers are doing very well with these fish. Whiting are getting hard to find but are good fish when you get them. A number of jewfish are along the walls up to 6 to 8 kilo along with some nice flathead.
Don’t forget the Seabreeze Hotel fishing comp held the first weekend of each month. $2 for adults and 50c for kids and a chance to win great prizes, it’s a fun weekend. Details in the shop or the Hotel.

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

Port Macquarie

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

Forster

Offshore: Last weekend was a waste of time with NE winds blowing non-stop. Those who got a shot at the reefs found the going slow, except at night when mulloway and some quality snapper came out to play. Pearl perch have been common again the last few days and seem to always bite best around the full moon. The water remains warm and when the fleet gets out wide again the marlin action will continue. Watch out for the razor gang! The number of wahoo being encountered in close is very unusual.
Beaches: Just as the tailor fishing was on the improve, conditions turned and kept all but the hardy at home. Scattered reports of whiting, bream and tailor are enough to keep our interest.
Rocks: No LBG action to speak of.
Estuary: Late last week the mulloway had a good chew but things are a little quieter at the moment. Those chasing bream on lures will have plenty of fun but get up early. I hope there are as many fish at Batemans Bay for the ABT guys this weekend. Flathead are everywhere but the whiting have slowed. At last the crab situation is picking up.

Lloyd Campbell, Great Lakes Tackle 02 6554 9541

Port Stephens

Jewfish around Middle Island with Ken Macleay catching one 27.5kg during the week. Good chance for them also under the Karuah bridge and on the Salamander wreck. Flathead Corlette groynes, Corrie Island short-cut and in front of the hospital at Shoal Bay. Sand whiting on Jimmy’s Beach, flounder on the Middle Ground, squid on the Shoal Bay moorings. Blue swimmers in Tilligerry Creek.
Beaches: Stacks of whiting on Stockton, One Mile, Samurai and Fingal. Flathead on Grannys and on Stockton from the Huts down to the wall. Good run of tailor on Stockton.
Rocks: Stacks of squid in any of the bays between Tomaree and Birubi, big buggers to 1.5kg. Tailor on Cemetery Point, Sunny Corner and One Mile headland. Bream in the washes around Boulder Bay and a few pigs on Rocky.
Offshore: Heaps of marlin still from 50 fathoms out, little blacks 30-40 fathoms. Northern bluefin on both Gibbers, Tomaree. Good snapper on Fishermans, Uralla, The Guts and The Sisters. Jew on The 21, The Vs and The Tank. Pearlies on The 21. Plenty of sand flathead on the Lighthouse drift, Little Island drift and back of Mungo. Trag on the Gibber and Uralla. Tailor around Cabbage Tree and the front of Tomaree. Bonito around Cabbage Tree and East Head.

Graham Duffy, Salamander Bait and Tackle 02 4982 0711

Newcastle

While Peter is away on a so-called business trip that involves a lot of barbecues, drinks by the pool and at least one day’s fishing, he has left it up to me to try and find you some fish this weekend.
Beaches: Very good reports this week. Plenty of large jew and some very good catches of tailor. Remember to only take what you can use straight away as tailor are horrible after freezing. There has also been a lot of bream on the beach with a few good fish among a lot of just-legals so make sure you measure them properly and if in doubt, let them go.
In Swansea Channel there is a good run of squid – great for a feed but even better as bait for the jew. Be careful because when the squid are on they can be very easy to catch and you can get your bag limit of 20 very quickly so keep a good count. The bream have thinned out somewhat over the last few weeks but there are still a few there if you are willing to put in a little time and effort .
The lake has been producing very consistent results for all the normal species including bream and whiting with a lot of good flathead still cruising around. But the surprise has been the number of jew caught in the lake with quite a few good fish being caught. As with the beach, this moon phase is going to see a great weekend on the lake for jew.
Newcastle Harbour is still fishing well with plenty of jew and flathead. Try around Stockton bridge and further up in the mouth of Fullerton Cove.
Offshore the unprecedented run of marlin has started to slow a little. The full moon turns a lot of fish on but it does turn off a lot, including marlin and snapper. The mahi mahi are not bothered by the moon and will chew any time they want and there are a lot of them around at the moment – just look for anything in the water floating, like trap buoys, floating card board or even party balloons. Barnacle-encrusted floating logs are one of their major turn-ons. On the bottom there are a few jew along with squire, tarwhine and bream. Fish the shallow reefs as the fish are not on the wider reefs at the moment and it can be real hit and miss with the current.
My tip for this weekend: Head for the beach an hour or so before sunset.
Shane

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

Central Coast

Frigate mackerel have started in Terrigal Haven, not in big numbers as yet but they’re there. School jew under The Rip bridge with fish to 8kg providing great fun on light gear. A few flathead also there and scattered through the lakes.
A heap of marlin at the moment with even a fish sighted in Broken Bay during the week. Kingies in good numbers from The Entrance and Lion Island with some big jewies still around Flint and Steel. Bonito going quite well off Avoca rocks.

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

Sydney Northern

All the talk lately has been about offshore water temperatures and current direction, as we waited and hoped for a real summer of fishing to be delivered south by the fickle gods of the sea. Well this week there are a few Fish Outta Water regular customers who would tell you that things have turned around.
Pittwater is firing on all cylinders, as it has done all summer in comparison with the rest of Sydney. Congratulations must go to perennial Pitty fisher Justin Robertson, who landed his biggest king to date at 96cm on a live squid slowly trolled about six metres under the boat off Longnose Point. Justin also got well and truly stomped by a much bigger fish during the same outing. Pete Le Blang of Harbour and Estuary Charters has been keeping customers happy with some good kings and a 5kg amberjack that probably arrived through the recent blue water. For lighter fishing, frigate mackerel are busting up the surface in large numbers most mornings but they are fussy and fixated on tiny baitfish. The 7g Sea Rock metals are the only lures even getting any interest, with the most hook-ups coming from the green or blue patterns. Sneaking up on the school is the only approach. Massive bream are also on the move with spawning not far off. A recent charter customer of Pete’s brought a fish estimated at 60cm to the boat twice during a fight before it found reef with the light leader. A bream that big would easily run 2kg.
Big flatties are also moving inshore around the Broken Bay area to spawn, as Scotty McNeil found out while fishing off the back of his new Prowler fishing kayak. The live yakka he slow trolled was taken by an almost metre-long female dusky, which was photographed and released to breed again.
The small fresh last week should stimulate those Harbour jewies which have been a little quiet of late. There is still some good activity from the pelagics, especially bonito. Chris Perry has been having a ball at first light casting small flashy silver lures into the surface action or around bait balls using light gear. The wind is forecast to get up a bit in the afternoons for the next few days so mornings do look the pick.
Tailor and salmon are schooling inside North Harbour, often signified by bird activity as they crash bait on the surface. Trying to match your lure to the size of the baitfish is the key to hooking up. Kingfish are not schooling in huge numbers and those that are around have spent most of the summer shadowing the tailor. They can be tempted towards the boat by a hooked and panicky fish, whereupon plastic slugs can be fired toward them. A few bream have also managed to find their way into the Harbour with one landed on a soft plastic recently just over 1.6kg.
But by far the best news of the week comes from the offshore front, where 22.5° waters run right to the coast and 25°-26°-plus currents show as close as 10km out. This is bringing bait schools and predators much closer to home. Mahi mahi are on the FADs and are getting active and plenty of marlin are starting to arrive. John B had a great day out, taking an 18kg wahoo and raising five marlin, while another boat reported six hook-ups by 12.30pm, all on McGoo 9” skirts in root beer colour.

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

Wollongong

Garth, Deans Bait and Tackle, Windang 4295 1615

Batemans Bay

The BREAM comp is this weekend and the river has been pretty quiet. Out wide it’s been pretty quiet, apparently. The rocks have good snapper and kingies with kings to 14kg caught off Burrie point.

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

Narooma

Darryl, The Ocean Hut (02) 4476 2278

Bermagui

A few marlin but not too many with a shot or two a day about it, mostly stripes. Plenty of makos and hammers out there. Heaps of kingies at the island and there a re plenty of 7-8kg fish. Bottom fishing is not red hot but snapper, mowies, tigers and sandies on offer if you chase around a bit.
River has been OK for blackfish, flathead and a few bream but the fish are moving in and out at will. Overall it’s been reasonable.
Rocks and beaches have salmon to 4kg and a few tailor in with a lot of bream, Pigs on the rocks.

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	14/01/2005	21/01/2005	28/01/2005
04/02/2005	11/02/2005	18/02/2005

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