MAGNIFICENT SWORDFISH: Ian “Hoots” Cowie caught and released this magnificent and rare shortbill swordfish on board Peter Davies’ boat All Torque out of Narooma the week before last. Half an hour later he hooked up to 90kg striped marlin. He is pictured with the swordfish, estimated to be 40 to 45kg, his son Digger and fishing identity Lee Rayner.
GEORGIA BREAM: Georgia Poyner and two of the 14 bream caught in a night session on Forsters Bay.
BIG KINGFISH: The 14kg king caught on Sunday on The Sheriff by a customer named Hippy from Canberra.
MARLIN RELEASED: Brett McDonald who fished with Scott Bradley last Tuesday releases one of several striped marlin caught on the day.
BIG BONNIE: Matthew Zammit visiting from Victoria aboard Charter Fish Narooma boat Play Station on Monday. He was delighted to catch this bonito then follow up with a good catch of kingfish, morwong, snapper and flathead.
BIG FLATHEAD: Matthew Ivanic was fishing out in a boat not far from the Tuross Boatshed when he hooked and released this big girl.
Marlin on the Slammer out of Bermagui...
Vikings Fishing Club's one legal kingfish...
Neville Fogwell from the Bermi Social Anglers and his big worm!
DESPITE some recent atrocious weather and very rough bar crossings at both Narooma and Bermagui over the weekend, the fishing has not been too bad for those able to get out.
Scott from Bermagui Bait & Tackle fished Monday and again yesterday searching out the marlin, inspired by a great session last Tuesday where many boats encountered numerous bait balls with marlin on them.
Scott and crew including Narooma’s Brett McDonald caught and released four marlin for a great day on the water on that day last week.
Narooma charter boat Ragnar also went out last Tuesday and Jedd Murray caught and released two striped marlin about 100kg each and raised another few to the lures on the Kink.
“Baitballs and marlin were thick all day,” John reports, while a dolphinfish was also landed.
Scott went out again on Monday when he reported they went one from two by 9am but struggled after that.
“South from 36'39-36'48 there was plenty of activity before lunch. Some boats missed a number of fish on lures having not yet picked up bait. Above 36'10 fished well also.”
Bermagui game boat Slammer fished south Sunday in strong southerly winds, and even though they left mid-morning they still managed a nice striped marlin.
On Saturday, the boat Tuna Terror meanwhile was three from three on the marlin early in the day.
There were also a few better sized kingfish showing at Montague Island over the weekend. There still were a lot of undersize fish too.
Narooma charter boat The Sheriff on Sunday got seven kings into the metre mark including one 14kg model.
The Vikings Fishing Club meanwhile has had its first trip to Bermi for the year.
Unfortunately, sea conditions were not real favourable and they only fished Saturday and abandoned Sunday.
Most fish were caught between the cemetery and the island, but one old salt had a lot of trouble with leather jackets and probably needs more sinkers.
Full Strike caught 13 kings on the northern end on the jig all 63 to 65cm, so all thrown back to grow more.
Other boats fished on the southern end with no result.
One member by hook or cook caught a king of 67cm to take out the day.
A few fatties were caught, and the bar was probably 4 out 5 with jackets on coming back across.
Night session
THE Poyner family of Dalmeny headed out onto the inlet on Saturday night, to try for a jewie.
No luck on the jewies! But they ended up with 14 bream, nine tailor, 32 small snapper, 16 tarwhine and three squid. All of which were released. They did hook four big fish, which Jon think were stingrays.
“It was an interesting evening, with the thunder and lightning. There was a nice sunset, but plenty of rain! We left when the seals started becoming too much of a pain around 10pm - in Fosters Bay!”
Narooma Sports and Game Fishing Club news
LAST week started with great excitement with Nick Cowley landing his first Marlin which weighed in at 95kg’s. Well done Nick! More than 20 Marlin were reported captured last week, all around the 95 to 120kg mark, most were tagged and released.
There was a good increase in fish capture in the surf, lakes and ocean fishing. Montague Island provided some excellent catches of kingfish with reports of fish up to 15kg’s. The seals were a bit of a nuisance, stealing live bait from the hooks and capturing fish on the way up.
A tinny ended up in grief coming back through the bar and a larger vessel was speared into the sandbar on the way out, however nobody was injured. The lakes also provided good fishing with some decent catches of bream, small snapper, garfish, and flathead. Similarly the surf also provided decent catches of Australian salmon, tailer and even flathead.
Apart from the lousy weather and the seals, it turned out to be a good fishing week.
The club had its monthly fishing competition with reasonable bags of fish. The men’s award was won by Peter O’Kane, the ladies competition was captured by Cheryl O'Kane and the junior award went to Clair Ovington. The prizes were awarded at a delicious barbecue lunch, cooked again by the club ladies.
Not long to go to the annual ANSA fishing convention on March 8, 9 and 10. This is a premier event with many prizes for each fishing category, excellent entertainment and catering; book in early to ensure your participation.
See you on Friday after 4.30pm at the clubhouse for a drink and chat.
- Terry Vincent
Tuross fishing
John Suthern from the Tuross Boatshed reports another great day with Tuross Head fishing club on Saturday with a fish off against the Calwell Tavern fishing club, fishing was tough with a low-pressure system pushing the fish down and off the bite.
There were still some cracker fish caught including three or more flathead pushing upward of 60cm all released, and after a bit of a battle it was the hometown team that took home the trophy.
“Calwell might do better when the next round is at Buckenderra! Great day with lots of great people!”
The day before another huge flathead was caught at Tuross Head
Matthew Ivanic was fishing out in a boat not far from the boatshed when he hooked a big girl.
After several attempts to net it he finally landed her, 97cm long and 6.71kg. A few quick photos and she was put back to fight another day.
“The Tuross community promote catch and release,” John says.
“Did you know that if you catch a big fish in Tuross Lake and don’t have a camera the Tuross Boatshed crew will photograph it for you and as long as you let it go they will give you a laminated A4 print free of charge...Time permitting on the day.”
Fantastic to see that this majestic fish was returned safely to the water.
Rob Paxevanos report
There is some good fishing about, especially in the estuaries. Keen south coast angler Craig Coughlan reports warm water temperatures and less holiday angler traffic has resulted in some consistent results in the south coast rivers and lakes for those looking to score a few Bream, Whiting or Flathead.
For example the Clyde river is fishing quite well on the edge of some of the oyster racks that line the edges of the lower reaches of the river with Bream and Flathead willing to take a lure or bait, a trick is to try lots of different racks until you find some fish.
If bait fishing, drifting with the current has been the most productive way to secure a feed of Flathead, at least until you find a patch of fish, then it is possible to anchor quietly up current about 15 meters metres and send a bait out and let the current take the bait back to the fish. Live baits like Poddy Mullet, Nippers or prawns are great baits to use for the bigger fish.
If casting lures is your preferred technique, a heavier jig head like a 1/8oz will be needed to get to the bottom for Flathead, and a 1/12oz jighead is usually ideal for Bream on the edges of the oyster racks when fishing soft plastics.
Fishing the shallow sand flats with surface lures, or live nippers and prawns has been working extremely well for some big Whiting lately with a few Bream and Flathead in the mix as well. Once you locate some Whiting they are generally hanging around in enough numbers and to provide and an excellent feed. If using bait, use only the smallest sinker you need to get a cast; this will increase your chances of a few fish.
There are also a lot of Estuary Perch in the middle reaches of the system. Targeting Estuary Perch is very similar to Bream – hit structure like fallen trees, overhanging tree branches close to the water, oyster racks and jetties.
If you can fish after a big swell subsides, the beaches have also been productive for Flathead and bream, and it will pay to put the extra time in to collect some live beach worms as they have been the most successful bait.
Fishing 2 hours before and after high tide have been the best times in the deeper gutters, for example the current gutters at Durras and Moruya.
Personally, in my travels I got to check out the channel at Windang. Heaps of flatties were pushed into this area after the big rains that caused the floods further north. The best part of the bite is already over, but the flathead fishing is still pretty good. There is also some reasonable numbers of blue swimmer crabs, and loads of school prawns. The prawns can be caught on any moon, but the shell is a bit soft if you catch them on a full moon.
Amongst the great bream and flathead fishing, snapper to 75 cm have been caught in St Georges Basin, and there has been some good sized tailor in the mix as well.
Anglers fishing the artificial reefs have been doing well on bait/burley, blades and soft plastics. The flats and creeks have also started to fish well now that the weather is cooling off a bit and there are less ski boats and the like to spook the shallow dwelling fish.
See you on the water
Rob Paxevanos
www.robpax.com