BEACHES seem to be the go at the moment as we reach the dead of winter.
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The guys at the Narooma Ocean Hut Compleat Angler said beaches from Brou to Tilba are fishing well with an abundance of tailor mixed in with the usual salmon.
And you don’t even need bait as flicking small metals is one way to go.
One fisho heading to The Cemetery Beach at Tilba was distracted and went down to Little Tilba Lake which opened recently and was very surprised to get a small jewfish in the lake using a small metal.
Just up the highway, Corunna Lake is full to overflowing and locals headed down during last week’s late night king tides to watch the eels walk across the beach on their spawning run.
All kinds of fish were apparently backing up at the entrance waiting for it open, but they may have to wait a bit as it remains closed.
In Corunna Lake itself there have been reports of some decent flathead captures with fish up to 50cm, despite the full conditions.
Wagonga Inlet at Narooma is full of baitfish as well as small tailor and bigger trevally at the moment.
Outside things have been slow for fisho’s heading out from Narooma with only albacore and the odd yellowfin for those lucky enough to encounter any fish.
It’s even been slow for flathead out from Narooma but no word as to whether those pesky leatherjackets have moved on yet.
Josh at Bermi Bait & Tackle also reports that fishing offshore has been very hard the last couple of days for those targeting tuna.
Deep dropping and bottom fishing has been solid with snapper over 6kg landed off the 12-mile recently.
Kev and Loz from Bermi Bait & Tackle went out to the 12-mile on Monday and managed one very nice snapper.
Kev reports: "It was a true mixed bag day. Only the one Snapper unfortunately but Kingfish, large Jackass and Rubberlip Morwong and Flathead kept us busy. Plenty of rubbish fish but thankfully NO Leatherjackets."
Looking around the fish cleaning tables, there were some very nice blue-eye trevalla caught for those with the gear to get down to 400metres.
Benny Boulton of Charter Fish Narooma has been having some great deep dropping sessions, landing ling, gemfish and other deep sea delights.
“Tuna have gone a bit quite, but still plenty of deep sea creatures to get a feed,” Benn reports on his Facebook.
“Some good water just north of us, so hopefully we will get the tuna this week. Also snapper and morwongs at the island.”
Beaches around Bermagui have once again been incredible this week with huge numbers of salmon for anyone casting metal lures ,baits and even fly fishing.
Josh says the estuaries have slowed but those willing to put in the time and fishing lures and plastics slow will still catch flathead and bream.
It’s been pretty slow offshore from Bermagui last week too with a few albacore and only a couple of yellowfin landed.
Scott said mako fishing was productive and aside from that there were good numbers of bluefin well north as local long-liners work well wide off Jervis Bay for good fish.
But he reckons we are looking at being a little way off seeing bluefin off Bermagui and Narooma.
Paxevanos: bluefin tuna - feast or famine on the South Coast
AT the time of writing southern bluefin tuna (SBT) have pushed as far north as Sydney, but the best catches were being made approximately 37 miles off Jervis Bay.
In a typical scenario, last Sunday saw a friend of mine fishing 37 miles east of Point Perpendicular, where a few were caught the day before; conditions were great but he was getting zip.
Then he heard on the marine radio that a few SBT’s had been hooked up 4 miles south of his position, and he was within range of getting there so he pulled in the lures and steamed down.
When he got there it was obvious things were going to be good, three other boats were already hooked up, and another dozen boats were also nearing or arriving the hot spot.
From there trolling lures was the easiest way to catch the bluefin, especially if you got there late in the day, but cubing and fast sinking Williamson Ebi jigs also got fish-the average catch was three to four tuna per boat, and average size was between 40 and 70 kilos, although a 79 kilo yellowfin tuna was also recorded on that day.
About 10 miles to the north and south was void of fish at that time, and while a few SBT’s were caught elsewhere along the south coast, most boats who were not at the hotspot caught zip in the way of bluefin.
Best lures were the standard Redbait, Purple Mackerel and Pilchard coloured XRaps, which due to popular demand can now be ordered with single tuna hooks.
The moral of the story-do your best to find out where they were the day(s) before, keep your radio on, and hope for a little luck: with well-known tuna producing lures or baits they are not a hard fish to catch when you come across a school; just hard to find in the first place!
Sydney fish flourish:
Simple but effective volunteer action is helping to make a big difference for fish living within one of Sydney’s national parks and creating more native fish in the process.
Thanks to a Recreational Fishing Trust Fish Habitat Action Grant, the health of Lane Cove River is undergoing a transformation for one of the state’s favourite sports fish, Australian Bass.
Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) Habitat Action Grants coordinator Fisheries Conservation Manager, Charlotte Jenkins, said the Lane Cove River Australian Bass Habitat project is a great example of different groups of people working harmoniously to tackle a major environmental issue and achieving some fantastic outcomes for native fish in the process.
“This project shows just what can be achieved when passionate people with a shared goal get together and work at improving fish habitat,” Ms Jenkins said
“The project improved local fish habitat by removing over 2.3 kilometres of dense riverbank weeds, revegetating where needed with 500 native plants and providing an opportunity for natural regeneration to occur.
“Friends of Lane Cove National Park and Bass Sydney volunteers together with staff from National Parks worked together and enhanced water quality, provided more food and shelter for fish.
“In the long term the habitat improvements are helping to create more fish, naturally.
“Healthy native riverbank vegetation provides food for fish such as Australian Bass which are known to get nearly half their summer diet from insects falling from overhanging riverbank vegetation.
“The vegetation can also help to filter nutrients and sediment from run off, improving water quality and improving bank stability through reduced erosion, making it healthier for the waterway and safer for fisher access too.”
Habitat Action Grants will again be available in August for recreational fishers, local Councils, conservation groups and individuals to improve fish habitat in their local areas and help to make more fish.
“I would like to encourage fishers and community groups in and around Sydney to start thinking how they can improve their local waterway, to help benefit fish habitat for healthy fish populations,” Ms Jenkins said.
“It’s a good idea if individuals and groups start planning your project now, identify a habitat issue and decide on how you want to tackle it.”
For advice on the Habitat Action Grants and assistance with project planning contact fish.habitat@dpi.nsw.gov.au or call 6626 1107.
See you on the water,
Rob Paxevanos
