Narooma area fishing report
Great news that the bigger kingfish have started showing up at Montague Island.
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Bermi Bait & Tackle Monday reported a few kings caught at the island, mostly on bait and the pros got a few lead-lining. Out wider, bait was stacked up on the shelf with 19.8 water temp and it looks like the weather will improve later in the week.
John Moore of Narooma Fishing Charters reported the current stopped at Montague Island Monday morning, fishing was a challenge with a few rat kings, snapper, mowies, flathead and trevally into the box. With high tide around lunch time the current started to run and he went straight to the north end, after a quick search found a nice sounding and Ned and Tom Coulston from Wodonga landed a couple of legal kings.
John on Sunday battled the winds, but the water temp was up to 18.7c and getting a bit more blue about it. Wayne from Sydney with his first legal kingfish that went 75cm. Also hooked five undersize kings, all kings caught trolling with skirted lures, and a mixed bag of other fish. There were still plenty of large bait slimy mackerel nor-west of Montague Island in water 56-60mts, you will need a fairly large sabiki style jig, or you will just lose hooks.
Inshore action included some good dusky flathead fishing on Mummaga and Corunna Lakes, with Joe Zappa’s 95cm dusky featured on this page a stand-out.
Some Bermagui lads went on their annual trip to Wonboyn Lake sponsored by Bermi Bait & Tackle. Day 1 and Johhny Lazzarro pulled a 90cm dusky.
Steve Morely of Kianga on Friday went fishing in Wagonga Inlet for some decent snapper and bream. “Launched boat 5.30am, water was dirty but had a good feeling. anchored in the deep water off the channel. Didn't take long for the fish to bite. I was using green prawns and burly. Normally fish with plastics but I wanted to do something different.” Pics are online.
Up at Moruya. Graham at TackleWorld Moruya reports flathead, bream, trevally and whiting caught when the weather allows. Mainly down the front of the river but recent reports of good flatties and a 90cm jewie caught up around Yarragie
Tuross has good reports of flatties coming on with a nice 86cm flattie being released during the week. Prawns are starting up around the flats near the caravan park with some great mud crabs being trapped.
Offshore the fishing had slowed down a bit but flatties and reds were still being caught out around the 50m to 70m mark, fish bait and squid are working well as well as the micro jigs , why take bait when you’re ready to go with this style of fishing, Graham reckons.
Joe's big flathead
Dalmeny resident Joe Zappa on Saturday caught and released this magnificent 95cm dusky flathead in Mummuga Lake at the drop off.
He was using a Gulp Minnow in green and red. He was fishing with his 82-year-old father-in-law Leo and they managed to get the big fish to shore to be measured and photographed.
This was Joe’s biggest dusky, but he has caught a 88cm fish in the lake before. He was using 6lb braid and 20lb leader.
The duskies have also been taking hard-body lures trolled behind a kayak in the shallows. He reports there are also blue swimmer crabs in the lake but you will be hammered by octopus.
Joe this weekend is headed to compete in the Embassy Cup on Lake Eucumbene and will be fishing with the Polish ambassador and team.
Black marlin swims to Solomon Islands
A black marlin released on February 28 off Port Stephens has been reported as recaptured by a local fisherman off the Malaita Province, Solomon Islands. DPI was recently contacted with news of the recapture by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
The exact date of recapture wasn't provided, however it is thought that it was caught during May. The fish was recaptured approximately 1,530 nautical miles from its original release location. The fish was caught using a lure and was estimated at 3 metres total length having originally been released at an estimated 70kg. Images of the tag were provided to NSW DPI for further verification of the catch.
Big kingfish, jewfish lurk up north
Jon Poyner and his daughter Georgia just got back from an amazing fishing and diving trip to North Coast NSW. They managed kingfish up to just over 1.2m and their gear was smashed by even bigger fish. The fishing was just as good in the surf, with some hefty jewfish to 10kg and one monster that got away. Read their account below:
Just spent an Awesome week freediving, diving and fishing up the North Coast. We got completely destroyed on 80lb braid with 80lb leaders. Also had six Xraps fail, with straightened single hooks and the lures splitting.
We had several fish 20 kg + holding at the back of the boat, when a king 1.5m + (50kg) turned up. GP dropped her favourite jig in front of its face, only to see almost 300m of braid disappear in around 30 seconds (fish was lost!!).
The beaches turned on plenty of jews. Once again GP got smoked by a monster jew she got to see in the surf. Plenty of smaller ones around 8-10 kg.
The offshore reefs were tough, with around 5 km of current. This didn't stop double hook ups on jews and snapper. The pearls were mainly small but legal and the deep wreck was loaded with kings - but hard to fish because of the current.
Water temp out wide was 25'c and blue with bait and dolphins everywhere. At the island, water was 21'c with kings just about everywhere, even in the sanctuary Anemone Bay (20kg +). Saw sharks and turtles, etc on free-dives. But the scuba was a little disappointing (mostly because we free-dived more areas).
Everything we hoped for panned out, which made for a great change when it comes to fishing. The locals didn't seem to be doing so well.
BCC anglers are on deck
Practically all hands were on deck last Sunday for the Bermagui CC Social Anglers’ Club members, enjoying the get-together barbecue. It was a great friendly gathering with much excitement regarding the get-away at Ocean Lake Caravan Park at the end of the month. Offshore angler’s reward went the way of Ian Reid, but alas the onshore was left wanting. Don Rumble and Elaine Reid won the raffle. Birthday wishes to Hilton Sutton, STILL DRIFTING