It seems there is a run of kingfish inside Wagonga Inlet at Narooma on at the moment, with visiting angler scoring some legal fish at the drop-off on Thursday and then again today.
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We were just sent a photo this morning of the Litchfield family from Wagga Wagga and who got a nice inlet kingfish.
Sophie caught fish with the assistance of brother Jed and father Neil. They are from Ardlethan near Wagga Wagga. The family regularly holidays in Narooma, skiing, fishing and boating.
Then on Thursday, Shayne Graham and wife Kerrie, who are also regular visitors to Narooma, also got into the kingfish on the inlet at the drop-off from the shallow channel into the main lake.
Shayne got a nice 66cm kingfish while Kerrie got a very nice 75cm dusky flathead and they also picked up several other legal flatties. All on pilchards and all released. Thanks guys!
Speaking of weird inlet fish, there are ongoing reports of a large bluefin tuna inside Pambula Lake. For those heading out to try catch it, you might need a rod bigger than a bream rod!
The boys at Charter Fish Narooma report the past week has been tough fishing in terms of kingfish out at Montague Island with plenty of undersize fish and only a few legal fish on each trip. “Hopefully a bigger patch of fish will turn up, reef fishing and flatties remain good with no issues about getting a good feed of fish. There is a good marlin bite on south off Eden, we will see if the fish move in off here after the weathers through.”
Narooma Fishing Charters skipper John Moore gives a very mixed report at the moment. Kingfish have gone quiet again, when the current slowed down so did the kings - although there seemed to only be one good school when conditions were perfect, and most of them were still undersize, with most legal kings in the 70cm range. “The good news is for the 'bread and butter' fishers, with the reefs starting to improve and the good old flathead are making up the majority of fishers feeds. And who doesn't like flathead?”
John also reports that dolphinfish are being taken on the shelf around cray trap floats, and there have been above average hookups on marlin. The Narooma FAD is currently holding very small dolphinfish, with the odd legal dollie making the occasional appearance. “Over the last few years February has been our best fishing month - hopefully the trend continues.”
As it is peak time for marlin fishing, there is a series of NSW Game Fishing Association tournaments along the South Coast, starting with the 80th Tollgate Island Classic at Batemans Bay this weekend, with the Bermagui Bluewater Classic on the following weekend and Jess Sams Tournament at Ulladulla on the weekend after that.
Batemans Bay Game Fishing Club president Adam Meyn said there had been plenty of marlin caught recently.
“Marlin are been caught in large numbers with the good water pushing as far south as Eden,” he said.
“The 2015 Tollgate Island Classic saw a record number of marlin tagged and released over the three-day period. Hopefully we see a repeat this year. There has also been some large mahi mahi caught.”
Graham at Moruya Tackle World last week reported a few anglers on Tuross Lake have targeted mulloway in the deep hole near the boatshed. Some have had great success using live baits with reports of some nice fish landed. The entrance to the lake is holding good schools of whiting. Baits like yabbies and fresh beach worms are catching plenty.
The Tuross oyster leases are fishing well for bream early mornings using surface lures. Flathead are being caught in the the more shallow sections of the system using soft plastics.
A nice gutter has formed at Congo south beach and it has been fishing exceptionally well for big bream and whiting. Beach worms and peeled prawns for bait should catch you a few nice fish. Salmon, tailor and trevally are also being caught in the same area.
Squid are about in large numbers from Broulee to Tuross. Schools of rat kings have been hanging around just off Moruya and they have been taking anything from stick baits to metal slices.
Marlin tagged down south – Josh Herschell from Melbourne was just in the area for nine days visiting his nan at Kianga and got out fishing.
He reports the fishing at the island was average, although he did shoot down to Eden to go fishing with friends and tagged and released his first marlin at an estimated of 110kg then a few hours later got his second at around 120kg.
Both fish took lures and both successfully tagged and released. All up they had four hookups and spotted three free swimming. “I was actually fishing in one of my customers’ boats,” Josh said. “I work at Streaker Marine in Melbourne, I was lucky enough to have an invite for the marlin trip and jumped at the option, and was lucky enough to get two.”
Josh and his dad also fished the Tuross River, which he reports was fishing well as they caught heaps of bream, trevally and flathead to 91cm, which they did release. “We got a feed each trip keeping three to four fish. “We also fished the rocks at Mystery, we did four trips for lots of salmon, trevally, bream, flatties and lost a cracker molloway!”
BCC Anglers – Members of the Bermagui Country Club Social Anglers’ Club were faced with a difficult fishing competition due to the weather conditions over the weekend. With undoubted enthusiasm, Robert Brown won the prize, enjoying the social get together at the barbecue on Sunday. Members are reminded of the fishing competition against the Bermagui Hotel next month – February 9-10 – with the Sunday barbecue at 12.30pm at the Country Club. So … let’s go fishin’ ….
