Now that the local area lockdown in the Bega LGA has been relaxed Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club (MBG&LA) members are keen to target schools of yellowfin tuna reported out from Bermagui and edge of the Continental Shelf off Merimbula.
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MBG&LAC secretary Chris Young said that just before lockdown the East Australian Current had slowed and deep drop fishing around 500 to 600 metres reported delicious blue eye trevalla and ocean perch.
"Deep dropping in daylight hours is also targeting massive swordfish in offshore canyons and as the weather improves we hope to see these conditions return," he said.
There are reports of swarms of clear to whitish jelly like blobs washed up on local beaches.
Mr Young explained they were salps which seem to bloom or swarm mostly in springtime.
Even though they look similar to jellyfish they are zooplankton of the subphylum of Tunicata, a group of animals also known as sea squirts that are related to Chordata the same as humans. However jellyfish are Cnidaria, the same as coral.
"These astonishing creatures have the ability to increase their size by five per cent per hour and range in size from the tip of a little finger up to a shoebox.
"Most ocean fish love to eat them, possibly in the same way that humans generally love to eat jelly beans," he said.
The sea squirts are thought to survive between two weeks and three months before being eaten by mackerel, tuna and whales.
Humpback whales are still regularly being spotted off headlands along the south coast as they continue their southerly migration to Antarctica.
Now is the time for drummer off the headlands, but their are strong wind warnings currently in place and anglers are warned to be careful of heavy seas. Cunjevoi and prawns are the best bait.
Australian salmon and good tailor are available trolling in local estuaries, try clear soft plastics emulating white bait.
Salmon are also about off our beaches, best near the top of the run-in tide early morning and evening, look for run out gutters. Try using a triple gang hook with a pilchard as bait or casting blue metal lures.