Weekly Report 28/05/07

Friday and Saturday of last weekend I fished in the ABT Bream Competition on the Hawkesbury River. I would like to thank Chris Wright and Drew Griffith for having me along as a non-boater for the two days. I had a ball fishing and a couple of huge bust off’s amongst the racks with Chris on the first day and a few near misses while fishing with Drew on the flats, reefs and boats on the second day. I just missed out by getting into the top ten for the non-boaters by 140 grams (11th). For the full results you can check them out on the following link:
http://www.bream.com.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=280

Scotty Lyons ventured up the Georges River last Friday with a top lady angler Margaret Jack, who scored well with a few nice yellowfin bream from under the East Hills Foot Bridge, as well as plenty of smaller yellowfin bream for the day. Botany Bay has been firing on the yellowfin bream and silver trevally front, even though they are moving around a little. Scotty has found them around the end of the third runway, the drums, the oil wharf and Bare Island from the top of the tide to the bottom. You could also try working the north-eastern side of the breakwall called Trevally Alley. Berley is an essitential elemnt in getting them to come to the back of your boat

You could also try for yellowfin bream and dusky flathead off the runways and Towra point wide. Soft plastics and strips of mullet on the drift seem to be producing the best results.There are plenty of large yellowtail and cowayoung hanging around the drums.
If you prefer to go offshore there are still plenty of chinaman leatherjackets, the only problem is that the leatherjackets may keep on biting you off. I did get a report from Johnny that he and his mates have been catching plenty of leatherjackets off the rocks at Burning Palms. They have also been getting a few Australian salmon and tailor on whole pilchards.

Darren from Bermagui Ocean Hut Fishing Tackle, Dive and Charter Fishing Service
enquiries@bermifishinghut.com.au reports that the snapper seem to be increasing in numbers, especially on the shallower reefs out from the Brothers and Goalen Head. There are also some nice Morwong around as well with plenty of Sand Flathead out from most beaches in about 30 metres of water. The Jackets are still proving a problem so you may have to move regularly to avoid them.

Southern yellowfin bream are still being caught in the estuaries that are open to the ocean on the incoming tides. Darren suggests that you try using striped tuna used as both bait and burley to encourage these fish to feed. You can also find mixed in with them has been some very nice silver trevally and dusky flathead. Luderick are being taken regularly around Wallaga Lake Bridge and the rock walls of the Bermi River.

There are also plenty of yellowfin bream to be caught off the beaches. Try using pilly tails for the bream and whole pilchards for the Australian salmon. There are also a few rather large mullet in the surf as well. Off the rocks there has been increasing numbers of drummer with some very nice fish amongst them. Abalone gut and cunjevoi fished on a No. 1 to 1/0 hook with a small ball sinker has been accounting for plenty of these fish.
If you are planing a trip down Darren’s way check out his web site http://bermifishinghut.com.au/aboutus.htm and give him a ring.

Paul Martin (rocksmarine@tsn.cc) reports that many of the anglers up his way have had a cracker of a week with fantastic conditions and calm seas. Quality fish were caught both inside and outside. Black Rock and the Jail Peak areas have fished well for Cobia up to 20 kilo plus. Fish Rock has had some small kingfish coming in while blue and yellowfin are being caught in small numbers.

The flathead ground off the Lighthouse has been a popular location with some good results with some anglers getting their bag limits. Best baits have been strips of slimy mackerel and pilly tails. Spotted mackerel are still around Grassy, there not thick, but one of our visitors landed a nice 8 kilo fish. The reefs here are also producing fair snapper and pearl perch.

Smoky beach has fished well for tailor in the mornings with good numbers finally coming through. Bream and dart are also in the deeper holes. Gap beach has also fished well for tailor, while Back Beach still has some nice whiting to 600 grams coming in. There have been a number of reports coming in from the rocks; many of them are about the tailor that have been on the chew. Try down as far as Crescent Head. Tuna are worth a shot off Hat Head.

Better Bream have been caught out of the river with some quality dusky flathead. It’s still a waiting game with the luderick, with only the odd one being caught. Bass are on the move now with locations from Kempsey Bridge down to the Belmore River productive at first light and late afternoon. Paul also reports that they now have local garfish in stock. And they have a selection of discounted Shimano winter clothing now on sale.

Jason and Virginia Isaac from Ned Kelly’s Bait and Tackle jasned@ozemail.com.au reports the beach fishing is steadily improving and most beaches are holding fair formations, courtesy of a sustained period of quite calm seas. These calm seas have seen several massive schools of mullet travelling close in with the supporting cast of dolphins and sharks feasting on them. Lighthouse Beach has been producing some nice bream and a steady stream of tailor, while North Beach has fished well for both species as well as a few late season whiting. Mulloway have been rather quiet but the upcoming full moon should see catches improve.
Off the rocks, tailor remain excellent, with Lighthouse, Miners and Shelley’s all producing good feeds with Point Plomer and surrounds holding better quality fish. Last week local angler Craig Mulley weighed a terrific 4.65kg greenback and caught several fish not much smaller. Night anglers report increasing numbers of bream and the odd mulloway following the mullet or tailor schools.

In the estuary, bream numbers are improving and should be close to their best after the coming full moon. Flathead numbers remain excellent with quality fish on offer from all point between Wauchope and the walls. Whitebait and lures have produced. Blackfish numbers are reasonable. Still plenty of muddies about for those keen enough to brave the cool nights chasing them.
Offshore, some terrific snapper have been on offer with fish to around 3kg common. Many of these fish have been extracted from deeper waters, with the lack of current and calm days helping. A few good pearl perch have been taken from around the 85m mark, while up north some kings above 10kg have been testing the backs of those chasing them. With the odd patch of 23°-plus water, a few late season marlin and mahi mahi are certainly not out of the question.