Gary Brown's Weekly Reports

Weekly report 15/10/07

Over the past few weeks I have been asked what type of gear that I use when fishing for different fish species. So what I have done is put a short list together that may help you out.

These are the types of rods and reels that I am currently using
1. Drummer, Snapper, Groper and kingfish from the rocks.

Shakespeare Ugly Stik Gold GPS120A2 with an Alvey 650B spooled with 12 to 15 kilo line. NOTE: I HAVE CUT THE BUTT DOWN TO A LENGTH OF 150 MM.
2. Luderick,

Snyder Glass Mag Bream 13' -6" with an Alvey 6003 spooled with 6 kilo line

Or

Shakespeare Agility AG-SP1202LM with a Pflueger Echelon ECH060 spinning reel spooled with 6 kilo line.3. Whiting, Bream, Flathead from the beach.

Snyder Glass Mag Bream 13' -6" with an Alvey 6003 spooled with 6 kilo line

Or

Shakespeare Agility AG-SP1202LM with a Pflueger Echelon ECH060 spinning reel spooled with 6 kilo line4. Mulloway from the beach

Shakespeare Ugly Stik Gold GPS120A2 with an Alvey 650B spooled with 12 to 15 kilo line. NOTE: I HAVE CUT THE BUTT DOWN TO A LENGTH OF 150 MM.5. Spin combo for Tailor and Salmon

Shakespeare Ugly Stik Gold GPS120A2, 8 - 12 kilo with a Pflueger Contender 7570 spin reel with 12 kilo line. NOTE: I HAVE CUT THE SAND SPIKE OFF A PUT ON A RUBBER BUTT CAP.

Hope that this will help you out a bit in what type of tackle you should be looking at when you are next in at your favourite tackle shop.

Over the past 2 weeks I have been fishing in the Flathead classic at the Gold Coast, our team didn’t fair to well even though we did manage to get a 1.43cm jewfish and a 84cm flathead, (report to come in a couple of weeks) and having a break at Port Stephens.

Stephen Chang with a Mondran Barra that was caught on a Tropic Angler Green Tiger Floater hard bodied lure.

Botany Bay has been fishing well over the past week or two, with trevally and yellowfin bream been caught at the Hot Water Outlet, the Oil wharf, Bare Island, the end of the third runway, the drums, Sutherland Point, Towra and Dolls Point. You could also try trolling for tailor in Yarra Bay. The rocks off Kurnell has been producing luderick, tailor, bream, silver trevally and drummer on the rising tide.

Port Hacking is a little bit slower at the moment, but you can try trolling the drop –off at Lilly Pilly, Gymea Bay and the entrance to the Port Hacking and South West Arm for tailor, Australian salmon and the odd kingfish.

There are also plenty of leatherjackets and squid about in the Port Hacking. Try fishing close to the shore at the entrance to Yowie Bay and North West Arm.

Con from Drummoyne Bait and Tackle reports that Steven Bocchi bagged 2 jewfish from the Ryde bridge last Wednesday night while using Sydney Harbour prawns. They weighted in at 6.2 and 4.9 kilos. Searls Momument has been producing whiting to 43 cm for Ray Pellagrano. He has been using blood and tube worms and Ray reckons that you should fish the run-out for the best results.

Clarkes Point is still holding a few luderick, with anglers bagging fish to 750 grams. They have been mainly fishing the run-out tide and using fresh green weed. Tom and Jim frazer fished the wharf under the Iron Cove bridge for 3 silver trevally, 2 yellowfin bream, 3 dusky flathead, 1 sand whiting and 3 tailor. What a great catch and they were using blood worms, prawns and pilchards for bait.

Mort Bay has 6 spine and fan bellied leatherjackets. They are being taken on peeled prawns and nippers. The nippers have been out fishing the prawns 2 : 1. Elizabeth and Rushcutters Bays have been producing dusky flathead, flounder and the odd bream during the week. You will need to concentrate your efforts to the areas that have sand banks. Prawns, nippers and whiting bait have been doing the job.

Clifton Gardens has been fishing well for yellowfin bream, silver trevally, tailor and the odd australian salmon and kingfish. Try using prawns, squid, garfish and pilchards.

The Spit bridge has been a popular spot for squid. Some of the anglers have been landing up to 10 squid in a session. They have been using squid jigs from 1.5 to 2.0 in pink and orange.

Australian salmon schools are still moving around the harbour. Some of the fish have been around the 3 kilo mark. Try using small metal slicers, Bass Assain 6 inch soft plastiucs, surface poppers and garfish. Some of the anglers have also been getting a few kingfish from under the schools of feeding fish. So you may want to let your lure sink for a few seconds.

Kingfish have been taken in good numbers from the Wedding Cake Island that is just off the beach at Coggee. Try trolling lures or jigging a few slicers or soft plastics just off the bottom. Live bait will also produce good fish.

12 mile reef is producing morwong, tiger flathead, silver trevally, leatherjackets and the odd big kingfish. Try using large prawns, squid and whole or half pilchards and garfish. Long Reef has snapper to three and a half kilos. Try drifting off the jail for sand flathead, morwong and leatherjackets. Sound out the area and fish at the 38 metre depth.

For more information on what is happening in Sydney, why don’t you call into Con and Peter’s shop at 104 Lyons Road at Drummoyne. They also have a great range of Bass Assassin soft plastics and TT Jig Heads that are great when chasing Australian salmon, tailor and kingfish.

The Hole in the Wall Boat Ramp at Sylvania Waters.

This boat ramp is currently under going some major changes and will be out of operation for a couple of months. It will be great when it has been fixed up, but you will have to launch else where.

Scotty Lyons from Southern Sydney Fishing Tours http://www.fishingsydney.com.au/ reports that he has just locked a week in for next year for a week fishing in Weipa up on Cape York April 7th to the 13th this is prime time in this area. Your trip is based on the water so you can fish 24-7 if you wish we have two smaller tenders with 50hp for all your fishing and exploring. Fish the vast creeks for Barra, Jacks, Fingermark, Queenfish and Trevally, Fish the coral bommies for Trevally, Coral Trout and many more.

Each day is fished in a new area and there normally plenty on offer. This trip just needs six keen anglers to join us for a great weeks fishing. But be quick as this trip always fills fast. All details of the Weipa trip please give me a call 0418 169 439.Scotty also reports that Botany Bay this week is fishing rather well yellowfin bream and silver trevally around Trevally Alley. Scott reports the fishing will be a bit slow so you will need to move around a bit to find the fish and you will need to work for them this week. Try trolling just of Kurnell Point, as over the past week Scott has had two double hookups on Tailor. Trevally worth a shot on the anchor just of the point burley is needed. To make a booking call Scott on mobile 0418169439.

DVD REVIEW – The Best of Fishin’ Trip – The Whyalla Special – Snapper.

If this is the first time you have been to my site don’t forget to have a look at the various sections. Don’t forget to send in those questions so that I can get back to you and my other readers.

In this DVD Jason, Pete, Rod and Andrew head down to fish the PENS at Whyalla for those massive snapper with baitrunner and overhead reels. If it is big snapper that you are after this DVD won’t let you down. The guys manage to get 6 very large snapper over 2 days of fishing the PENS at Whyalla. Some of them are over 13 kilo plus.

The boys take you through a few techniques on how to use bait runner reels. After watching the DVD you will notice that they lay their rods almost parrellel to the water. This is gives the fish a better chance to pick up the bait and power off with it.

There are a few extra sections in this DVD, one on how to catch blue swimmer crabs, feeding the dolphins at a marina with whole pilchards and also getting into a few calmari and squid while out crabbing.

Over all this is a great DVD and it will get the heart rate right up there with those big snapper. Well worth having in the library. Try your local tackle shop or call up Joy at AFN on (03) 9761 4044.

Paul Martin from Rock Marine Bait and Tackle (rocksmarine@tsn.cc) reports that
apart from a few ugly days the conditions have been terrific for heading out and wetting a line. A couple of fisho’s ventured out wide for a few bar cod in water temperature around the low 20’s. Kingfish are around Fish Rock in good numbers but there not always on the bite. Long fin perch are about in 60 Fathoms. There has been reasonable snapper off Grassy in about 30 to 40 meters along with a few pearlies and a heap of red rock cod. The FAD is out there again about 50 meters off the original location.

Flathead are on the bite in the river and there’s been some monsters being landed. Theo Zirogiannis caught a classic 4 kilo lizard on soft plastic bait. Bream are about as well amongst the many little ones. There’s still the odd Blackfish about but this week should see the end. Whiting are biting on worms on the sand flats.

Smoky beach has been fishing well for whiting and bream with a few Australian salmon coming in. Good whiting have been caught off the Front Beach and inside the Jail Breakwall. Gap Beach has whiting, bream and the odd flathead off the north end.

With only 10 weeks till Christmas the shop will lay-buys for that perfect Xmas Gift.
For daily reports and special call Paul on (02) 6566 6726.

Jason and Virginia Isaac from Ned Kelly’s Bait and Tackle jasned@ozemail.com.au reports that in the estuary, flathead remain the star attraction with quality fish on offer from most parts. Good catches are now coming from areas further upstream, with the Maria and around Rawdon Island fishing quite well, although the lower reaches are still producing plenty of big lizards.

A few bream are still on offer around Limeburners and the coal wall, and with the waters clearing and warming considerably, look for the action to begin to pick up further upstream. Increasing numbers of whiting are also beginning to show in the Hastings with Limeburners and up the Maria now producing quality fish, with live worms or yabbies the pick of baits. Lake Cathie too has been fishing well for whiting as is usually the case when the lake is open. Blackfish however are now starting to slow considerably, however a few solid fish to over a kilo are hanging around Limeburners and the break walls for those putting in the time. For crabbing enthusiasts, mud crab numbers are picking up almost daily so now is definitely time to dust off the traps and dillies if you haven’t already done so.

Off the beaches, some solid bream remain on offer with the excellent run enjoyed over winter continuing well beyond expectations. Good numbers of whiting too are about, with their earlier presence this year no doubt due to the salmon numbers not being as prolific as in recent seasons. Whilst there are still plenty of these great sport fish still about, at least this season has seen somewhat of a balance return, where a variety of species can be confidently targeted during this time of year. On the negative side however, mulloway and tailor remain elusive and a few specks of red weed have begun to show up. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the gods are kind and the inundation of recent summer seasons does not eventuate.

Off the rocks, still a few drummer on offer however the action has now begun to slow a considerably. However it is not unusual to see a cold strip of water hug the coastline at this time of year, and if this happens, look for another brief burst of activity from these tough brawlers. Tailor on the other hand have improved a little with some quality fish to over a kilo on offer from most headlands, with Lighthouse locally being the pick of locations. A few bream are also on offer although by and large the average size and condition has begun to diminish as you expect at this time of year. Blackfish numbers remain reasonable, whilst the odd groper is still on offer, with Diamond Head and Point Perpendicular the pick of locations.

Outside reports have been encouraging with snapper numbers solid from the closer reefs, a few kingfish and Sampson fish wider off Plommer, and still a few yellowfin on the shelf. Those making the trek out also report a few mahi mahi hanging around buoys and the like, which encouraging given the FAD should be back in place very soon. Paul and Carol from Aquatic Blue Charters have also been treating their customers to some great whale watching, with whale numbers at present excellent as these majestic mammals begin their journey back down the coast for the summer.

When you are next up in Port Macquarie call into the shop and have a look at their great selection of tackle and bait they have on offer. You could also ask Jason and Virginia for their daily report on what’s happening on the fishing front. Call them on (02) 6583 8318.