Fishing Reports

FRIDAY 2.10.20

Daylight saving is this Sunday people- more time to fish!

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/australia/sydney?year=2020

Reports of trumpeter whiting, drifting between Soldiers Point Boat ramp and Middle Island with the odd flattie in the mix. The trumpeter whiting (also known as winter whiting) only small fish although once filleted make for top-class table fish. There is no minimum size although a bag limit of 20 is in place. Great fun for the kids to catch. These fish love a small prawn and or beachworm. Also try the drifts West of One Tree and Shag Islands.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/375962/Trumpeter-Whiting.pdf

For those looking for a safe place to take the kids I would recommend Shoal Bay Wharf, Shoal Bay Beach, Little Beach, Sally Shores Wharf, Taylors Beach Wharf or Pearson Park Wharf. For more details check-out:

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/port-stephens-4-top-school-holiday-fishing-spots/

or if you have a boat & are not familiar with our boat ramps check-out:

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/top-3-holiday-boat-ramps-port-stephens/

In the boat try working the Boulders from Bream, drift Jimmies Beach for sand whiting & flathead. Work the short-cut under anchor on the rising tide for sand whiting on worm and or yabbie baits with 6lb leaders. For Jewfish work Western side of Middle Island or the Entrance to Fame Cove on the change of tide. The Salamander Wreck is always worth a try for a Jewfish, flathead or the odd bream. Work the drop-off’s around Middle Ground for sand whiting and flathead. Up into Tilligerry Creek for mud crabs, flathead and trumpeter whiting.

Chris and Junior Duffgirl Maddie have been fishing Pearson’s Park Wharf at Soldiers Point getting some nice sand whiting bream and the odd blue swimmer into the mix. Maddie not only catches fish but she’s also likes to do the cooking for dad Chris.

Reports bream from the Breakwall on prawn and fish bait enough to get a feed. Best method 00 running ball sinker onto a 1/0 Mustad Penetrator hook and let the fish take the bait and swim away before striking. Use the bait runner feature on your reel or if not then perhaps consider opening the bail arm to let line peel off freely. Fish at the end of the wall. If fishing night and early morning then berley with chicken pellets or similar for best results.

Also, worth a try from the main break wall for a rat King or two. Live baits, whole squid, stick baits are the go. Although, the kings aren’t big 65-75cm fun on light gear. For those wanting to try a stick bait or understand how they swim check this clip from Patrick Sebile;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/clean-born-saltwater-addicted-lures-by-patrick-sebile/

Try Northern-end of Nelson Bay Beach South of Fly Point for bream off the sand. Also, worth a crack for flathead in the same spot. Robo reports tailor on metals from the Long Wall at the Anchorage. Cast onto the sandy beach area from the wall with worm baits for sand whiting. Work Red-patch Point to Sandy Point for flathead on plastics.

I have also had reports of sand whiting from Roy Wood as they work the flats for nippers. The sand whiting is super aggressive and in 6-10 feet of water will wack a surface lure, Bassday Sugapens are the most sort-after for this type of fishing. Check out this click on how they work;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/bassday-sugapen-surface-lures-for-bream-whiting/

With the warmer weather this week I received a number of reports of flathead, we had a great year last year with the lizards so fingers crossed we can do it again. Ben nailing an 81cm one off Little Beach small wharf, she was released to fight another day. This is Ben’s first fish on a soft plastic, he’s trying the Samaki Vibelicious 70mm, it’s pre-rigged & ready to go. Deadly on flathead & bream, super easy to use, check-out below click;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/samaki-vibelicious-for-flathead-bream/

Work the entire length of Little Beach between the wharfs with the tide in for flathead and whiting. Bream from the small wharf and big reds from the long-wharf is the go. Work Shoal Bay Beach from Nelson Head with soft plastics or unweighted fish baits from flathead, a worm on a number 6 baitholder is also the way to go for sand whiting. The boat-ramp at Shoal Bay Beach also producing flathead on fish baits.

For blue swimmers get you’re traps out along Wanda Beach and Sunset Beaches with a few being reported for muddies hit Tilligerry Creek and or Fame Cove – mullet bait is the way to go.

FRIDAY 2.10.20

LIVE BEACHWORMS IN STORE FOR LONG-WEEKEND

Fishing the beach – it’s common sense to use a beachworm

Birbui Beach has been also showing signs of quality fish, with Colin taking some solid early whiting and bream on metho beachworms. Bream are also taking pipi and mullet baits. Tailor and Salmon hitting metals in holes and gutters. Some big Tailor around 2-4kg mark around 8km mark on pillies & the odd Jew to 12kg on fresh/dead whiting fillet. For the Jewfish fish the change of tide in the night, be patience & prepared for many fishless nights although if you continue to really target them you will get a result.

More and more sand whiting are appearing on beachworms. Reports of solid worms being taken from the sand. For those interested in a beach fish check-out;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/catching-whiting-from-the-open-beaches-port-stephens/

For those interested in using beachworms check-out;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/baiting-beachworms/

For those interested in driving on Birbui Beach please ensure you get a beach permit and let those tyres down. For more information check-out:

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/tips-for-driving-on-stockton-beach/

One-Mile Beach presents a fantastic opportunity for bream, whiting and school jewfish. Reports this week of sand whiting to 36cm being taken on beachworms just South of Middle Rock at first light. Fish slightly South of Middle Rock in the gutter, beachworms are the way to go there. Further North try Samurai Beach for, Tailor, Salmon and bream. Samurai is also a great beach to set-up for a Jew.

Box Beach is also worth a throw for tailor, salmon and bream. It’s a deep beach with little formation although the Southern end next to the rocks, or on the rocks is the way to go.

Kinsley’s Beach tucked away at Boat Harbour is a not often talked about. It offers protection from big swells and holds a beachworm population. If you’re to beach fish and or wanting to take the kids somewhere easy then it’s worth throwing a beachworm in for bream or a whiting.

FRIDAY 2.10.20

Check out this week’s Port Stephens Examiner;

https://www.portstephensexaminer.com.au/story/6945530/lifejackets-now-compulsory/?cs=763

The ocean rocks have been alive with bream, drummer, silver drummer, blackfish and pan sized reds. After those big seas all that white-water washing food into the sea is a great sign. Rocks at Birbui producing black from bird-poo rock, Sunny corner producing tailor and salmon on metals. Boulder Bay at Fingal has been producing bream and drummer.

Boat Harbour and Fisherman’s Bay have been producing pan sized reds to 65cm on floating salted pilchard baits. Try using a 2 hook snell rig with a light running sinker, say 5/0 or 6/0 hooks which will accommodate full pilchard, strip-bait or whole squid.

Middle Rock throw onto the sand with a beachworm for a school jewfish or hit the blackfish, there’s plenty of cabbage on there to use. Be sure to pick the tide and sea conditions. Same goes for Fingal Island, you can cross Fingal Spit under correct conditions, be sure to check, tide & sea conditions. The Island makes for great snapper rock fishing. The Grit Hole is a great spot for bream with drummer being caught around the island as well.

For those interested in chasing Tuna, Kingfish and Reds the Tomaree Ledge is worth a go, it’s a fair walk with limited space for get there early. For squid look for calm Bay’s with kelp bottom, perhaps try a larger jig around 2.5 or 3. Great to eat or for bait.

Green eyes from the rocks around Boat Harbour. If you can find a sheltered bay this weekend the squid is a size 3 jig might be the way to go. Longtail your hunting then the Ledge is the best place to try as well as Sunny Corner, which is located slightly South of the Rocks at the Southern end of One-Mile Beach.

Some nice snapper to 50cm have been reported from the Ledge on fish. Boulder Bay producing bream and green-eyed squid. Although, they are a lot of sharks. I have also had reports of Fish with small metals around Morna Point for tailor and salmon. Reports of Bonito from Sunny Corner and Big Rocky. Reports of Blackfish and small pencil Garfish at Barry Park and around the Ledge.

FRIDAY 2.10.20

Peter Silcock fishing with Tracey from “Sneaky Pete” had a great morning from the Outer Light with pan sizes reds and pigs to 45cm in the washes. Weather this long- weekend is also looking good for morning fish although be sure to check with;

https://www.marinerescueportstephens.com.au/

https://www.willyweather.com.au/nsw/hunter/anna-bay.html

Reports of some solid snapper from Broughton Island on plastics. Hit the Sisters, Jim’s Leap, Cod Rock or North Rock, plastics or bait will do the trick. For those interesting in starting soft plastics check-out;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/zman-soft-plastics-for-snapper/

The V & 21 reefs producing pan sized reds and the odd terglin in the mix. Work the SE corner of Little Island for terglin. The Eastern side of Big Island is producing reds around the washes on floating baits. Tailor reported around the Outer Light and off Southern end of Box Beach. Also, worth having a flathead drift of Box Beach or the 40m mark.

Big Tommy reef for reds and jewfish with the odd flathead hanging around the gravel sand edge. Reports of snapper to 3kg from The Tank and Uralla reefs also Jewfish to 5kg at the Tank and the odd small king.

If you’re looking for reef locations pop-in and get the GPS marks for free.