Fishing Reports

Friday 28.2.20

Number of reports this week from both Commercial and Rec. Fisho’s of Garfish in the Bay, best location to try would be Shoal Bay Wharf using silverfish. Great fun to catch and tasty on the plate. Ian fishing plastics during the week nailed a nice red in the Bay on the bottom of the tide near the Boulders.

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/fish-species/species-list/garfish

Les reports both mud crabs and blue swimmers in Tilligerry Creek.  Not so many reports of blue swimmers but try Taylors Beach, Sunset Beach and Mud Point for a blue swimmer feed.

Handmade crab traps in-store now – for the serious crabber!

Please remember to mark your crab floats correctly so the DPI don’t seize them. For all the local crabbing rules;

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/654963/Port-Stephens-recreational-crab-fishing-guide.pdf

Fish the Short-Cut for sand whiting with live worms and or nippers. Reports of flathead, we had a great year last year with the lizards so fingers crossed we can do it again. Best spots this week were Tilligerry Creek, Little Beach, Fly Point (from the sand), Shoal Bay Beach, Taylors Beach, Sandy Point and Jimmies Beach. The fish are being taken on both baits & lures. For some flathead surface fun, the old bent cross fires are the way to go, acting like a wounded bait fish in the shallows the lizards fly out of the water to wack them,

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/topwater-flathead-retrieves-crossfire-lure-review/

Squid have been a-little slower than before the rain. Drift Jimmies Beach for sand whiting & flathead. Work the drop-off’s around Middle Ground for sand whiting and flathead. Try between Red patch Pt & Sandy Pt for sand whiting and lizards.

Bream from the racks around Garden Island prawn and fish bait enough to get a feed, some of the fish have spawned and are on the thin side but a few still in ok condition. 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.

Friday 28.2.20

Many of the ocean beaches continue to produce whiting and bream. The fish are in top quality. Earlier in the week there were larger clumps of weed on Birbui although fishing between the put-on and 2 km marks have been the go for whiting. As the tide rising the whiting move from the deeper water and feed on the banks so target these areas for the best results.  Reports from Fingal, One-Mile and Samurai all are producing whiting and bream.

LIVE BEACH WORMS ARE IN-STORE.

OR turn your hand to catching them I have plenty of Alvey worming pliers for the beginners they work a treat and nothing is more satisfying than catching your own bait, pop-in and I can talk you through worming anytime.

For those wanting to start beach fishing this year, it’s a lot of fun, very relaxing and gives you the opportunity to catch a fantastic feed – the humble sand whiting is without doubt one the best table fish the hands-down. Check-out;

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

Friday 28.2.20

Reports of blackfish from Barry Park and Boat Harbour, some of the younger guys pot-holing with the weed fly’s have had good results. Unconfirmed report of an 8kg snapper from the Tomaree Ledge earlier in the week, with snapper being taken from Fisherman’s Bay and Boat Harbour on floating fish baits. Lobsters from Barry Park and Birbui Point. Nathan reports plenty of tasty treats around Birbui Rocks – remember we have handmade lobster traps in-store all year round. Reports of bonito and rat kings off many ocean rock-spots on metals and floating baits.

Friday 28.2.20

Peter Silcock and Tracey nailed some quality snapper and spangled emperor around the Outer Light. From the Shelf Tracey also managed so sizable dollies whilst chasing that elusive blue marlin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethrinus_nebulosus

North Rocks producing small kings, with Wayne and Jim getting some trolling live baits early in the week. Cod Rock producing reds on the change of the tide on floating fish baits. Narrow Gut producing small reds and flathead on the drift.

Reds to 1.5kg around Big Island on plastics, snapper also reported around the Outer Light on floating bonito baits. Trag reported from 21 reef and V reef with the odd table size red in the mix. Big Tommy and the Uralla reef producing Jew.