Can anyone identify these two in a line-up? Old Duff and Bob get out more these days; they report some nice trumpeter whiting around Bull Island and some nice muddies around Upton’s Island in Tilligerry Creek. Drift around for the trumpeter whiting with small prawns, yabbies or worms and you’re sure to bag a feed. They are smaller than a sand whiting although taste great. Chilli mud crab on the other hand is out of this world. Work your traps, Duff recommends if you not getting any crabs then keep moving your traps around covering more ground until you hit a patch.
Danny flicking plastics around Tilligerry nailed with 75cm lizard on a gulp motor oil grub, great fun to catch that size, the fish went back and lived to fight another day. Remember flathead are an ambush hunter and as you can see small fish will take larger lurers look for deep drop off’s, edges of weed beds where they meet the sand or rock areas. Target underneath wharfs, oyster racks as the tide rises bringing the bait fish in the flathead are buried in hiding ready to attack. Try multiple casts in the same location before moving on, it may be the case that you’re lure passes-by many times before the flathead will reveal itself.
Prawns are still active in and around Salamander Bay, wade through the water at night with a torch, headlamp or underwater prawn light (which is best) and simply scope them up in your prawn net. Remember to wear suitable footwear – stingray live there as well.
Small kingies are still working the main break wall at Nelson Bay. Also, worth working the Salamander Wreck and Middle Island. Worth either poppas, stick baits or baits and hang-on these torpedo shaped fish will move at a rate of knots and if around any type of structure so gear up!
Reports of tailor around Middle Island and Wanda Head. I hear of some small bonito in the Bay, spots worth trying are Sally Shores Wharf, Shoal Bay Wharf & both Break walls.
Trumpeter whiting are on the chew just off the boat ramp at Soldiers Point. Johnno has been fishing Sandy Point with our live beach worms and has sand whiting to 35cm for his efforts. Target sand whiting with beachworms and yabbies along
Jimmy reports on odd bream off the Nelson Bay Breakwall all on floating prawn baits. The fish are to around 30cm although Jimmy say’s they are in reasonable condition. This time of year, you will really need to work for bream. Always worth a shot under the racks in the rivers.
Junior Duffman Spencer has always wanted to fish, on Holidays at the Bay this is the first fish he has ever caught a 30cm bream off Little Beach. Spencer is super-keen and loves being outside with a rod in his hand. Better than computer games buddy keep-up the good work.
The kids are still on Holidays and having a great time, if you’re looking for a spot to take them; Duffs 5 Family Fishing Hotspots;
- Shoal Bay Wharf
- Shoal Bay Beach
- Little Beach Wharf
- Salamander Shores Wharf
- Taylors Beach Wharf
I have done a couple of fishing blogs that may help with locations and baits;
https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/port-stephens-4-top-school-holiday-fishing-spots/
https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/top-3-holiday-boat-ramps-port-stephens/Remember Duffs Kids Competition started this week, weekly draws, great prizes for the kids. https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/competitions/
I have had continued reports of squid in and around Shoal Bay in amongst the moored boats. Target Jewfish on the break walls, some key jewfish spots are also the Salamander Wreck, Middle Island, Fame Cove, Karuah and Tea Gardens Bridges. Jew seem the most active during the change of tide, they are lazy feeders hunting when the bait fish activity is at highest.
Corlette Point, Sandy Point and Wanda Beaches. Try using poppas and mid diving hard bodied lures along Roywood Reserve at high water for sand whiting, they are super aggressive on lures.
Roywood Reserve, amongst many others, is also a great place to gather your own bait, the humble yabbie is a top-class bait for most estuary fish, whiting, bream, flathead & Jew all love them. Super easy and plentiful to gather, you are permitted to keep 100 for bait. Bait keeper style hooks are recommended to be used with yabbies as they stop the yabbie from sagging making it look more natural on the hook.
More reports this week from the Eastern side of Corrie Island before the Short-cut of sand whiting to 35cm in top condition being taken on beachworms while at anchor. I would recommend a light 6-8lb fluro carbon leader for best results. Fish a light running sinker with a size 8-6 bait keeper style hook. The bait keeper hook allows soft baits to sit more naturally on the hook as opposed to sagging into a clump.
Reports of some solid blue swimmer action along Mud Point, getting 10 large male swimmers with good meat content.
Reports of muddies at the entrance to the Karuah River just off from the Oyster Racks. Also try North Arm Cove for a muddie with reports this week of good catches there. Reports of Blue swimmers from the West side of Garden Island as well as the odd bream on fish baits. Reports of mud crab activity around Taylors Beach and more blue swimmers starting to appear up into Tilligerry bear Upton’s Island. For mud crabs think mangroves and the more upper reaches off Tilligerry and Karuah. For blue swimmers work the weed beds, Sunset & Wanda Beaches around Soldiers Point for example.
Fish the new Wharf at Taylors Beach for bream on the first 2 hours of the run out tide. Bereyling can be an added advantage there. Fish for trumpeter whiting west of Garden Island on the drift using peeled prawn and gulp plastic beachworms, also drifting mullet strips and picking up a few flathead up to 45cm. Also, the crabs are starting to get more plentiful. Reports of sand whiting to 33cm from Corlette Point into Salamander Bay, worms, yabbies and poppers will do the trick. Also target Sand whiting around Sandy Point, Shoal Bay Beach and Nelson Bay Beach.
Joe Gwarjanski and family went home for Xmas and was kind enough to share some ice fishing pic’s. I see a lot of socialising here… and perhaps some fishing, the kids appeared to do all the heavy lifting
“I thought you would get a kick out of a couple pics from our Holiday back in the North- East of the States.”
“Bradley landed a monster Northern Pike that was impressive for most folks on the ice that day.”
“Adam and Cole caught a small one but still a fun time chasing flags ( which are attached to the small ice fishing rod flags indicate a bite). I sent a group photo so you can get a taste of the ice fishing culture.”
