Fishing Reports

FRIDAY 7.8.20

This week quality bream are the ‘talk of the town’. The Nelson Bay Break wall is on fire with fish to 40cm in the mix on fish and prawn baits. Fish outside the change of tide or on the inside in and around the Marine Rescue Boat or from the wharf in and around the fish traps, early morning and afternoon, berley heavy on the inside to hold the fish.  Bream are a scavenger feeder and will take a wide variety of baits and lures. Some other key spots in the Bay for bream are the Anchorage break-wall, any of the wharfs, Wanda Headland, the short-cut, piggy’s rock wall just to name a few. Bream from the main Breakwall on prawn and or fish bait. Best method for bream 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.

Solid reports of Jewfish to 19kg in the hole at the Western Side of Middle Island on the tide change. This area gets to around 10 fathoms, work the drop-offs with baits and or pre-rigged soft plastics. Samaki 125mm vibes have been doing some damage.

During the week the blackfish have remained a little on the shy side with some good fish to 40cm both weed and cabbage baits from the main Breakwall, although you need to be pre-pared to work for your fish. But Scotty Vee fished this morning first hour of the run-in and bagged-out in quick time. I think the week of the full moon phase plays a part even during the day making the fish touchy. When they are sensitive adapt your fishing for better results, try a 5lb-6lb FC leader & lighter floats for more ‘downs.’ Reports of fish from the inside near Simba on weed baits. The key spots are the main Breakwall and Anchorage inside wall near the pipe. Fish 1 hour each side of the tide, heaps of rich berley with each cast, let that float hold under for a few seconds before striking which will increase your hook-up rate. For more information check out;

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/how-to-catch-luderick-nelson-bay-break-wall/

Looking for somewhere to take the kids fishing this weekend:

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

or pop-in the store for a free flyer with all the kid friendly spot, species and baits to use. Be sure to pick-up a free flyer with great information for you and the kids.

Reports of solid Garfish from the long wall at the Anchorage Breakwall, considering the time of year the fish are of good size. Hit Taylors Beach, Sunset Beach and Mud Point for a blue swimmer, they are late but have started chewing on stinking mullet. Mud Crabs this week are chewing mullet baits around Upton’s Island in Tilligerry Creek & North Arm Cove. Handmade crab traps in-store now – for the serious crabber!

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/salamander-bay/fishing/handmade-lobster-trap/1234012049

FRIDAY 7.8.20

Beaches have been a little patchy with big seas but this weekend looks ok. Some solid bream being taken from the Birbui end of Stockton Beach on pipi and mullet baits around 4km-6km mark. The fish this time of year are in top condition. The water temp. still warm for this time of year with a few winter whiting hanging around, the fish around 30cm – still taste like summer ones! Pipi baits the way to go. Levi reports solid jewfish on big plastics at the Stockton end of the beach.

Frank with nailed some thumper bream on live yabbie baits near the Spit at Fingal. I like fishing early morning and or late afternoon and into the night. Although, if the days remain overcast then fishing during the day will be defiantly worth a try.

Fish the Northern end of One-Mile beach near Middle Rock for bream, whiting and school Jew on worm, yabbie and pipi baits.

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

Some tailor have been taken from Fingal Beach on 40-gram Halco spinners. Also consider fishing the top beach at Fingal to the rocks at Box Beach for bream to 38cm and or around the Spit. Other reports of tailor to 65cm being taken on fish baits and metals from open beaches, they are solid greenbacks. Best beaches for Tailor are Fingal Bay, Box Beach, Stockton Beach & Samurai. Tailor are good eating fresh and lend themselves well for smoking.

Solid bream and tailor taken from the Middle of Samurai beach with the odd Salmon in the mix.

FRIDAY 7.8.20

Fish of the Week goes to Rod Gorman with a 10.5kg red from Fisherman’s Bay on a bonito fillet. Big fish. Reports of reds from Telegraph Point to 3kg on whole squid baits. Big Rocky producing squid and I hear it’s very well worth dropping a lobster trap in. 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.

Reports of blackfish from Birbui Point & Boats Harbour on cabbage baits.  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.

Fingal Island, you can cross Fingal Spit under correct conditions, be sure to check, tide & sea conditions. Mitch reports reds to 65cm from the Island this week on floating pillies. 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.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/salamander-bay/fishing/handmade-lobster-trap/1234012049

Some nice snapper to 60cm have been reported from Barry Park. 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 from Fisherman’s Bay and Boat Harbour.

FRIDAY 7.8.20

Outside conditions for Saturday and Sunday mornings;

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

Good news this week from the council about the future of the Little Beach Boat Ramp, it’s a start to a better ramp;

https://www.portstephensexaminer.com.au/story/6861631/2m-for-new-longer-boat-ramp/?cs=762

Some quality reds are chewing their heads-off after that huge stir. Fish to 60cm being taken from the Outer Light on floating fish baits. Big Tommy Reef producing reds and trag. Try Big and Little Island in the washes from bream and reds. Reports of Bonito on Halco metals off Boat Harbour and Fingal Island. Work in and around Broughton Island try Cod Rock, Jim’s Leap and the Sisters for reds on first light. Float fish baits and or squid down into the berley trail for best results. North Rock producing small kings and reds on the East side.

The Little Gibber producing tailor on metals and solid drummer on prawn baits in the washes. Flathead be taken at the 40m mark on the drift with fish baits. Salted mullet fillet, stripped works well here.