Estuary

Friday 23.2.24

Fishing has been on fire with some great catches in the last 6 weeks with only a few weeks of Summer remaining there’s still plenty of fish on the chew.

Nick reporting heaps of arrow squid from Little Beach boat ramp of an evening. Reports of blue swimmers from North Arm Cove, Mud Point, Bull Island and Lower Pindimar. Joe reports flathead to 60cm from inside the Marina at Nelson Bay on fish baits. Bream and flathead from Northern end of Nelson Bay Beach near Fly Point.

Flathead fisho’s target the Western end of Shoal Bay Beach under Nelson Head working soft plastics/hard bodied lures. White/blue bait on size 4 gang hooks no sinker and slowly retrieved are a gun bait. Also try the boat ramp which is located just East of the Shoal Bay Pub. The advantage of this area is that there is also plenty of water no matter the tide, the sand-based area allows you to use lures without snags. Other species that frequent this area are bream, tarwhine, tailor and sand whiting.

The small wharf at Little Beach located at the Southern end produces flathead, bream, blackfish and tailor. Cast towards the Boathouse restaurant wharfs for best results. The longer wharf at Little Beach produces most species including snapper. The Little Beach boat ramp is a great place to target arrow squid in the afternoon into the evening.

Nelson Bay Beach is a great stretch of beach to target flathead, especially at the Fly Point end. Just be mindful that the marine park sanctuary ‘no fishing’ zones.

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/656318/Port_Stephens_Great_Lakes_Marine_Park_Zoning_Map_OBH.pdf

Onto the Nelson Bay Breakwall, this is the place to target, bream, , kingfish and jewfish. For kingfish fish the sunrise or sunset with stick baits, poppa’s or whole squid. For jewfish target the change of tide with live slimies or yellowtail. Prawns and fish baits are the way to go for bream.

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/catching-bream-from-nelson-bay-breakwall/

Onto Roywood Reserve, this area is a great place to pump yabbies at low water and as the tide comes back covering the sand banks and yabbie holes the fish are close behind. Target species here are flathead and sand whiting. This is also a great area to target whiting on surface poppa’s on high water. Also, worth a night-time prawning adventure, wear shoes! Fish the sandy areas at high tide with surface poppa’s for whiting and plastics for flathead.

Wanda Headland is located West of Salamander Bay just behind the shops at Old Salamander. Good deep water around the rocky headland that produces, bream, tailor, flathead and Jewfish. Moving West towards Soldiers Point behind Bannisters Hotel Sally Shores Wharf offers squid, bream, tailor, salmon, whiting. Approximately, 60-80m from the end of the wharf it drops off into a channel around 40metres deep, this area produces kingfish, Longtail Tuna and Jewfish. Ballooning live baits out here is the way to go.

For those that will put the boat in, try Tilligerry Creek for Trumpeter Whiting, flathead and mud crabs. Work the North end of Feninghamms Island along the shoreline for flathead on plastics. Works the Western side of One Tree and Shag Island for Trumpeter Whiting. For Jewfish work the Western side of Middle Island and the Entrance to Fame Cove during the change of tide with live yellowtails or slimies. The wreck at Salamander Bay is also worth a look for Jewfish and flathead. Fish the Middle Ground on the drop-offs for sand whiting. The West Bank produces tailor at this time of year. Drift the main Nelson Bay Breakwall for Kingfish with whole squid, live baits or poppas. If the fish are working the surface then lures are the way to go.  Anchor off the main Breakwall or the Northern end Short Wall off the Anchorage and fish the change of the tide for jewfish.

If there is a Southerly swell rolling in then fish the Boulders under Yacaaba Headland with fish baits for bream. Drift Jimmies Beach West for flathead and whiting. Try the Short Cut for whiting and flathead. Work Orungall Point to Lower Pindimar for flathead. Drift the rock-wall along Piggy’s Beach for bream on plastics or hard bodies.  Into Lobito Point West through to Balberook Cove put your boat onto the sandy Coves and walk the shoreline for flathead on plastics or hard bodies.

The Western side of Garden Island under the oyster wracks produces bream and flathead. Work up into the Karuah River in amongst the wracks for bream. Both Bridges produces Jewfish on the change of tide as does the Tea Gadens Bridge.

 

Beach

Friday 23.2.24

Summer is the time to hit the ocean beaches for sand whiting, whiting are the main target from all beaches this time of year and without doubt beachworms are the main bait. Beachworms either alive or preserved will do the job.

Last year the whiting run was slow this year it’s on fire with Birbui and Fingal reporting fish still to 38cm in top condition. Also some solid reports of flathead on plastics around Fingal Spit.

Some good jewfish this week being reported around the 10km mark at Birbui with a few bream in the mix in good condition, which for this time of year is unusual.

When it comes to fishing the open beaches for whiting the best advice, I can give you is fish early before that suns gets up, don’t get too worried about the tides fish the early morning for best results although a rising to high tide between 4am-8am is ideal. All beaches such as Birbui, One-Mile, Fingal & Samurai are worth a try.

Catching Whiting from the Open Beaches – Port Stephens – Duff’s Salamander Bay Bait & Tackle (salamanderbaittackle.com.au)

Both Birbui & Samurai are accessible via 4WD if you have never driven on sand before and want to try this holiday, I strongly urge you to read the below tips;

Tips for driving on Stockton Beach – Duff’s Salamander Bay Bait & Tackle (salamanderbaittackle.com.au)

For those wanting to target jewfish then the Stockton end of The Big Beach or Fingal Bay would be your best bet’s, jewfish will take a wide range of baits from the surf best being beach worms, fresh dead whiting or baitfish, squid or even big paddle tail plastics in the right conditions.

Ocean Rocks

Friday 23.2.24

Some better rock reports this month with snapper reported from Fisherman’s Bay and Boat Harbour to 5kg on floating fish baits. Tailor being taken off the rocks at the southern end of Box beach on metals in the afternoon/evening.

Reports of snapper and the odd kingfish taken from The Ledge. Snapper on plastics from the Northern side of Fingal Island. Reports of blackfish on cabbage from Birbui Rocks and Telegraph Point.

Outside

Friday 23.2.24

So many reefs and spots outside, if you’re looking for a spot to fish, we have all the GPS locations you need – just ask.

Reports of dollies at the FAD. Reports of jewfish from a number of close in reefs with pan sized reds in the mix. Fish Gunsight and North Tip of Big Island. Not many reports of any bonito, which I consider strange considering the warm water temp.

Broughton Island around The Sisters, Jim’s Leap, North Rock to Cod Rock everything from Long-tail Tuna to Snapper.

The V or 21 Reefs for snapper or Trag. Perhaps North to Edith Breaker to work big soft plastics for snapper in the habitat zone.

Those that are new to the area, check out my blog on local boat ramps;

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

Collectable Tide Charts

2018 Chart

2017 Chart

2016 Fishing Report