Friday 22.5.20
Sadly the ‘Weather Gods’ have not blessed this weekend. Regardless, the week that was has turned on some super fish. Fish of the week has to go to Petar Perekovic fishing the main Nelson Bay Breakwall for bream Tuesday night with 10lb braid, 8lb FC leader and a prawn on a 1/0 hook managed to land, without a net, a 75cm snapper that went 4.7kg. Pete said it took-off like a ‘freight train’ up and down the wall at speed, at one point he fell into a hole trying to keep up with it, he had the battle scars to prove it. Great fish well done on light gear in shallow water. This is a great time of year for snapper with other reports from Wanda Headland and Little Beach with fish around 5kg mark.
The blackfish have continued to chew on weed and cabbage baits from the main Breakwall with Tony and Nic Young bagging out during a morning tide and Scott Vee doing the same during the avo. Try a 6lb FC leader 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/
Bream reported on the inside of the Breakwall on unweighted salted pilchard baits. Peter Silcock fishing with Little Pete around Tea Gardens Bridge nailed bream to 40cm on floating fish baits. Moving into the winter months the bream will really start to switch on. Bream are a scavenger feeder and will take a wide variety of baits and lures. Some key spots in the Bay for bream are the break-walls, 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 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.
Flathead still remain hungry in the Bay with Young Hamish nailing a 55cm model in shallow water. First time bream catcher Banjo dominating wharf fishing in the Bay this week. Some more spots for the kids;
https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/port-stephens-4-top-school-holiday-fishing-spots/
Still plenty of Garfish gobbling down baits off Shoal Bay Wharf – fun and easy to catch and great fun for the kids. Plenty of bull shark action at the Salamander Wreck.
Long-tail Tuna remain in the Bay chasing bait schools of garfish and slimies with numerous fish taken this week. You really need to be ‘Johnny on the spot’, some well-known areas like the Tomaree Ledge, Telegraph Point, either of the Break walls, Little Beach and Sally Shores Wharfs. Live baits and or stick baits or poppas the way to go.
Garrie “The Butcher” reports squid and tailor from Shoal Bay Wharf.
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!
