Fishing Reports

FRIDAY 22.10.21

Reports of jewfish at the change of tide at the entrance to Fame Cove early this week with a live yellow tail doing the damage. If targeting Jew in the Bay live bait is the way to go or very fresh/dead. Key Jew spots; work Western side of Middle Island or the Entrance to Fame Cove on the change of tide. The Salamander Wreck is always worth a try. Land-based hit the main Breakwall or the Anchorage Short wall on the tide- change.

Hunter Pavey is becoming a crab expert, he walks the traps out with his dad Glen and wow- check-out this big muddy. Hunter has a secret spot around the mangroves. More reports of muddies this week from Tilligerry creek. For blue swimmers get you’re traps out along Wanda Beach and Sunset Beaches. For muddies hit Tilligerry Creek, Karuah River, Fame Cove or North Arm Cove– mullet bait is the way to go. 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

Wayne and Jock doing well with the bream fishing the high tide change off the small reef off Mud Point. As the weather warms so does the flathead fishing, Nic Young testing out the new Samaki Hardy Heady Thumper Tail around the tennis courts at Tilligerry Creek, it worked a treat either hopping in back in or a slow roll (direct wide) with flathead to 58cm and the odd bream in the mix from the racks. Water temp. around 22 degrees. I stuck with the old White Bait fork-tail, the flathead love’em and are super easy to use. When using smaller 70mm vibes best to use a 12lb FC leader as the flathead get their saw-like teeth close to the leader knot. Always best to keep the fishes head down before netting which will limit the lizard head shake. Try any of the small beaches on high water, Shoal Bay, Little Beach, Bagnels, Wanda & Nelson Bay all will produce lizards.

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/samaki-vibelicious-for-flathead-bream/

https://www.salamanderbaittackle.com.au/how-to-catch-flathead-on-soft-plastics-basics/

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.

For trumpeter whiting, drifting between Soldiers Point Boat ramp and Middle Island with the odd flattie in the mix. The trumpeter whiting (also known as winter whiting) only small fish although once filleted make for top-class table fish. There is no minimum size although a bag limit of 20 is in place. Great fun for the kids to catch. These fish love a small prawn and or beachworm. Also try the drifts West of One Tree and Shag Islands.

Reports of rat kings around both break-walls. The main Breakwall still producing, Pete reporting the last of the bream. Best method for bream 00 running ball sinker onto a 1/0 Mustad Penetrator hook or similar ( light gauge at this time of year ) 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.

Hit Sally shores wharf for bream, squid and the odd pelagic from the end of the wharf. Always worth live baiting out to the deep channel which runs about 80m from the end of the wharf.

FRIDAY 22.10.21

Try Birbui Beach around 4km, 6.2km and 7.4km marks all producing bream and the odd whiting on pipi and beachworm baits. Good beachworms reported around 3km mark on half-tide. If you want to catch a worm work half-tide down rather than starting near the bottom of the tide at which point you need to fight the in-coming tide back. The whiting although, not in numbers yet, are in good condition.

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

One-Mile Beach presents a fantastic opportunity for bream, whiting and school jewfish. Reports this week of bream to 36cm being taken on beachworms just South of Middle Rock at first light. Fish slightly South of Middle Rock in the gutter, beachworms are the way to go there. Further North try Samurai Beach for, Tailor, Salmon and bream. Samurai is also a great beach to set-up for a Jew.

Box Beach is also worth a throw for tailor, salmon and bream. It’s a deep beach with little formation although the Southern end next to the rocks, or on the rocks is the way to go.

Kinsley’s Beach tucked away at Boat Harbour is a not often talked about. It offers protection from big swells and holds a beachworm population. If you’re to beach fish and or wanting to take the kids somewhere easy then it’s worth throwing a beachworm in for bream or a whiting.

FRIDAY 22.10.21

Lobster, lobster and more lobsters, from all and many reports one of the best lobster seasons for many years.

Green eyes from the rocks around Boat Harbour. If you can find a sheltered bay this weekend the squid is a size 3 jig might be the way to go. Len reports blackfish from the rocks at Birbui on cabbage baits.

Some nice snapper to 50cm have been reported from the Ledge on fish. 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 and small pencil Garfish at Barry Park and around the Ledge.

FRIDAY 22.10.21

The Little Beach Boat ramp up grade appears to be cracking on and looks as though is a significant improvement on the old one, hopefully completed soon as we move into the warmer months.

Some good reports this week of reds to 3kg around North Rock and the Sisters from Broughton Island, 5 inch gulp jerk shads appear the way to go with white and pink shine working well in shallow water. Worth dropping your lobster traps at the Sisters with the Prince doing well. Little Island producing pan sized reds in the wash. Reports form the V & 21 reefs of reds and the odd flathead from the gravel. Big Tommy producing Jew to 3kg and the odd red, flathead drift off Wreck beach producing a feed. North Rock

Sand Hill reef for reds and jewfish with the odd flathead hanging around the gravel sand edge. Reports of snapper to 3kg from The Tank and Uralla reefs also Jewfish to 5kg at the Tank and the odd small king.