THERE has been a steady stream of local fishers heading to their favourite offshore flathead spot over the last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Their efforts have been rewarded with nice bags of tiger and sand flathead.
Best results have been achieved about a mile south east from ‘The Bar’ in a drift along the 30 metre contour. For those a bit more adventurous the best spots have been the ‘Gun Barrel’ due south of Montague Island, and offshore from ‘The Cemetery’ at Tilba.
If you need directions to any of these spots the staff at the local bait and tackle shops will be happy to point you in the right direction.
For those fishers wanting a good feed of snapper this week, the word is ‘travel north young fisher’.
But before heading to the currently productive waters east of Tuross Head, you need to check the weather. Pick a day where the winds are light early in the day, and watch out for any southerly change.
The lack of current at the moment is making it possible to fish in the 60+ metre depth with most rigs.
The best results have come from braided rigs with a ‘running’ sinker to the hook. If you are using squid for bait, remember that big snapper love a squid head with the ink sack intact.
Birds, dolphins, seals and birds continue to feast on bait fish offshore, initially the bait balls consisted of slimy mackerel and yakkas, but this week large schools of pilchards have also made an appearance.
The presence of these bait species promises good fishing to come.
The rumour mill has again been in full swing this week - perhaps we should have a ‘rumour of the week’ section.
This week’s whispers are that there have been a show of nice sized albacore out over the shelf, we will keep an ear to the ground to find out if there is any fact in this story.
Fishing hint of the week: If you are using bait jigs to catch live bait, always have a couple on board with very small hooks. Some bait schools which show on sounders may be pilchards, and they can’t be caught with normal size jigs.
Fishing joke of the week: Officer to a man fishing at the park: “You are fined $20 for fishing in a restricted area.”
Man: “Who said that I was fishing? I just put my worm in to have a swim.”
Officer: “Then the fine is $50 for swimming without a bathing suit.”
Fishing soap box: How much is the hidden cost of the planned Narooma boat ramp? There have been hundreds if not thousands of hours spent by Council, Marine Parks, Fisheries and RMS staff and not a thing has physically been done. Remember it’s your rates, fishing licence fees, taxes and boat rego’s that are being spent here. There is a very real probability that 50 per cent of the cost of the re-development will be taken up by planning and approvals, with no accountability.
- John Moore
Narooma Ocean Hut Compleat Angler report
With the arrival of spring the fishing along the south coast is improving by the day.
With the estuaries seeing the arrival off large schools of white bait and water temperatures on the rise it is all looking good for the season. The trick has been with so much bait around to find the bait balls then match the hatch.
The best method being to hook up a couple of deep diving lures and go for a troll looking for the bait balls that are being smashed. This method has been producing some good catches of both salmon and tailor.
You may be surprised as the bigger fish including the odd jewie are hanging under the feeding fish picking up the scrapes.
We are also receiving plenty of reports of good snapper in both Wagonga and Mummaga Inlets both on bait and plastics fishing the deep water. With some good flatties, trevally and flounder also being caught this are looking good. One thing I will say is that most fish appear to be in the deeper water and not on the edges as we would expect.
The reports of salmon and a few good tailor on the beaches using bait and lures with the most productive method being a paternoster rig complete with pillie and surf popper. There are also reports of some nice bream around the rocks.
For those of us that enjoy the stress free life of drifting for a few flatties the 40 to 50 meter line is seeing some nice tigers and and no jackets [yet].
Montague has seen some good catches of mowies and snapper over the last few days but as yet the kingies have been quiet. It does look like they could turn up soon with big schools of trevally and bait everywhere it can only be a matter of time.
Out wide has been pretty slow as far as reports go but that could be due to wind not allowing the boats to get out there. Water charts are improving by the day and a northerly current pushing through can only improve conditions.
A reminder the "Win A Boat" competition is on again. Entries close January 10. Keep your store receipt and entry card in a safe place. Once you receive your entry card enter online at compleaterangler.com.au
We are open every day over the October Long Weekend.
Narooma Sport and Gamefishing Club
NEVILLE Butt, Tulip Farmer from Young and member of Narooma Sport and Gamefishing Club, got some flathead drifting wide of Glasshouse Rocks on Sunday.
Other club members John Scott and Larry Lewis had great success north, off Tuross entrance, catching some nice snapper, morwong and flathead when they drifted off the reef.
A small mako was also hooked but just as quickly lost.
Fish bait such as striped tuna was found to be the best bait.
Lots of bait being attacked by seals and dolphins and whales have certainly made an appearance.