Narooma fishing charter skipper John Moore reports the snapper season on the NSW South Coast is starting to pick up, now that the wind isn't blowing every day.
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On Thursday last week, his charter had absolutely no wind or current, and still managed to get a nice feed for Greg from Dignams Creek, “Tassie” Tony, Daniel from Beaufort, Victoria and local fishing/diving guru Georgia Poyner.
There were a handful of legal kingfish taken at Montague Island over the past week, with plenty of undersize kings mixed in.
The 'hotspot' for kings at the moment is Eden with plenty of fish in the 6-9kg mark taken at Mowarry. Hopefully they will be here soon. John asks the question: “Will the kings have a bite when the current starts to run?”
He also reports massive schools of baitfish around, with humpback whales making the most of the feed on their way south.
The water temp has been around 15c to 16c, with massive schools of jellyfish and a bit of slime in the water.
The boys down at the Bermi tackle shop report the kings at the island were very hesitant to normal heavier leaders but were not shy to chew on baits on 17lb leader. Trolling divers and skirts around the abundant bird life also worked.
A couple of customers have seen big makos on the 12 mile and around Bunga canyons of late. Spring is usually a good time to lay a trail for a shark fish, but definitely have a bottom fish while you do so.
The flats in our estuaries are slowly starting to warm up, with the odd monster whiting cruising with the flathead. However, your best estuary fishing is still on the edges, around structure.
Plenty of salmon on our beaches also for a good fun school holiday activity.
Graham Herbert at Moruya reports the Moruya and Tuross rivers have really fired up this week and there is some great fishing to be had.
Plastics have worked well for flathead on the sand flats in the Moruya river mouth.
From the four-ways in Tuross all the way up to the highway bridge has produced plenty of flathead with reports of one angler landing 30 in one session.
Schools of bream are hanging around the hole in the wall at Moruya. Drifting lightly weighted plastic down the wall has been very effective. Using the same method with baits like prawns and nippers is also working well.
The oyster leases in Tuross are fishing well for bream on a high tide using hardbodied lures and a few have also been tempted to a surface bite using surface walkers.
Tailor are hanging around Quarry wharf in Moruya and the boat shed at Tuross. They haven't been very fussy and are taking most baits and lures.
On the rocks and beaches, salmon have slowed a little but there is still a few around. Pillies and gang hooks are your best bet targeting the gutters along North heads, South heads and Tuross beaches.
Bream, tailor and the odd flathead are also being caught along the beaches using prawns and beach worms and also on small metal blade lures.
Crayfish are around the rocks in good numbers at the moment and our locally made cray pots have been working extremely well.
Offshore, when the weather permitted the few that got out over the weekend done reasonably well. Some nice snapper were caught just off Tuross. A good berley trail was reportedly the key and floating pillie cubes down the trail was working a treat.
The reefs offshore are fishing well for all your typical species with a few big mowies boated.
The 70-metre mark has been the sweet spot for good numbers of flathead as of late with double hookups on the old faithful paternoster rig.
Thanks Graham!
NSGFC report – With the easing of the Westerly winds, members of Narooma Sport and Gamefishing Club have finally started fishing again!
Pete Rando and Les Waldock chased bass and estuary Perch up the Tuross River settling for some nice flathead in the very clear water.
Pete O'Kane fished his favourite flathead drifts off Dalmeny with fellow member John Kozman for a great feed of delicious flathead.
Eric and Cathy Teague fished the Island for a nice feed of snapper and morwong for their first fish in quite a while.
Member Bob Conkey showed off his beach fishing skills at Tilba Cemetery Beach during the week with a catch of salmon, bream and trevally. Lots of small fish and crabs were a nuisance.
The dolphins, pilchards, whales and seabirds off the coast at the moment are well worth a look if you can get out or take one of the great charters available in Narooma.
This Friday has a “tuition” night with Les, Pete and John, from 4.30pm, showing how to bait correctly, what rigs to use and soft plastic techniques. Friday is also our eat at the club night with hamburgers on the menu.
Great night to come along and learn about fishing stuff whilst having a drink with members and guests. – Jan