Snapper are reporting along our local reefs all the way south past Haycock, Lennards Island, North Head and to Green Cape where fish up to the 3kg mark have been taken.  This portends well for Merimbula’s Annual Snapper Classic later in May. 

Morwong are more common off the northern reefs including Long Point, White Rock and the Pinnacle north of Kianinny.   Chinamen leatherjackets are becoming more of a problem and anglers are advised to fish early morning before they school up.  Dropping a rig for flathead that simply does not reach the bottom is no fun for anyone.  Compounding the problem is the influx of green oceanic toads that chew off lines just as easily as the chinamen.  Large schools of sweep don’t help.

Australian salmon and tailor are schooling off the headlands and also the beaches from near Bournda Island, Tura Beach, Middle Beach, Haycock and Aslings beaches.   Best time is evening on a rising tide.  Try salted pilchards or 30-50gm silver spinners.  Schools of bonito off the headlands as well can quickly break the monotony.

Medium size bronze whaler sharks (to 3m) have been hooked at both the Tathra Wharf and the Merimbula Fishing Platform, so it looks like the time of year when sharks are plentiful inshore.  From the wharfs, calamari squid seem best just before full dark but this may change as the moon fills. 

Flounder have come on the chew in Merimbula Lake together with trevally and bream.  Anchovie bait fish in the lake have kept large schools of tailor busy providing anglers excellent sport.  All you need is a silver spinner. 

Large blue swimmer crabs are abundant, make sure you use legal crab traps and not nets.  At Pambula  there are good bream and trevally and along the drop off near the shark hole some beautiful six spined leatherjackets.  Try Pambula Broadwater for dusky flathead and the entrance for salmon. The Bega River continues to give good bream up river and dusky flathead and whiting at Mogereeka.

Local anglers are preparing for the Tri Club “Grudge Match” (Merimbula, Pambula and Eden Clubs) scheduled for May 4-6 and hosted by Pambula.  This is a popular event and can be a good warm-up for the annual Merimbula Snapper Classic to be held on May 26-27.  The Club is open every Friday evening commencing 6.30 pm.  Visitors are very welcome.  Come and enjoy the fishing report, the ambience, friendship and lovely views with very competitive bar prices.  Darragh Reynolds is your scheduled host.  All enquires to John McKay on 0427 639 585.  Membership Application, Membership Renewal and everything you need to know about local fishing is on the Club’s Website: www.mbglac.com.au