Saturday 19, May 2012
Kayak Fishing the South Coast Reefs by Craig Coughlan from www.tournamentfishingaustralia.com
The NSW south coast has endless possibilities for keen anglers hoping to tackle many different species of reef fish that hang around the headlands, bommies and reefs, and there is always something on offer year round. Australian Salmon and Snapper are the dominant species during the cooler months, and Kingfish and Bonito are common during the warmer months of the year just to name a few.
The above mentioned species are a common target for kayak anglers, you can ‘usually’ find an area sheltered from sea or swell, and in many locations you dont need to travel more than a few hundred metres from land to find them and each year more, and bigger fish are being reported by kayak anglers on the south coast. With the increasing popularity of kayak fishing as a sport I’m sure the reports will continue.
Over the past few years and after gathering a lot of information from many source’s (including the Fishing Australia TV series), Snapper have become one of my favourite fish to target offshore. Their willingness to take lures and their reputation as a fighter, especially on light gear makes them a ideal target for kayakers. Casting ahead of your drift with soft plastic lures like jerkbaits, worm or prawn imitations are always a good option, and size can vary from 4 inch to 7 inch. My colour choice also varies, but white soft plastic lures are a good start and usually tempts a few fish even on the quiet days.
When I am casting lures for Snapper, i like to use lighter lines for a couple of reasons. As with a lot of fish, they will become line shy if your line diameter is too big, and a finer line diameter will also help with getting your lures down to the fish, the finer the line, the less resistance through the water there is. I have caught decent Snapper on line as light as 6 pound but as you would expect, I have lost a lot too so my combo’s are spooled with 10 pound braid and leader and I carry another heavier combo spooled with 15 pound braid and leader for when im fishing close to headlands and bommies.
When the Snapper are quiet, Salmon are always a good option and they are usually found in the wash around a lot of the headlands and bommies that you would expect to find Snapper and are always willing to take lures. Salmon fight hard, but unlike Snapper they don’t try to bust you off in the rocks and reef so fishing light bream style gear is a great way to spend a day on the water casting lures into the wash and ripping them back fast while a pack of hungry Salmon swarm in to take the lure.
In the warmer months of the year, Kingfish and Bonito can be targeted in the same way as Salmon using high speed spinning gear. Bonito are clean fighters like Salmon, so light lines are a good option, especially when you find a school of larger fish they will put up a good fight and hours of fun if you stay with them. Kingfish on the other hand fight very dirty and will get you into the reef before you know it if you give them half a chance. I like to fish line classes in the 30 – 40 pound for spinning, and up to 80 pound on my jigging combo’s and for live baiting.
Kingfish numbers are on the rise on the south coast, so the chances of tangling with some of these brutes increases every year thanks to the banning of Kingfish traps 15 years ago, the results of this action is definitely starting to show now and with summer on its way, its time to get out and enjoy it. Last but not least, safety is very important when kayak fishing offshore. Wear a PFD, check the weather forecast for your area and check your state’s legal requirements for what additional safety equipment you must carry. Heading out with other kayakers is a good idea as well, you can’t be too careful.
Craig Coughlan
