Fishing Australia

CATCH DINNER AFTER DINNER

I fished the Clyde River last week and the trick was to chill out during the hot bright parts day with activities like swimming, surfing and the like, and then fish for just a short period around any tide change that happens late in the evening or at night.

Fishing from the sand bank on the north side of the river near the Princes Highway Bridge I was able to rustle up 2 smaller flattys and then a superb keeper around the 55cm mark.These faster flowing deeper sections of the Clyde are much easier to fish for around half an hour either side of the tide change when the flow is at its slowest: you can get to the bottom with less weight and less belly in your line and it’s also when the local fish bite best.

I was testing out a new XRap 6102 SPL spin stick at the time and found that an extra high quality like this rod spooled with 6 lb braid and 8 lb leader makes a huge difference.  Much easier than when using a heavier rod and line, and the finesse factor of good gear like this makes for much more fun.

I did play around with a lot of new lures, but the 7 cm twitching nipper and the 7 cm slam minnow fished on a 7 gram jig head got the most bites.  A little scent of some sort, I used ultrabite bream gel, made a noticeable difference even with the smaller bream, tailor and other species.

My kids were catching poddy mullet on bread and small hooks in a nearby slow flowing shallow area and while answering one of their questions I got one bite on the drop that nearly pulled the rod out of my hand.  It was probably a Jewfish or XL flathead, but I will never know.

There was also hordes of chopper sized tailor that will respond to 10 gram metal lures or small cut baits.  The number or poddies, larger mullet, and various other species is unreal.  The Clyde is alive with life at the moment.

The next night I fished standing next to the red marker bouy on the east end of the main break wall.  A nice tailor around 50 cm, one small flatty and one solid flatty around 75 cm came my way.  I fished for about 45 min either side of the tide change and was back in time for a movie.  Too easy.

There has been some good flattys caught during the day in estuaries all along the south coast, but the fishing is generally much better in the evening or at night.  You can also get some good catches at dawn, but if I am going to get up at 5 am it will be for something more than just a few flattys…

SOUTH COAST REEF PLATTER

If you want a more sizable seafood platter in double quick time you can’t beat heading out to the reef grounds.

The folks from Bluefin charters at Batemans bay report good fishing, especially when the wind and current have been low enough to allow them to fish the deeper areas between 38 and 48 fathoms.  

A larger variety of species including pigfish and tiger flathead  can be found on the deeper marks, while better snapper and mowie fishing has been available in closer around the 38 fathom mark.

In fact the lads have had a few red hot sessions on snapper and mowies when the conditions allow them to get back on top of sounded fish easily.

Leather jackets have been thick in some areas; use wire trace or keep your baits moving if you don’t want to be bitten off as much.  If you don’t like eating leather jackets simply move to another spot.

A few small kingfish, with the occasional better specimen, some mako sharks, lots of sweep and a few trevally have also been about. Inside the headlands has been producing lots of just legal sized flathead, a few pinkie snapper and the occasional small whaler shark. Most charter operators and private boats report good reef fishing when conditions are suitable. Best baits and squid and pilchard cocktails, striped tuna, slimy mackerel and yakka strips and carp strips.  

Have a happy and safe new year, and tight lines for 2010

Rob Paxevanos