With warmer currents moving back closer to the coast, anglers have reported good catches of ocean flathead from the usual spots off Bithrys and White Rock, north and south of Tathra respectively.
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Good flathead are also on the chew about Tura Headland and Bournda Island. The schools of oceanic green toads reported last week seem to have moved out into deeper waters and haven’t been a problem. With the full moon, gummy shark (flake) are back on the menu with some magnificent fish being returned to Kianniny.
Much further south at Disaster Bay, some great snapper in the 1.5 to 3kg range herald the return of our snapper stock and portends well for the Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club’s Caltex Merimbula Snapper Classic on May 27-28. With a $1000 cash first prize, this is a must-not-miss tournament.
At the moment intense competition from swarms of red rock cod around our local reefs can make morwong and snapper difficult to catch. Best bait is fresh slimy mackerel and pilchards. Near Eden “rat” kingfish (undersized) are prolific just a few km out from the Quarantine Bay launching ramp, but there are some “hoodlums” among them. Usually found much further out to sea, anglers have been boating mahi mahi (dolphin fish) in the same areas.
Salmon are schooling around Bournda Island and Short Point. For beach fishers try Haycock. On the beach, good returns can come using three ganged hooks presenting a whole pilchard. After dark remember to use a wire trace as there are some large tailor on the prowl.
Game fishing has picked up with the change in the current and a number of striped marlin have been tagged and released off Merimbula, generally along the first drop-off at 70 fathoms.
Good fish remain on the chew in our estuaries. With the moon full some great jewfish, reportedly up to 15kg, have been taken overnight in the Merimbula Top Lake. Large tailor are common in both Pambula and Merimbula lakes. There are also good dusky flathead as well as bream and even snapper. Soft plastics or burley and pilchards are the way to go. Best bait for whiting in the lower Merimbula Lake remains squirt worms. Good-sized blue swimmer crabs are abundant in Merimbula and Pambula lakes.
The Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club is open every Friday evening from 6.30pm. Visitors are 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. Everything you need to know about local fishing is on the Club’s Website www.mbgalac.com.au. Keep your rods bent!
