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Previous
Reports April
to June 2004 Offshore Sydney
Harbour John Dory have come on
in the Harbour proper this season as well or better than any season for
quite a while. Good fish have been taken on a quite regular basis by those
dropping live Yellowtail on light line, down around wharves and other
structure in deep water. These fish are notoriously lazy so any area with
the slightest current is out. They also seem to possess a dislike to bright
sunlight, and are usually taken from shady areas or in the low light conditions
of early morning or late evening. Broken Bay Broken Bay The odd decent size Australian Salmon has been taken on the troll around a few of the rocky open headland areas, especially by those using deep running bibbed minnows. Good colour patterns include blues and silvers, with the best luck being had on lures around 7cm long. Some Tailor have also been taken in a similar manner, and the occasional Bonito is also about and will strike hard at larger lures. Whiting have been the bonus of Broken Bay fishing of late, with some absolutely huge fish - as whiting go - being taken in the last days. Empire Bay is a great place to start, with up to 30 fish in a session bagged from around there several times this week. There is a major pre-requisite though, as these fish will take fresh squirt worms and fresh squirt worms only. Other baits may get the odd hit but will produce no decent hauls.
Big ‘blue nose’ Bream are being taken from the more open parts of the harbour. Rocky washes from Kirribilli to Middle Head all hold fish, especially those with a bit of deep water. Moorings and floating wharves with good weed growth are also offering up their share of beauties. Fresh squid or small pilchard pieces are best for the bait fisher. Best results are being had by those using as little weight as possible. For those using soft plastics, watermelon or blue colours have been quite devastating in the more open waters. Make sure you are fishing right on the bottom.
Botany Bay Trevally are about in decent numbers at the moment in Botany bay, and most spots around Structure are fishing well. Berley is needed to bring the fish on the bite, and to bring them round the boat. The best method is then to fish with as light a set up as possible, down into the berley trail created. Peeled Prawns or live Nippers the best baits. Schools of small Tailor have started to cruise the Bay lately, as the cooler currents flow in. Some big fish have also been pulled out of the schools. Tailor will notoriously take almost any fresh fish bait, as well as hammering any lures that are placed in front of them. Try trolling lures in size 7 to 9 around areas of rocky outcrop or submerged structure.
Big Australian Salmon up to 2.5 kg are on the bite throughout the harbour. Often you will find them in schools which include some decent size Tilor. All of these fish are readily taking soft plastics, flies, and very small chrome lures from 10 - 40gms of weight, however when the Salmon are feeding tiny baits it can hard to prompt a bite on anything other than tiny flies like surf candies. Good places to start searching out these schools are Bradleys Head, and Dobroyd Pt. Luderick fisho’s have been having a ball this week down at Balmain. Find a nice area that includes weed, rock ledges and sand, and berley up with a mix of green weed and sand. Plenty of fresh green weed and fresh cabbage weed can be found on the rocks at present and these are two of the Ludericks favourite foods. Be careful not to just wind the weed onto the hook. Presentation of the bait is crucial.
report: ( 08 - JUNE - 2004 ) Sydney
Harbour The arrival of some small yet vigorous Trevally has lifted the general fishing quality of the Harbour from its malaise of recent weeks. Light line and peeled prawns will ensure a days fun on these hard fighting fish. Good results are being had around the Quarrantine marker buoy, particularly by those remembering to berley heavily, however most of the areas of the harbour, especially closer to the mouth, will hold trevally. Look for well established structure, such as channel markers and pylons. Small Tailor are still about in the cooler waters of the harbour, and given their aggressive nature, are one of the few winter fish to strike heavily at hard-bodied lures all winter. Plenty of fun can be had trolling around Middle Head at the moment, with lures around size 7 in blue or silver patterns having the most success. Line class of around 5kg with a stronger leader is the minimum recommendation, especially as some larger Salmon have been hanging around similar areas to the Tailor, and will take the same lures.
report: ( 04 - JUNE - 2004 ) Sydney
Harbour Some big Bream are being taken from inside the Harbour, especially around rocky washes with some deepwater access. Man made structures such as heavily encrusted wharf pylons are also proving a hot favourite. Fresh fish pieces as well as pudding baits will put you in with a good shot. Remember these bigger fish are rather wary, and must be deceived using a combination of very light line, as little weight as possible, and as small and sharp a hook as can feasibly hold under the weight of the fish. Unweighted baits are also proving successful. The schools of Salmon that
have been cruising up the coast in the last week or so are still there,
both outside the Heads and inside the Harbour including around Fairlight
and over toward Clifton Gardens. The best chance of finding them, especially
without a good sounder, are to make sure you head out early of a morning.
Weather permitting the Salmon should surface just after dawn, especially
around the Heads, when the schools feed on the masses of bait they have
forced to the surface. Metal slices from 15gms to 60gms cast around the
schools are having most success. Remember that Salmon are on the whole
a skittish fish and will be put down by loud engine noise in their vicinity.
Motor up to about 50 metres from the school and drift the rest of the
way in. report: ( 28 - MAY - 2004 ) Offshore Sydney
Harbour Salmon have been sighted around North and South Head in massive numbers, with football field sized schools smashing up bait on the surface, especially mornings and evenings. They have not been as fussy as their earlier season cousins and can be taken on most of the smaller metal slices, from 10grams to 60gms, as well as trolled bibbed minnows around size 7. They can even be taken on soft plastics, especially those in natural looking silver grey or black patterns. There are also Salmon to be found inside the Harbour around the Quarrantine Marker bouy and further in toward Dobroyd Pt. Broken
Bay The occasional Jewfish has been taken in the last week, but not in any number, and mostly only small school versions. It is questionable whether it is worth getting wet and cold to target them at present. There are small schools of mullet in and around Berowra Waters with the odd Jewy feeding on them. Drop some very fresh Squid, whole or in strips, under and around the mullet schools and you will be in with a great shot. There is also the odd fish up as far as Spencer and even Wisemans Ferry. Hawkesbury report: ( 14 - MAY - 2004 ) Pittwater There have been a few reports of the odd small Frigate Mackerel school cruising the inside of Pittwater. Small silver slices of about 20 or 30gms cast over and retrieved through any schools spotted could provide some great light gear excitement and a catch to talk about for a while.
Dolphin Fish are thinning out considerably and while there has still been the occasional fish taken in the last few days they are not out in numbers that make them worth targeting. Yellowfin Tuna are out and about and a few have been sighted south east of Browns Mountain, as well as further off the shelf up to 40nm out. Once found can be enticed into a well laid cube trail. Fish between 40kg and 70kg have been taken in recent days. Mako Sharks have been caught this week from around The Peak, with decent size sharks from 120kg to 170kg being taken. Chumming in large quantities is vital if you wish to have any luck.
Broken Bay Large Calamari are beginning
to move in throughout Broken Bay for the winter and can be taken on 1.5
to 2.5 size squid jigs. Look for areas of weed interspersed with sand
especially near a drop off. Cowan Creek has a few likely spots, including
around Leather Jackets are all about in Broken Bay from areas of rock and kelp to structure such as well encrusted wharves. Fish to a kilogram have taken peeled prawns and other fresh baits rigged on small size ten hooks. Salmon are coming on inside Broken Bay, and in the last day or two have been taken as far up the Hawkesbury as the Road and Rail bridges. The fish are taking pilchards fished half way to the bottom as well as baits such as squid fished right on the bottom and otherwise intended for Jewfish.
report: ( 07 - MAY - 2004 ) Sydney
Harbour Plenty of large Slimy Mackerel are still in North Harbour, where they have been resident for the past month or two. Small baits on light line (4lb or less) fished into a strong berley trail will keep you hooked up. Remember these fish may be used as bait, but they can give you a run for your money on light tackle. The fish of around 35-40cm make superb live bait for any large winter Kingfish which may be in residence around the Heads, as well as a multitude of other large predators. Slow trolling a live Slimy just off the bottom around the outside of South Head can produce monster strikes. John Dory, that tasty if rather strange looking fish of the Harbour in winter, has returned with some vigour to the wharves and other structure in the more open areas of the harbour. Around Clifton Gardens has been a hot spot of late, as has the bombora at Dobroyd, with the occasional fish also taken from both Wedding Cake markers. Live baits especially smaller yellowtail up to 10cm long prove the most effective tempters, and will ensure you don’t get baited by any of the little pickers that co-habit the Dory’s domain. The much cooler water lately has not put pay to all the fishing, as some good sized Jewfish have been taken from the Harbour over recent nights. Bridges such as Gladesville and The Spit have proved productive, with mostly school sized Jewies being bagged. Fish fresh white strips of squid into the eddies formed on the down current side of structure or holes around the bridges, especially on the outgoing tide. Live Yellowtail and fresh mullet strips are also providing the odd good catch.
There is still some bait at West Head. Whilst not in as prolific numbers as has been the case over recent weeks, you can still fill the bait tank. Yellowtail, as well as the occasional Slimy Mackerel, and Garfish, are all over the bait grounds. Berley the bait schools about the boat and use strips of squid or firm pilchards for best results.
report 30 April 2004
Bonito are about around the inside of North Head, as well as around South Head towards the Gap. Trolling bibbed minnows especially blues around 9cm long will get you hooked up on the South Head run, whilst inside North Head and further into the Harbour especially around Dobroyd bombora, live baits such as Yakkas, Squid and Slimy Mackerel are doing the trick.
Flathead up to 70cm are still chomping down on little live Yellowtail where ever they spy one drifting past, from Lion Island to Spencer and even higher. Likely drift spots include Refuge and Americas bays, around Dangar Island, the Pittwater drift, and the entrance to Brisbane Waters. Make sure you use enough weight to get your bait to the bottom. Broken Bay Jewfish have been taken from quite a few areas of Broken Bay. Numbers of fish in the 3 to 5 kg range can be found from Lion Island to Spencer. Bar point reef has been a good producer of late, as have the road and rail bridges. Most success is being had on live Yakkas, live Squid, or the whitest of white fresh Squid. Deep holes on the edge of the main current or rocky reef outcrops that cause large eddies for these lazy fish to wait in, ready to ambush prey, are the best go.
The drop in water temp has hit Pittwater as quickly as it hit Sydney Harbour, and with it has come the same drop in feeding intensity, especially from the Kingfish. Occasional Rat sized Kingfish can be brought into the berley trail around Scotland Island and when found will take baits, but only if they are very well presented and very fresh (or live). Lighter line will certainly bring you more hook ups, and if you back yourself and don’t happen to be around too much structure, you may be able to land some. Bream have finally made it up to McCarrs creek in some better numbers, loving fresh squid bait, as well as live nippers or fresh Hawkesbury prawns. When good berley is used some Trevally can be brought in around the boat in the same area. Tailor have also been hanging around Pittwater taking lures, baits and pretty much anything thrown at them. The average size is pretty small but can be good fun on light tackle. Plenty of live bait is available from bait grounds around West Head, with a few Slimy Mackerel and even the odd Garfish being taken from amongst them.
Its change of season for most parts of Sydney at the moment and Botany Bay is no different. Cooler waters has influenced the feeding habits of most of the summer species none more so than the Kingfish, which have unfortunately gone right off the bite in the Bay. Bonito however are still about to save the situation as well as the occasional Australian Salmon, both of which can be trolled up around the Heads using blue and silver chrome slices of between 25 and 55gms or bibbed minnows of between 7 and 11cm. Offshore Offshore has been a serious mixed bag over recent days, with autumn weather and autumn water temperatures bringing and end to most of the Summer fishing. It is now wait and see time until better winter fish such as Yellowfin hopefully come on. Shark fishing is the only activity you can hope to have much success on until there is another change in the conditions. Dolphin fish are still about off Sydney but in nowhere near the number they were in summer. They are also extremely skittish especially when presented with a lure or bait. Some are being taken on live Yellowtail or similar live fish baits however the average size is only 1-2kg. Occasional catches on fresh pilchards or metal lures around 60gms have been reported. Not every FAD is holding fish as was almost the case recently.
report: ( 23 - APRIL - 2004 ) Sydney
Harbour The inside of North Head is fishing well for a couple of different species of fish at the moment. Big Salmon and winter Tailor of 3-4kg are being taken on all sorts of baits, from fresh Squid and Whitebait, to live Yellowtail. Huge Kingfish of up to 12kg have been sighted following hooked fish to the boat in the same area. Super strong gear is required if you want to try and catch yourself one of those monsters.
A few good sized Jewfish have been taken in recent days from underneath the bridges, especially Tom Uglies bridge. A dedicated night fish into the current eddies around the bridge pylons should provide positive results. Live baits such as Yakkas and Squid, or fresh Mullet strips, are the best baits to start on. Remember not to use only one bait type and be prepared to be flexible if you see one working better than the others. Kingfish are still about in the Bay, however they are both a bit harder to find and less keen to bite at the moment, mostly due to the slight drop in water temperature that has occoured in recent days. Good berley is required both to get the Kingies close, and to keep them around. The best baits at the moment are either live Squid or live Yakkas. Plenty of Trevally are in the Bay at the moment, and can be taken on light line from places such as The Sticks, Bare Island, and Watts Bay. The end of the old runway is also producing fish in good numbers. Fresh prawns out fish most baits every time when targeting Trevally, especially if they are peeled. Good sized Flatties are being taken though out most areas of the Bay at the moment, on the drift over shallow sandy grounds. Small fresh fish pieces or whole small fish baits such as anchovies will provide best results.
Good catches of Bonito are being taken from about the headland areas of the Bay, including Box Head and around Barrenjoey. Trolling skirted lures around the 5 inch mark have proved especially effective. Colours to use include pinks and reds. Flatties are still being taken from rocky coves and similar areas especially those with a sand and shell grit bottom. Drifting live baits over likely areas is the best method of attack as some of these fish are 80cm and larger. Please remember that every fish over about 60cm is a female and likely to be spawning. Releasing these fish is crucial to the future of the species, so much so that you may only keep one dusky flathead over 60cm. If possible do not keep any over that length. Large soft plastics are also doing damage, especially in colour schemes of black and gold. Plenty of aggressive Bream
are smashing soft plastics, hard bodied lures, and very fresh or live
baits, well presented into Berowra Waters. Look for deepwater structure
heavily encrusted with oysters and other marine life, and fish right on
the bottom for best results.
Upper Hawkesbury feeder creeks are producing Bass of up to 40cm. Most are falling to surface lures in the morning and evening. Fizzers, surface breakers, bass cicadas, scum frogs and poppers are all doing the trick. Cast as close to edge structure as possible.
report: ( 16- APRIL - 2004 ) Sydney Harbour Schools of Slimy Mackerel have popped up in North Harbour. Plenty of this fantastic bait can be found in pockets of that part of the harbour and they are relatively easily berleyed up. Most of the fish are in the 20 – 30cm range. These fish are the best live bait available for Dolphin Fish, Kingies, Bonito and other larger predators. Bonito of some substantial size are being taken on large diving lures, round the 10-12cm range, on the South Head troll. Troll from South Head lighthouse round as far as The Gap to give yourself the best chance. Bonito love shiny metallic lures, especially in silver and blue. Troll as fast as the lure you are using will allow. The North Head troll is also proving quite effective, with Australian Salmon being the majority catch, but still the odd Kingfish and a couple of Bonito being taken, especially if you continue the troll further around toward Bluefish Pt. Salmon usually fall for lures around the 7-9cm range and love Blue colours, such as the Rapala blue sardine. They may not be the greatest tasting fish in the world, but pound for pound are one of the best fighting fish in Sydney. Fishing in Sydney Harbour proper has been a little on the mixed bag side recently, with mainstay winter fish such as John Dory, big Bream and Trevally being the major catches around areas of structure. Baits such as very small live Yewllowtail (of which there are plenty off the kelp beds at Balmoral), are the best way to target these fish whilst ensuring you are not bothered by so many of the little pickers that are stealing fresh baits at the moment. Bream and Trevally are throughout the harbour on most areas of structure, however the John Dory are restricted in range, being taken mostly from around Quarrantine and over toward Clifton Gardens. Plenty of big mullet have also been spotted in the harbour of late, the recent rains having flushed them out into the more open parts of the harbour. This can only mean one thing; plenty of Jewfish must be lurking about nearby. A night fish with some live mullet or fresh mullet strips tossed in around the deeper holes of the Harbour should put you on the track to one of those elusive big Jewies.
Kingies are around and
are smashing lures and live baits, from inside Pittwater around to Barrenjoey.
Look out for surface activity, (baitfish, birds and boils), to get yourself
into a school. Yakkas or Squid are the best live baits. The best lures
are in greens and yellows, around 9cm long. Big sea mullet are schooling
out amongst the moorings and around marinas in Pittwater, which is allowing
the Kings to cruise in and help themselves. Getting a live bait out around
one of these schools is a brain tearing bust up waiting to happen! Bonito have made some small appearances this summer, and are now showing their faces in larger numbers, in areas around South and North Head. Fish can be found schooling back and forth along the seaward ledges, especially around South Head. Lures have taken the occasional fish, both bibbed minnows and skirted lures, but most successful have been live Yakkas, either fished near a rocky ledge or slow trolled around toward the Gap. The occasional Australian Salmon has also been taken in the same manner. Good Flatties still abound in the harbour, though the average size is not what it was a few months ago, most of the larger females having already spawned and moved out of the estuaries. Sandy areas with a deep water drop off are the best spots to start tracking down a flatty, especially with some type of soft plastic lure, as it allows you to cover a large amount of area in search of this quite sedentary fish. Fish your lure right on the bottom, with the occasional lift and sink, for best results. At least two big Jewfish, both around 20kg, have been taken from the upper areas of Middle Harbour in recent days, around areas where fresh water creeks meet the brackish water. Surprisingly both were taken on soft plastics in the 5” to 6” range. Long hours of cast and retrieve are often needed to bring in such a catch, but the smile should you be successful will last you a week. A stop start retrieve, with the lure right on the bottom the whole time, will produce the best results. Tailor are schooling in the more open areas of the Harbour, and are often being taken whilst fishing for other species. Look to work areas around open rocky structure, especially when chasing them with lures. A variety of trolled lures from bibbed minnows to silver slices will do the trick. Most fresh or live fish baits will also produce the goods when chasing these sharp toothed, aggressive fish. Strong trace is essential.
Big ‘blue nose’ Bream are being taken from the more open parts of the harbour. Rocky washes from Kirribilli to Middle Head all hold fish, especially those with a bit of deep water. Sow and Pigs reef is also a great place to target these fish at the moment. Fresh squid or fish are the best for the bait fisher. For those using soft plastics, watermelon or blue colours have been quite devastating in the more open waters. Make sure you are fishing right on the bottom. Flathead are being taken from most of the upper reaches of the harbour, mostly from bays with some shallow ground and good tidal flow, so these ambush fish can sneak a feed. Whitebait are a great bait for Flatties, and that is especially so at the moment, with the average fish somewhere around the 50cm mark. A single long shanked hook with a strong trace is the best rig. Kingfish can still be found in and around the harbour structure, but are becoming less and less common. Fleeting appearances lately have been around the ‘Sow and Pigs’ reef, the Wedding Cake markers, Dobroyd Pt and around the Quarrantine marker buoy. Live Yakkas have been out-fishing squid in recent days, and can be slow trolled past markers or fished just off the bottom. When some Kingies are found it takes lots and lots of berley to keep them in the area. Be ready. South Head is still throwing up some decent Bonito, the occasional Australian Salmon, and plenty of Tailor, mostly to lures trolled around from South Head toward The Gap. Most of the fish are quite small, ranging from 35 – 45cm. Lures around 7 – 9cm long are the most effective. Offshore Kingfish are being taken from outside North Head and at Long Reef. Big fish up to a metre long have been taken, with large live baits required to entice them. Broken Bay Jewfish are fairly common
at the moment from Broken Bay proper to up around Brooklyn. Bar Pt reef
especially is throwing up fish of around 6kg. Generally the best bait
is the freshest and whitest squid that you can find, but mullet strips
have also been successful in recent days. Rig the bait on a strong 60cm
long trace with double hooks, allowing the bait to flow in the current,
for best results. Sydney
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