Fishing Reports

 

Fishing in the Bay and surrounds is pretty average at present. However, a few good keen men and women, as well as boys and girls from the local Homestead Tavern Fishing Club, gave it their best shot over the weekend. And though many came home convinced that the fishing was poor, a few came home with the bacon and won a fistful of dollars and a ham or two. Ashley Paterson won the kingfish prize of $600.00 cash for a Red Head special of 12.13kg. Others to collect hams for kingfish were Scott Wilson and Buzz Lines. 1st Toddler was Shanae Simpson with a snapper of 3.16kg while Jack Collard won the junior section with a noddy of 4kg. Bill Joyce, with a snap of 7kg took out the best in overalls for $500.00 cash while Moose won first bloke’s snapper with a fish of 6.4kg and Lena Civil cleaned up in the ladies section with a red of 6.5kg. John Thorne won the mystery weight section, coming closest to the average of 2.715kg. He earned another $500 cheque for his efforts. Numbers fishing this contest made it one of the more successful of recent club competitions. Thanks to the fishos, the organizing committee and the hardworking Homestead staff. However, most thanks should be offered the man in the sky, for finally, at long last, bringing us all a taste of real summer weather. Out wide, the big game fishing fraternity are digging deep for some optimism. Water temperatures remain uncharacteristically low, even as far out as 60ks offshore. Which is where Alibi and others have been reportedly looking for a beaky or two. Marking the lean-ness of the pickings so far this season, Major Tom and Allure are amongst the few local boats to have landed a beaky in recent days. Experienced locals, however, point out that recent early starts are the exception rather than the rule, and that the game-fishing season doesn’t usually hit its strides until after school returns. In the Bay, where the water too is still well below 20°C, the activities of local charter operators can point to a number of strategies for success. Terry Newcombe of Island Water Taxis has had some early morning luck under working birds. Simon Howard of Bay Knight has been keeping his punters happy over deep-water fouls out from the Pin while Warren on Skipper Jim struck gold Monday out from Deep Water Cove and Captain Bucko Lane had a good day around the Whale and drifting the middle ground. To summarise the situation; it would appear that we are already in an Autumn fishing mode. Spent snapper, along with a few fatties can be found up the estuaries with schoolies still awaiting temperatures to rise for spawning found out wide. Most snapper being caught have yet to spawn. As the Bay quietens down after the holiday boating onslaught, don’t be surprised if schooling snapper return to the inner Bay to complete the spawning cycle as the water temperature rises. While cool waters may frustrate the noddy reproductive cycle, they could bode well for snapper fishos by keeping pelagic snapper in the Bay until well into February. From reports to hand, the following strategies seem worthy of consideration: (1) traditional spots are hit and mostly miss but recovering as I write, (2) birds may be worth investigating, (3) night fishing can make the difference while (4) drifting between fifty and seventy meters between Rocky Point and the Ninepin seems the most fruitful. (5) a dusk fish up the estuaries and amongst the mangroves could yield some pleasant surprises. Tight lines!

 

From Steven Radich

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 23 January 02