Nowra Report

This report is supplied by Tackle World Nowra

October 28, 2021

The Shoalhaven river is alive with Flathead, flicking plastics accounting for some quality lizards in recent weeks, plus Jewfish, Bream and Estuary Perch. Before the rain, from the Grotto to Broughton creek was firing. This week the lower reaches are a good place to flick some Squidgies, Shimma Shrimps or Prolure Fishtail for flathead. The hot Jewfish lure recently, split between Silver fox -Squidgee Fish or a white paddle Tail! Reports from the Basin have included some top water action with big flathead being released from the flats and dropoff areas. The deep water firing for snapper, fishing plastics, blades and soft vibes. A similar story from Conjola, flatties on a mix of plastics and bream on crank (Prolure- 36) and top water whiting. The bass fishing has kicked into gear, some surface action started with both the river and dams warrant checking the barometer for a session. The smaller creeks fishing better for surface with frogs lures or flicking flies plus slow rolling cranks. Good results coming from fishing the dams with Jackal TN60, plus little grub plastics and spinnerbaits.

September 10, 2021

The big question for the weekend is, fresh or salt? With some stories of Bass, coming from the paddlers & peddlers, who have been using a variety of surface lures and divers. Fishing in the local impoundments, the river and creeks since the opening of the season! With warm, windy days forecast, it should be perfect to get your lure smashed off the surface! If you’re working lower in the brackish water, some big estuary perch up to 450 mm have been smacking the {Pro lure grub} tail 60mm in motor oil during the past week. Further down the system, flathead are on the bite, 4-inch in the Keitech- Easy Shiner, Gulp Minnow – watermelon pearl & the classic. Shimano Squidge’s black & gold fish and the silver fox in the wriggler-100mm. Those are soft plastics that have been the hot pick for the fish in past few weeks! On the local beaches, after the recent big seas. It is worth taking a walk and look, for a decent gutter. As I had reports of a hot salmon bite, lately. It is always worth taking a spinning outfit with some small metal lures. There are some decent tides coming over the weekend, if your hoping to seek out a jewfish at night!. I recall a past season, a September night using a frozen squid head to catch an 8-kilo jewfish on a local beach. On another subject, some quality snapper are coming from the bay area and deeper reefs for those prepared to move around. Your options should include flicking some Gulp plastics or working the Berkley Skid jigs. My own highlights in the recent weeks, include sight casting and fooling a whiting on fly, numerous blackfish plus a trevally on weed flies, flathead and bream on plastics (St Georges basin). Looking forward to getting the boat out over the weekend, on a small creek somewhere!

August 5, 2021

With a wind shift forecast for southerlies due for the weekend, I am hoping to take a boat based foray at Jervis bay on Sunday. My choices could include chasing Squid, Snapper, or Kings. Recent reports of some nice kings around, may require catching live bait, some Yakkas or throwing an EGI for squid to fill the bait tank. With a hot snapper bite from most inshore reefs, the Gulp Nemesis 6.5 inch in colours like pink shine, nuclear chicken and opening night have recently been the most popular plastics.

Further offshore, there is still the odd big Yellowfin on the chew with some jellybeans mixed in. The eddy off JB has started to dissipate with the cold temp break still a little south of JB and the warmer water straight out the front, it is worth while doing some miles if the weather allows. Despite this the best plan is still looking for temperature breaks if you are heading wide. Trolling Profidgees bringing great results, with stickbaiting also producing some epic surface action for those lucky enough to find the big fin hunting bait on the top. There has been some reports of some solid bluefin out wide but not in big numbers we hope they show up in some numbers soon.

If you’re looking at fishing the estuary, the river is producing a mix of species, big blackfish at Greenwell point, some big specimens up to 43 cm on weed flies plus live nippers also getting good results. The Gulp Nemesis in Camo and the Minnow in Smelt in 4 inch “size have been producing good results for those targeting flathead in the lower reaches. With some whispers of jewfish, plus nice estuary perch encountered on plastics and even surface action on poppers at night. Last week I had a couple of fun sessions flicking flies for blackfish. This time switching to an intermediate fly line, with fluro green flies and working my casts just watching the line belly as a strike indicator. My local creek was loaded with some very spooky fish in super clear water. On another note, I hit the basin last weekend for a couple flatties on plastics and had reports of bream in the shallows on hard bodies and smaller paddle tail plastics.Despite being plagued by strong westerlies and flat seas, the local beaches have been alive with salmon and tailor. Spinning metals or flicking pilchards on gangs getting snaffled by some big greenbacks! The coming high tides at dusk in the next few days should be a noted for those still chasing their first jewfish. It’s my favorite moon period to flick a big cut bait or squid head in the surf.

August 14, 2020

After all that rain there’s been a big influx of fresh water that has limited our opportunities, but there are still plenty of options going. With the water so dirty at the moment, heading out and exploring our inshore and offshore reefs would be the best bet to find some Snapper. These fish fire after a big blow and all that dirty water running out to sea really gets them on the chew. Fishing the washes and reefs up to around 80m should see you do well, and it’s always worth concentrating on the dirty water line where the fresh meets the salt.

While things are stirred up, now is a great time to get out on the rocks and chase some bread and butter species. The Bream, Drummer and Snapper should all be fishing well now, and with conditions looking stable until early next week there should be some champagne fishing on offer off the stones this weekend.

If Bream and Flathead are your thing, now is a great time to find them further downstream in our more tidal estuary systems that get more of a flush from the tide.

Further afield, if you’re still looking to scratch that Tuna itch, rumour has it that the Bluefin are wide off Bermagui at the present time, but the water out there is looking good all the way up the coast. As it has been this season, the fish have been spread out so get out there, have a look and be the pioneer! You never know where they’ll turn up.

July 18, 2020

Last week saw probably one of the best Bluefin Tuna bites the south coast has experienced in many years. Fish of over 100kgs seemed to be the norm rather than the exception whipping every game fisho from up and down the coast into a frenzy. So far, trolling lures has been the way to score fish as they have been scattered out over quite some distance anywhere between Kiama down to Batemans, and from just over the shelf to way out wide. You just had to be johhny on the spot, and if you were lucky enough to mark fish on your sounder, chances were you had each lure in your spread smashed a second later. Congratulations to all who landed their PB Bluefin!

Now that the southerly blow appears to be easing, we should hopefully all get another shot at these magnificent fish soon before they move on. Where they’ll pop up is anyone’s guess, but if the weather is good, get out there and be the pioneer! You can’t catch them on your couch.

As far as lures go, the Profidgie’s have been the stand out lure so far (we still have stock in store), as well as deep diving minnows and bibles minnows such as the Halco Max. Skirted lures have also accounted for their fair share of fish too, so don’t neglect them either.

With the Bluefin hype overshadowing everything, we can’t forget there are other fish in the sea! Snapper have been around in great numbers in close recently and with the swell stirring everything up over the past few days, they should really start to fire even more. Fishing the washes once it’s safe to do so should see some excellent Snapper and Drummer fishing for those looking for something that pulls string and tastes great.

The Basin is still fishing well in the deeper sections for Flathead and pan sized Reddies. You may have to keep chipping away through numbers of smaller fish to secure a decent feed of Flattie tails though. There has also been the odd big girl caught too, so don’t discount the possibility of finding that magical metery and now is the time to target some of those thumping big blue nose Bream poking about.

The River is providing some excellent bread and butter species with Bream and Blackfish making up the bulk of fish caught, along with some great EP fishing for those who brave the cold at night.

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June 4, 2020

The weather may be cool but there’s always good fish to be had.
Just a reminder, as of midnight, Monday the 8th, it is closed season for Trout fishing in streams. Now is your last chance to chase these pretty fish for a while so rug up nice and warm and get out there. And while we’re in the sweet water, the chilly mornings and nights mean it’s time for ‘the fish of a thousand casts’…the Murray Cod.

Out wide, there have been a few good Yellowfin caught on the cube north of the bay. Keep a close eye on the temperature charts…fingers crossed we see a better run of Bluefin this season compared to last winter. If the cold water pushes north enough, hopefully the fish will come with it and we can repeat what we’ve had in previous years.

The Snapper fishing has been pretty consistent lately, with a lot of fishos targeting them in close in the washes on baits and plastics. A few guys have been having success on good fish with smaller jigs fishing in 60m and deeper though, so double check the forecast and make a decision.

The river is still fishing well for those after a feed. Bream and Flatties making the bulk of the catch, with some excellent Luderick being caught on fly as well. EP’s are in good numbers around the pylons and the hospital wall, and I also can’t forget to mention Jewfish. You can’t catch them on the couch, and the guys who spend the most time on the water catch the most fish so get out there!

The surface action in the shallows in the Basin has slowed considerably with the cold weather, but the fishing is still hot. Big Tailor and Jewfish have been keeping anglers entertained along with some thumping big blue nose Bream. The Snapper are still playing ball as well.

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May 15, 2020

Mornings are beginning to have a bit of a chill to them but the fishing been great, with something on offer for everyone.

Out wide, the focus has undoubtedly been on Yellowfin. Trolling a variety of lures, covering ground and just being ‘Johnny on the spot’ when they come up has seen some fantastic fish caught recently.
What has been the undoing for the majority of the better fish lately though is Stickbaits. Having a long rod rigged and ready to cast at any actively feeding fish, or even just a single jumping Saurie has meant the difference between not turning a reel all day and having a terrific day that has left some lasting memories for those boats that have taken the effort. Most of the fish have been found anywhere from straight out of JB down to Batemans. With the forecast looking fantastic this weekend, you’d be mad not to head out wide if you can.

Closer in, the great run of Kingfish that we had a few weeks ago has seemingly slowed down a bit, although there are still fish to be had…you just have to find them! Slow trolling livies in all the usual haunts will be your best bet, but if the crowds are out, don’t be afraid to look for your own patch of water.
The Snapper fishing has been pretty consistent lately too in and around the bay. Tide change and low light fishing is your friend, as is a strong berley trail. Soft plastics and soft vibes on the drift have accounted for quite a few good reds, but bait has been the go for more reliable action.

The river and the Basin have been fishing remarkably well for Jewfish lately. The river has been producing good fish up to around the metre mark at night on live baits and plastics during the day. Fishing around the tide change has been the way to go. Over in the Basin, soft vibes in the 70-85mm range have been accounting for the majority of the big fish (up to around 20kg!), but that could be because so many anglers are using them. Plastics, hard bodies and livies all still work a treat and shouldn’t be neglected.

The beaches are fishing well too with Salmon, big Tailor and Whiting making up the majority of fish caught along with a few Jewfish for those willing to put in the effort.

And lastly, there are plenty of Crayfish going around, so charge your torch batteries, jump in and start searching!

March 20, 2020

In close, it’s time to turn your attention to snapper. The past week has seen plenty of fish caught throughout the shallower reef systems, and some good ones too. From what I’ve heard, smaller plastics around the four to five inch size fished on light jig heads and light gear has been doing the trick, however, a big bait wafting around is hard for big red to resist. More and more fish are also being caught by those drifting in around the 30m mark using micro jigs, with the added bonus of the chance of encountering a king or two while you’re at it.

And speaking of kings, there have been plenty about. Live baits being slowly trolled have been accounting for the majority of fish taken this past week, however we’ve had more than one or two anglers coming in to replenish their knife jig stocks after what sounded to be some epic sessions. Jigs between 100 -250 g have been the flavour of late in up to about 50m of water, although some guys have been doing well in much less than that. Get out there, sound around and rip some metal past any marks you find.

While still in and around the bay, the Squidding has been improving a lot and the average size is up on what it has been. They’re great fun and an easy way to get a delicious feed.

Out wide, the Marlin have been proving hard to find unfortunately. There’s plenty of bait being marked, but with no hard edges giving any indication of fish patrolling the schools. But, on a positive note, the current is improving and all things are indicating that we’re in for a strong end to what has already been a great season.

The Basin has been enjoying a good run of pan sized reddies on plastics and soft vibes as well as still producing great numbers of large flatties. With the water still clearing, things can only get better.

And finally, the beaches around us have been firing with great numbers of whiting along with plentiful Salmon and Tailor keeping beach goers amused.

March 11, 2020

Big seas and a strong southerly blow have been forecast for the weekend, which unfortunately coincides with the JB Game Fishing Clubs top 10 Billfish Shootout. For those of you fishing it, there’s good water out there and plenty of Marlin to make the effort worthwhile considering the numbers of fish being caught over the past week or so. Just stay mindful of the conditions and drive accordingly, stay safe!

For those of you with days off during the week, the weather looks great to head out wide. While there isn’t too much in the way of current, perhaps now’s the time to break out the electric reels and do some deep dropping if the Marlin are a bit quiet. I always get a kick out of never knowing what’s coming up from the deep, and there’s the added bonus of some tasty fillets.

Staying in closer, the sharks have been keeping the LBG guys entertained, with plenty of Bronzies and Hammerheads providing some exciting action. Also at this time of year we begin to start seeing more Snapper move into the shallower inshore reefs, and with the current running at a trickle, slowly drifting whilst casting plastics is a great way to get amongst them. Alternatively, fishing unweighted baits in a berley trail after marking fish and anchoring just up current is a sure fire way to increase your chances with these awesome fish.

Again, the beaches are fishing very well at the moment. The Whiting have been the star attraction of late, and for good reason. Terrific numbers of well above average fish have been reported. Live beach worms have been the gun bait, however the frozen variety have been doing well as have the good ‘ol peeled prawn. The number of Tailor and Salmon caught has been increasing, along too with some great Jewfish. Pick a tide change on or just after dark and you’ll be in with a shot of hooking one of those beautiful silver fish.

The Basin is slowly clearing up and the fishing has been consistently good with big Flathead and Bream drawing the most attention. Plastics, hard bodies and baits have all been producing fish and with enough light in the sky still there’s no excuse for missing an afternoon/early evening session.

And finally, the river is very slowly clearing up and beginning to improve. The creeks are fishing well for Bass and more than a few fisho’s have had good sessions on the EP’s at night fishing small blades around rock walls and pylons.

February 15, 2020

As crazy as the rain has been, it’s actually had a very positive effect on some of our fisheries. From all accounts, we have had enough rain to help flush all the ash and debris out from the upper reaches of the river. There were concerns that if there wasn’t enough rain, the small creeks and pools would be choked up resulting in low oxygen levels and possible fish kills.

Thankfully this is not the case, and it’s great news for Bass and Bass anglers alike. There is still however a bit too much flow to fish the shallows effectively, so concentrate your efforts on the deeper pools. A late evening fish may be just what the Doctor ordered!

Further downstream, the river is fishing OK but the water still isn’t the best. A good flush was what it needed, and a good flush is what it got. The water quality will improve soon with a few more tides, so be patient and all will be better before you know it. As you’re waiting, perhaps spend some time on the sand?

The beaches have been producing some thumping big Whiting and Bream in fantastic numbers. Beach worms have been the bait of choice, but if you can’t get them, all the regular standbys such as Pipis and Prawns will hold you in good stead. Also, flood events and Jewfish go hand in hand, and with favourable tides over the next few days you could do worse than taking a heavier outfit with you to the beach (or wherever your secret spot may be). Just keep your torch light off the water!

Moving further afield, the blue water scene has continued from strength to strength despite dirty water and debris being reported by boats all the way out past the shelf. Although, where and when to find the fish has been frustrating. One day they’re out off JB only to be found off Ulludulla the
next… and then the bite is off JB the day after that! There’s plenty of time left in the season so get out there while the weather’s good and with Dolphin fish to 20kg, there’s no need for any more motivation.

As for the Basin, well, it’s still looking like strong tea which has put a little dampener on things. Lure fishos have been having to work harder than normal to see results, but I’ve heard of a couple of good bags of fish caught on bait. One angler I witnessed in particular did very well on the Reddies
last Sunday fishing unweighted Pilchard cubes in a berley trail.
Don’t be too afraid to go over to the dark side from time to time, it can mean all the difference sometimes on those tough days.

January 17, 2020

The recent bushfires have caused previously unimaginable devastation across our state, and our hearts go out to all who have been affected during this difficult time. We’d like to extend our greatest gratitude to all the RFS volunteers, and all who have contributed to their efforts.

Due to the fires, many boat ramps and fishing locations have been inaccessible, causing rather a large amount of frustration for some, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The Booderee National Park will be re opened on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th for day visitors until 7pm. From Friday 17th, the park will be fully re opened with the exception of Stoney Creek road.

Out on the water, the recent influx of Kingfish has been the main attraction of late for those able to get out. Good numbers of legal size fish have been keeping anglers entertained. It’s great to see an increase in average size of these magnificent sport fish so far this season…things are looking good for the return of the king! Slow trolling live baits on downriggers has been the most effective method to entice a bite, however, larger plastics have been working a treat too and there have been more than a few taken by casting stick baits from the stones.

Whether from the boat, or from the stones, now is the time to get out there and tangle with these beautiful fish.
For those of you who aren’t interested in fish unless it has a bill on its face, good news! The Marlin are here! Decent numbers of Stripies and Blacks have been caught, with once again live baits being the most successful way of securing a hook up. Trolling skirts does have its place, but just remember a decent hook set can be hard to achieve at times…it’s not unheard of raising 6 or more fish in a session only to land 1. However you do it, get out there while you can for some exciting action!

While we’re out the front, don’t be afraid to sound around the reefs in 30-50 metres looking for some reddies. South of the bay has seen the most consistent action, with some good sized fish too. Drifting with soft plastics has been the undoing of the majority of fish, but don’t neglect the tried and true method of anchoring up current and drifting baits down a berley trail. It’s messy and smelly stuff, but fantastic fun and a good way to increase your chances of an encounter with a big knobby red.

Coming in a bit, the Basin continues to fire! Targeting big lizards in the shallows has been all the rage of late, and for good reason. The surface strike of a big flattie in shallow water is heart thumping stuff, and throwing larger than usual stick baits shouldn’t be ignored. While you’re there, the surface action with Whiting in increasing as the Prawns start doing their thing. There has also been some terrific action with reds to 60cm and some thumping big Bream being taken in the deeper sections on soft vibes.

Sticking to the Basin, I can’t neglect to mention Mulloway. There have been many fish caught, and, just like the kings, the average size just keeps increasing with some big silver slabs being caught and released.

Fingers crossed for some much needed rain if we’re going to hope for a better Bass season, although the fishing hasn’t been too bad. Decent numbers of fish have been caught in deeper sections of the river on dark coloured diving lures, but just make sure you have some surface lures with you. The Cicadas have started singing, and we all know what that means.

Report 14/11/19

It’s all hands on deck with the captain pushing hard getting our new store ready.

On the fishing side of things Mr. And Mrs Gorecki smoked a lovely basin Jew while Tackle World pro staffer G also won his battle with a lovely basin jew. While we are touching on the basin it’s again been the place to fish with plenty of reports of better quality fishing coming out of that system. Check out the pic below of good friends to the shop Mitch Preston and Mark Fisher who have both been doing some damage on the Crossfire in the Basin.

In the bay it’s a little quiet with the squid population holding it down for the keen anglers. This time of year is kind of funny with a transition from the colder month pattern, to the warmer. Hopefully the EAC gets its act together bringing bait and all them warm water pelagics we froth!

In the river has seen a good run of blackfish. Up further the perch have been keen to eat with blades, soft plastics and crank bait style lures getting them to bite! myself and Mitch Preston are heading up tomorrow afternoon so stayed tuned for a more detailed bass report.

In close has seen a run of smaller kings nothing amazing but hopefully a sign of a good summer ahead. And if anyone looking to kill a few hours, we have plenty of of Aussie salmon off the rocks.

Report 1/11/19

Since the last report the yellowfin have still been hanging around with a monster 77kg caught on a Trophy Hunter Profidgie flying fish by young Jack Stanwell on his 15th birthday what a great present that was!

In the river we have the EPs and bass schooling up together just above the bridge so a quick run up from grey’s beach ramp will get you well and truly stuck in to them surface lures ,vibes, divers and soft plastics all getting a good workout .
The flathead scene in the river is starting to heat up also with the 100mm Squidgie fish in silver fox still doing the damage along with the 4” Powerbait paddle tail taking numbers.

There have been reports of the kings starting to show up on the local rock ledges and around the well known reefs inside and outside of the bay. Butterfly style jigs, baits and soft plastics have also been getting the bites on some good reds. Again flathead around middle ground has been a safe bet these tasty white fleshed critters are number 1 for older fella’s looking for bag fillers and an awesome feed. For the bait fisho’s try finding a bit of broken reef and you are in with a chance for some reds, and mowies.

Report 24/10/19

Spring is in full swing, and as the weather warms the fish are firing! For the Bass addicts to the Tuna chasers there is something for everyone, so now is the time to get out there.

Moving onto something a little saltier now, those trophy shovel head girls are shaking off the winter chills in the Basin. Many fine flathead have been found sunning themselves in the shallows. Surface lures cast around the weed patches have been the go of late, with the Crossfire proving extremely effective. The 110 size is back in store as of yesterday so get in quick before they’re gone!

For those of you who missed the epic yellowfin run, don’t despair! Good fish are still being steadily caught. If you’re heading wide, today looks like pick of the week although sunday is shaping up to be more than fishable.

Find that temperature break and stick with it. If you have ‘em, the Profidgies are proving deadly, but don’t neglect to include a big bibless such as the Halco Max 220 in your spread. And while you’re out there, if deep dropping is your thing, there’s always a chance of a Ling (and other delicious ooglies).

Also, the FAD’s have been deployed! The dollies won’t be far away now! We have;
Kiama 34.41.000 150.59.500
Jervis Bay 34.57.750 150.58.500

Alternatively, you can check out the NSW DPI Fisheries website for further information.
Coming in a little closer now, the Snapper are beginning to spark up again. Micro jigging is growing ever more popular and with more anglers embracing it it’s no surprise that some fine reddies have been taken in the 60-70m mark just north of the Banks. Remember-1 gram per meter of water being fished as a starting point, then work your way up depending on your drift.

There have also been good fish caught using the tried and true method of anchoring and drifting unweighted baits down a berley trail on the reef and gravel beds south of the bay.
And for those of you just out to catch a feed, the Flathead and Bream are doing their thing. Baits and plastics such as the Bloodworm wriggler and Black/Gold fish have working as usual in the lower river, and dropping baits in 40 metres in the bay is a sure fire way to secure some sandies.

Report 2/10/19

With the winter chills almost a distant memory and the summer pattern NE winds starting to puff you get a sense of summer with warm long afternoons ahead and plenty of insects buzzing around with BASS willing to take surface lures and small insect type flies

Let’s start with out wide the yellowfin have shown up again after going rouge for a month. Although the bite is a touch more north with wide of the banks up to Kiama being the hot zone to be. Everything from top water to bibles Halco’s and the ever faithful Bluewater livey or the new Profidgie again being the standouts. Dale Brisbane and young Gerringong local Craig Davis had a dream sesh landing 9 yellowfin yep 9! Epic stuff. Not to be out done were the Preston boys who managed a tidy yellowfin out of JB on a Halco bibless lure.

In close again the reds have been a dominate target keen and willing to take lightly weighted pillys down a good burly trail. For me? Fishing soft plastics are where it’s at that telling tale little pluck on the fall gets me going every time. For the crew looking for flathead for a Sunday arvo feed it’s been a touch on the quiet side but for those getting the drifts down pat are smiling back at the cleaning tables. The old paternoster or dropper rig with a bit of squid or pillie is pretty much the go.

The basin is giving out mixed results with some guys figuring out patterns coming up tight on fish and others spending hours for donuts. Myself and my beautiful partner Emma put in a few hours surface fishing with the Crossfire lure for what can only be told as an epic couple of hours. Also worth noting is the amount of small prawns skipping around the shallows with small bream slurping them up! Exciting times and testament to the little bit of rain we got.

The river has probably been the slowest out of the systems around with reports of a lot of that slimy brown weed that stains your leader another 100mm of rain would defiantly help the situation. Upriver the bass are still very patchy but with a few hot days coming we can only hope they fire up.

Bonus myself along with Corey and local fella Eagle hawk put in a few hours sight casting carp in really skinny water on lightly weighted soft plastics.

Report 26/9/19

So what’s been biting?
I’ll give you a hint! They are red or pink they live in places like St George’s basin you can catch them in the washes, inshore reefs or out in the deep blue water. If you guessed red rock cod you are wrong. The last couple weeks has been all about snapper with our sales of big soft plastics being a tell tale sign of a good snapper bite. In particular the 6inch jerk shad in nuke chicken has been fire!

For the crew looking for a feed of flathead the sandbar from Greenwell Point down into the Crookhaven has been producing good sized feeder flathead to that 55cm class. A couple of flatty tails with a cold beer where do I sign up? Back up around the hospital wall has been producing some sizable tailor on soft plastics.

In the bay we have seen some serious good squid fishing! For anyone keen the washes out front of the bay have been fishing well with some big drummer keen to eat your peeled prawn.

The basin has been fishing on the slower with my mate Ian from Fergo’s Tackle World fishing it last week with reports of a few smaller flathead and snapper keen to eat. Hopefully this little bit of rain gets them fired up and ready to roll.

Report 20/9/19

The coldness and rain we have been feeling the last few days feels like we are smack bang back in the middle of winter. Now as excited bass fisherman we are! You won’t get any complaints from us or anyone else about the rain so let’s start with the river.

Red city! for anyone who fished for red over the weekend you’ll probably hear them say it was a wicked weekend with the snapper chewing their heads off. Boss man ( Gav) along with young Fynn Monahan and Dad Damien put in a few hours fishing soft plastics on Sunday morning with Fynn coming up tight on a new PB and not only did Fynn smoke a new PB his angling ability far exceeds his young age of 7, well done young fella! Gav said getting schooled by a 7 year old on the snapper gear was a bit demoralizing. On the flip side in a bit closer the water was a touch cooler and holding all the things we hate! Like leatherjackets, pike and barracuda. If you figured out fishing 1oz weights a bit deeper with big 7in soft plastics you were probably being rewarded.

In the river although still very premature on the bass side of things the annual migration on bass and perch will be well underway by now. In fact places during winter we target perch have now gone more on the quiet side suggesting a more summer pattern. Places like Camel rock / Red rock or Longreach would be a starting point for me. Back down the front has been producing jew to 107cm on the ever faithful Squidgy Fish 100MM in black and gold as well as the usual flathead

The basin fished tough over the weekend but few anglers like Mick Coggins were rewarded with a trophy. Mick came in Friday afternoon throwing up ideas of what his weekend might be and his decision paid off with an 88cm crocodile from his Hobie pro angler. As for how the rest of the year will go? Hopefully some follow up rain to really get the prawns fired up and running in turn keeping the predators happy to hunt our lures or baits. As for the rest of the basin it’s still fishing on the slow side of things but the saying goes drought on land drought in the water.

Report 12/9/19

The coldness and rain we have been feeling the last few days feels like we are smack bang back in the middle of winter. Now as excited bass fisherman we are! You won’t get any complaints from us or anyone else about the rain so let’s start with the river.

In the river although still very premature on the bass side of things the annual migration on bass and perch will be well underway by now. In fact places during winter we target perch have now gone more on the quiet side suggesting a more summer pattern. Places like Camel rock / Red rock or Longreach would be a starting point for me. Back down the front has been producing jew to 107cm on the ever faithful Squidgy Fish 100MM in black and gold as well as the usual flathead.

Red city! for anyone who fished for red over the weekend you’ll probably hear them say it was a wicked weekend with the snapper chewing their heads off. Boss man ( Gav) along with young Fynn Monahan and Dad Damien put in a few hours fishing soft plastics on Sunday morning with Fynn coming up tight on a new PB and not only did Fynn smoke a new PB his angling ability far exceeds his young age of 7, well done young fella! Gav said getting schooled by a 7 year old on the snapper gear was a bit demoralizing. On the flip side in a bit closer the water was a touch cooler and holding all the things we hate! Like leatherjackets, pike and barracuda. If you figured out fishing 1oz weights a bit deeper with big 7in soft plastics you were probably being rewarded.

The basin fished tough over the weekend but few anglers like Mick Coggins were rewarded with a trophy. Mick came in Friday afternoon throwing up ideas of what his weekend might be and his decision paid off with an 88cm crocodile from his hobie pro angler. As for how the rest of the year will go? Hopefully some follow up rain to really get the prawns fired up and running in turn keeping the predators happy to hunt our lures or baits. As for the rest of the basin it’s still fishing on the slow side of things but the saying goes drought on land drought in the water.

Report 4/9/19

Spring has sprung and the keen bass fisho’s are casting away. All the shop talk has been bass and ways to target them. With bass on our mind we are doing 20 % off everything bass. For the next 7 days! I can confidently tell you for me the bass season has started with 2 donuts hahaha the skinny water has had good flow after that little bit of rain last week but another good dump would help the creeks which are still chocked by green slimy weed. Rolling plastics this time of year would be the best bet until them cicadas hatch and things really heat up.

In the river all the schooled up perch have started migrating back up river to the brackish along with the bass I’d probably be looking around the Longreach area again rolling plastics and deeper diving hard bodies along the rock walls (like the jackall squirrel 79) is your best bet. See Shannon Miller pictured below with a nice shoaly EP. Down the front has been producing good sized flathead with the odd jew being caught. Greenwell point has started to slow a touch on the blackfish but the green weed fly has been producing some bigger fish again.

The Basin 4 days into spring and we are already seeing some bigger girls moving around Mr. BWare (Brian Ware) pictured below reports he started fishing the deeper water around the 9m mark working his way up shallower and shallower till he found a fish of that 80cm plus class. Exciting times considering we have the Crossfire 110 and the 195 size on order and almost on our wall. See the pictures below for the Crossfire or check them out on YouTube.

The Cliffs fished really well with good customer Dave Toovey spending a few hours with his old man on father’s day smoking kings from legal to 76cm + some bigger models on absolutely anything jigs, top water and soft plastics they were on the chew hopefully signs of a good spring and summer.
Out wide it’s been a little on the quiet side with reports of the odd yellowfin still being caught wide of JB and Kiama. Social media was buzzing with reports of a couple bluefin out of Bermi fingers crossed we get some cooler water and some big dirty barrels.

Report 15/8/19

Football fields of sauries with 60kg YFT clearing the water is not uncommon. As we all know by now the old Squidgy Bluewater Livies or the Profidgie by Trophy Hunter are the stand out lures. For the normal punter who doesn’t have access to these golden bars the Halco Max 220 has been a very close second in getting the bites. Young Fin Monahan pictured below went wide with Dad looking for yellowfin and came up tight on his first albacore well done young man.

Inshore has seen runs of smaller sized reds to a couple kilos. In all honesty with the insane tuna fishing it’s been very quiet on the snapper side of things. Off the stones has saw a few fun sized kings from just under that legal to legal size. Kiama has been a safe bet for a quick arvo spin on them light 2-4kg and 2500 sized reels. Be warned though if a big kings shows you can thank your mother for the rabbits and say goodnight.

BEACHES there have been some really good looking gutters running along 7 mile, Kinghorne point and 5 mile with the odd JEW being caught and kept for a feed. Being winter Aussie salmon are in plague numbers chasing smaller prey up and down the local beaches. Small silver metals and ganged pillys have been doing the damage.

Bass I’m not sure about you but we at mccallums tackleworld are super pumped for bass season. The shop talk and banter about the biggest bass has already started with my co worker Corey talking up a solid game plan for us. For me this year presents new ways to fish for them, that being small swim baits and bait caster outfits. The Shimano SLX DC has absolutely got me pumped to fish for the humble old bronze battler, 3 weeks can’t come quick enough.

Report 31/7/19

The YFT fishing has been next level! With the vast majority of boats hooking, landing and are now feasting on tuna steaks. Huge congrats goes to Sherie Holden from Team adrenaline rush for smoking a solid yellowfin weighing at 77.6kg. Away from the hot weekend action the YFT bite has been a little on the quiet side the last few days.

JB has again been fishing well for snapper with a few bigger models beating the angler and making home to the reef. Out middle ground has been fishing above expectation on the old sand flathead keeping the older fellas well stocked for a feed. The humble old paternoster rig never fails to catch a feed.

Inshore has been a touch on the slower side for the kings and snapper. Myself and Wes Murphy put in a few hours on some grounds south of the bay for a few smaller sized reds who were destined for the steamer. The conditions were a touch off what Wes normally likes to fish with green cold water reading 15 degrees and full of barracuda.

The river again has been fishing well for the keen angler wanting to target a feed of blackfish. The million dollar question from them anglers is where do I get my green weed for bait? And my answer is simply I’m not sure but our green weed flies we have on our shelves are just as deadly producing some nice fish. Bream and flathead again have been the bread and butter for both the bait fisho and lure casting fisherman with some nice size eaters down around the muscle island area and through the break walls of Currarong.

The Basin last week fished well for winter, with a friend of mine Ian Deller and his brother fishing gentlemen’s hours and coming up tight on some good sized flathead for winter. The bream side of the basin has again been on the slower side! But on A positive note we are just 1 month away from spring and that means it’s only a matter of time till we are cranking them wind affected flats hunting them kilo plus size tanks we know the basin holds. For the keen bait fisho again the snapper in the basin have been keen to eat lightly weighted pillies with a good berley trail.

Report 23/7/19

Afternoon fisho’s what’s been happening around the Shoalhaven? Well to sum it up simply WIND TUNA and more WIND! That doesn’t mean no fish though it simply means keeping an eye on the weather patterns, and having a good wife and boss who will let you go at the drop of a hat.

In the bay again has been producing good sized squid with our customers regularly bagging out. It’s a funny conversation when a customer comments we caught 31 squid and then it went quiet!

For those keen to brave the 100kmh west winds, schools of Aussie salmon have again been an awesome time killer between bigger bites. Try metals and fast moving lures like the Rapala SXRL-12 Longcast or, when they are fully fired up and wanting anything, try a fast wind Nomad Dartwing 130mm — the visual eats are insane!
Away from lure fishing, the humble old strip bait either mullet or striped tuna under a lightly weighted sinker is a must during winter, producing bream, snapper and around the sandy areas flathead.

On the local ledges this time of year with the west wind at your back and whales cruising past within 100m at times it’s a pretty special place. You can expect to encounter some good drummer and groper fishing. My boss Gav and his mate Damien managed some quality pigs on Sunday with Damo getting the fish of the day a nice groper on his drummer gear. When drummer fishing we have a couple of requirements: 1. A good washy area and 2. A good solid berley trail. The boys used a mixture of cunjevoi and prawns for bait.

In the river again being winter it’s still fairly slow. Fishing areas like the bridge pylons will produce bream and perch still being closed season on perch and bass it’s an immediate return to water. Just off to the side of the pylons is always a good option to have a quick search for flathead or again fishing the front regions of the river would be my best bet for things like flathead, bream and blackfish.

The basin again much like the river being winter it’s a must to fish slow! We always mention to our customers venturing down to the basin LESS IS MORE this time of year. We’ve just gotta get through this month and august then things will get better fishing wise. In the meantime the humble old feeder sized flathead is keeping the keen anglers happy, with a few flatty tails done in a bread crumb with a bit of curry powder happy times. For the bream anglers, it’s fishing below par! Blades and plastics in the deep would be your best bet. Being the basin though any cast could result in that 1m crocodile or 20+ kilo jew, and that’s what suckers me in about the place.

Report 10/7/19

Out wide it’s been all about the tuna with fish being captured from Sydney down to Narooma over the weekend. How good is it seeing a couple of local young fella’s that being Locky Dresser, Darren Cornell and Jake Brisbane all putting meat on the deck with some quality yellowfin? congrats boys. While the more sort after YFT have been around let’s not forget about the bluefin we’ve had and saw plenty of reports of big bluefin off our coast !

Inshore has again been producing some quality snapper and squid fishing for those not keen on putting in big miles chasing the TUNA which is always a nice little treat. It’s defiantly worth checking them shallow water haunts with some bigger reds hanging around that 15m to even 8m depth earlier in the morning then moving out deeper once the sun is up.

The river has been a touch quiet but that’s fairly normal this time of year with the cooler water shutting the fish down. On the flip side Blake from DPI has been putting some hours in successfully capturing, tagging and releasing a few river jew on soft plastics this last week. Mass amounts of perch have moved in from the brackish to the salt rolling hard bodies or soft plastics will make them come unstuck! Not to sound like a broken record but care and immediate return to water is a must this time of year due to breeding purposes.

The basin has been fishing well for the bait fisho’s with reds to 50cm not uncommon throw in a few school bream and you’ve got an awesome morning. The bigger flathead we know the basin to be famous for have been very patchy! Again it just comes down to its winter and everything slows down. Again working them plastic’s or soft vibes nice and slow is a must. Do that and you are in with every chance of hooking that trophy fish.

Report 5/7/19

The rocks and beaches were producing some nice BREAM last weekend. These fish are a much cleaner eating fish than ones that have spent a fair amount of time in the estuary system in my opinion. Some big SALMON are also around the rocks keeping the spin fisho’s happy. Been very quiet on the KINGS but that can turn at any minute.

Small to medium sized FLATHEAD are still around in the river but the water temp is slowing down the bight working your plastics and lures slower than usual will keep it longer in the strike zone and in the fishes face hopefully enticing a bite. Not to give too much away but a bit of shop talk has been about the JEW bite of late! With the new moon coming up next week Wednesday and some annual leave for me I’m sure a few sneaky JEW sessions are on the cards.

THE BASIN has been fishing very slow let’s not sugar coat it! Big winter highs with the pressure sitting at 1036 hpa has them fish shut down! with water clarity of about 15ft hopefully the rain we have just had stirs it up a touch. For those keen on a feed of TAILOR the basin is the place to be with some absolute brutes amongst the pack. These fish are perfect for the smoker! Soaked in a simple brine of equal parts rock salt and brown sugar then smoked using hickory dust or wood chips you’ll thank me later.

JB has been the place to be again for anyone looking for a feed of SQUID as we speak DEANO ( a friend of the store ) has a few sneaky hoods for myself and Corey. He was reporting easy SQUID fishing this morning but on the other hand very slow on the REDS and KINGS with them pesky LEAHTERJACKETS destroying jigs and baits. As we speak we are seeing reports of BLUEFIN TUNA wide of Narooma about 80kms or 50 miles. Hopefully it’s not long till we are eating fresh sashimi here in the shop.

Report 14/6/19

The boss man (Gav) put a few sneaky hours in before work last Saturday on the reds after the big blow we had with a very slow morning reported. In saying that we did see some very nice reds fall to the humble old pilchard. For the folks looking for a feed of Flatty the grounds out front of the surf club at Shoalhaven heads would be a safe bet. The Banks has been fishing well with good sizes and numbers of kings but! The man in the grey suit is making it hard to land fish you’ve gotta take the good with the bad and unfortunately the sharks love kings just as much as we do.

In the river the old perch has been showing up in all the well known areas keen to eat hard bodies, plastics and my favourite surface lures. (try the Jackson Ebi Panic prawn) Yes it is closed season so a quick happy snap and return to water is a must. Rolling hard bodies or targeting an area that has lights shining on the water is deadly. Down the front has seen a good run of black fish keen and eager to eat green weed or the artificial fly weeds we have on hand. Fish from 850g to a kilo have been a common capture down Greenwell point way.

JB has seen a mixed bag with plenty of squid to keep the punters happy and full of squid rings over the long weekend. With the good comes the bad and the pesky leather jackets have made JB home for now! Out middle grounds and the bombie has seen kings to 85cm with one of our customers reporting they were eating anything! Jigs, baits , plastics it didn’t matter.

The basin is ticking over nicely! Jim Harnwell from NSW DPI put in a few hours throwing swim baits for big dusky flathead over shallow weed beds coming up tight on what can only be described as a crocodile all 96cm worth cracking fish mate. Fishing out deep (17 feet plus) should yield some school bream with the odd bigger red keen to have a run. Blades and plastics or even unweighted pillys with a good burly trail will stir them up.

Report 5/6/19

Mother Nature has really dished up some weather this week with overflowing creeks and big seas I’d be anticipating a good bite on the reds both for the boat fisherman and those guys fishing the ledges.

In the river the next week should see the water from the run off hopefully stirring up the colour and pushing a few of those annoying jellies out. This time of year the prawn runs of summer is well and truly behind us. Fishing plastics like the Gulp 3″ Minnow, Jackson Athlete or Squidgies 70mm Bio Tough Fish is a good option.

Like we touched on before this big stir should see quality fish on them inshore reefs. Prior to the weather saw some cracking squid being caught from the bay up to Currarong. Friend of the shop Dean got out last weekend and brained some quality Shoalhaven squid (photo below).

In the bay all them well know snapper grounds are holding fish up to that 1.5 -2kg range. Will put a few hours in on Sunday and scored some nice pan sized reds that wanted the Gulp 5″ Jerkshad. I hate sounding like a broken record but I really expect to see some good fish this next week.

In the basin if you have managed to get out in between the 100kmh westerlies or the east coast lows you’ll found a few bream and better quality ones still sitting shallow. If I were fishing the next few days I’d be starting out deep looking for bait and again using minnow style plastics don’t get in the frame of mind that big flatty and jew won’t eat them they will!

For the customers who frequent our store you’d know we are running a bream comp. The leading fish is still 34cm fork length and it’s very funny because everyone says I’ll knock that this weekend but as you see Ian Roth’s fish is still leading.

Considering it is the long weekend I’m sure the Eucumbene will be a very popular place to be for the angler looking for trophy brown trout, and we have you covered with glow bug and nymph rigs ready to roll out the door.

Report 14/5/19

Out wide has defiantly been on the quiet side with a couple days of bad weather not many have ventured out. In close the snapper bite is still going NUTS! The boys fishing on YA MUM had a cracking afternoon on the reds fishing baits and soft plastics. Out deeper on the snapper grounds is holding a lot of them pesky leather jackets we all hate! My tip try them shallower in shore reefs or even the washes.

Off the stones has saw some solid drummer fishing good customer Thomas Jones has been whacking a few drummer as well as bream and trevally. As the water cools you’ll notice the humble old Australian salmon hanging around a platform near you. Bleed and kept nice these cool water speedsters make awesome Thai fish cakes light spin outfits with a handful of metals should get the job done.

In the river has saw good numbers still of school jew with the live bait fishermen probably doing better at enticing a bite. Like mentioned in previous reports sneaking out at sparrows fart collecting live baits outside the crooky river is what’s working well at the moment. All the usual haunts ( edges and drop-offs) are holding good number of feeder sized flathead consider using slower tactics for example slower lifts and longer pause’s as this weather cools off coming into winter naturally the water cools off causing fish to become slower. Therefore slower presentation will better entice the bite.

St Georges basin is still ticking over very well! Still good number of bream, flathead and the odd jew being caught.

Report 1/5/19

OUT WIDE the MARLIN bite is coming to an end in saying that a lucky few anglers are still managing to hook, tag and release a few fish. With Mr. Stick face leaving our waters all our attention turns to ( YFT) YELLOW FIN TUNA searching that 800-1000 fathom line would be your best bet while searching for them. We have TRAP PILLYS AND 14KG IQF fully stocked ready for the TUNA season ahead.

IN CLOSE it’s been all about the red hot SNAPPER bite going on. All the regular haunts from the washers to middle grounds in the bay are holding good quality fish. With that little bit of warmer water hanging in close we have some smaller to medium sized SAMSON fish hanging about hook one of these warm water speedsters and hold on! For the weekend gatherer looking for a feed of FLATHEAD the LUND’S SQUID has been working a treat over them well known areas like off the surf club at Shoalhaven heads or again middle ground in the bay just watch out for them bloody leather jackets.

IN THE RIVER the last fortnight has again seen massive numbers of small to legal sized SNAPPER that go a treat on the bbq smaller sized plastics and our river PRAWNS have been enticing them in. Some of our regular customers have been reporting captures of JEW from that soapy size up to the metre mark. Coming into winter I’m confident working them tides and or finding the bait we will see some bigger JEW. On the bait side of things getting out early and gathering YAKKA’S just outside of the Crookhaven River has been working well for a bait option.

ST GEORGES BASIN has really been the stand out of all the systems around our area with some really big BREAM in shallow water keen to take lightly weighted soft plastics. The squidgy fish 70mm bio tough in cracked pepper or pumpkin seed has been hands down the best performer. In one cracking session myself and Ian from Fergo’s tackleworld put together a bag of bream well in the 4.5kg mark pretty funny for a couple guys who don’t fancy ourselves as BREAM fisherman. With plenty of SNAPPER, FLATHEAD and some big SILVER TREVALLY keen to eat it really shapes up for a cracking time

Report 9/4/19

Welcome to this week’s report. Before we get started I want to say congrats to my boss (Gav) and his crew for taking out a prize in last weekend’s Kiama blowhole Bluewater classic. Some amazing fish were captured over the weekend including Nathan Wilsons yellowfin tuna, epic stuff from the boys on Chasn’ Tail. We love seeing our customers with cracking fish.

BLUEWATER
With the current turning and heading back up hill we’ve had some amazing fishing wide of JB stripes, blacks, blues and yellowfin tuna all went over the scale’s in the Blowhole Classic. With that current heading back up generally places like the banks become on the quieter side. For those keen for a feed of bonnies or smaller kings (legal size) we’ve saw a few pro boats polling the bonnies in. Snapper have been a real stand out in the last two weeks with some good weight and numbers of them throw in a few squid and we have a south coast seafood basket. The Berkley Squid Vicious Gulp has been a real stand out on the reds, with the Yamashita Live 3.5 IN R08 colour proving to irresistible to the squid.

RIVER
This last week has saw a real mixed bite in the river with some cracking jew been caught and by numerous anglers on artificial baits. A go to bait for me when targeting a Shoaly jew is the Squidgie Paddletail 110mm in cracked pepper. While on the bream side of things it’s been a little on the quiet side maybe coincidence with the amount of jew in the system at the moment? For those looking to dangle a bait the usual haunts out the front of Broughton Creek and the canals is a good option.

THE BASIN
Is still fishing quiet well with the upcoming holidays may see it slow a touch but only time will tell. The usual big flathead, jew, snapper and bream are still taking a well presented bait or soft plastic. Ian Roth has been having a dream run of trophy fish lately casting his ever faithful Samaki Vibelicious. Check out his pic below of the crocodile looking flathead he tagged and released.

Report 28/3/19

Another MARLIN comp was run and won WELL DONE Luke and Sandy Gorecki fishing on YA MUM for taking out champion team! While we are touching on the marlin side another couple congratulations are in order. First off the boys fishing on BURNIN MONEY Lindsay, Ben and Dean for capturing , tagging and releasing their first striped MARLIN while fishing their first comp. WELL DONE BOYS! Also massive congrats to Mr. And Mrs Fejszes for getting the monkey off their back and capturing their first MARLIN and a beast black to do it with.

INSHORE
The last week has seen a bite of good sized reds to 3kg with reports of a few bigger models wining their freedom and making it home to the reef, jigging and the ever faithful GULP soft plastic has been the winning combo. Now that the full moon is behind us we should get a bite period heading into the new moon. Towing either SQUID or YAKKAS around some of the well known areas in the bay with either a downrigger or what we call a poor man’s downrigger. When getting the bait the old saying the early bird gets the worm defiantly applies. JB FAD has been firing with a customer reporting DOLLIES to 1.3m. YAKKAS OR PENCIL SMILEYS have been the go to bait.

THE STONES
On the stones has been a little hit and miss still with fish showing up one day then gone for the next 6. Myself and the shacko boys ventured a little further north ( Kiama) for a few fun hours casting lures at the pelagic’s that come with the warm currents of summer and autumn. MACTUNA, BONITO, FRIGATE MACKEREL and a couple small KINGS who won their freedom. This time of year you really can be one cast away from spinning up that trophy NORTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA so all them hours and days of donuts can turn around in a flash you just gota keep casting.

THE RIVER
Has been fishing okay but with all the jelly’s making the upper parts home your best bet would probably be fishing the bottom half from the canal’s down to Muscle Island. I’d say fishing the first of the run in would be my bet. Consider a good burly trail with lightly weighted peeled Shoalhaven prawn’s as bait BREAM, FLATHEAD and BLACKFISH are all on the cards while fishing this method.
BASIN
The basin is still ticking over nicely with plenty of FLATHEAD in that 36cm to 50cm willing to a eat soft plastic or fresh bait. The humble old basin SNAPPER has been very hungry and very angry lately and somewhat of a day saver when the BREAM have lock jaw.

Report 21/3/19

Locally the offshore boys and girls tackled some testing conditions in the first JB shoot out with the Sunday producing 30knot southerlies and big seas so big congrats to the top runners! You deserve your prize. With all the rain and swell of a recent I’d be thinking we should get a nice run of SNAPPER fishing,Fishing the washes either from a boat or the stones with a well presented soft plastics or bait (ie salted pillys) can be absolute deadly method! Quick tip don’t go to heavy on the sinker or jig head 1\8th jig or a small ball sinker is the go!

Touching on the stones I’ve found it personally a little on the patchy side. With RAT KINGS and BONNIES still being the most common catch. Getting a tide change with either dawn or dusk would give yourself the best chance of possibly getting that one big bite we all chase! You’ll know where I’ll be on my weekend off?

THE BLUE
Out wide we have had reports of the current stopping not only from social media but also in store from customers. With the Shoalhaven game fishing club holding their annual comp it will be interesting to see where the bite comes from. The kink, the drum maybe the banks? Good luck to all the anglers participating.

THE RIVER
With a touch of fresh coming down from the recent run off it should spark the first of the humble old BASS to start its annual spawning migration down the river in saying that we still have plenty of time to chase the humble bronze native. We still have plenty of BREAM AND PERCH stacked up at places like the hospital wall or camel rock. Anyone fishing the river would have probably noticed how much MULLET are getting around? Consider rolling hard bodies like Jackall Squirrel or the Atomic Shiner 75 Double Deep. Again key times, tides changes or even better tides changes at dawn or dusk.

THE BASIN
That bit of rain has dropped the temperature by 2 degrees but don’t fear! the fishing is still hot! With keg BREAM and solid lizards still very achievable. Again I sound like a broken record but the SAMAKI 70mm in uv MULLET fork tail is a stand out. As it really cools off some tricks I have learnt from some talented angler’s is to really dead stick soft plastics out deep. Them glassed out winter days can be really tough but using plastic’s like the 3ich minnow in watermelon pearl on a 1/20th jig head in the 20 to 25 feet range it’s a must! Simply cast, peel your banana, eat it and work the plastic ha-ha it can be that easy.

Report 15/2/19

We’ve had mixed reports and yes the current has started to go north in close and the water has rolled over, heading wider in search of a Blue will see the better water temp that should push back in over the next few days.

For the ladies and gentlemen looking for a feed the usual haunts for example off the surf club at Shoalhaven heads is producing a few good feeder sized Flathead. Who doesn’t enjoy a good feed of flatty tails and a cold beer? We’ve also had solid reports of good sized snapper and morwong just off point Perp throw in a rat king and you’ve got a fun morning.

Back in the estuaries the river in particular the boss man and good mate Andy had a cracking Whiting session using the ever faithful Sugapens in HF-119 put that with Bream and a few sneaky Flathead it can be hours of fun. The boss left us for few days to do his annual run from Tallowa Dam wall to Gradys with reports the Bass fishing being a tad on the slower side, I’m sure the cold beers, campfires and all the laughs you have with 9 other mates made up for the slow fishing. Down the front of the river is still producing good numbers of Bream, Flathead and whiting on the local river prawn we have stocked in our freezers. Quick tip! Fish light get the bite.

St Georges basin is firing! A real stand out lure lately has been the 100mm Samaki Vibelicious Thumper in yakka doing the business for a lot of anglers just like this cracker caught by Anthony Mortimer pictured. The usual wind-affected edges are best fished for your bream and flathead rolling shallow cranks is deadly. Using your sounder can be a massive advantage when looking for bait and them toothy predators. Targeting these things can be highly rewarding with Jews, Snapper, Tailor and even Flathead laying underneath getting a free feed, it’s like a natural berley trail.

In the skinny water I’ve noted the last couple days have had almost an early winter late autumn feel about it. Rolling Cicadas is still where it’s at for me! I can never get sick of that distinctive slurp or boof the Bass have. The soft shell is defiantly the number 1 lure for me but coming into the cooler arvos the flashy swimmer rigged on a 1/0 with a Berkeley t-tail minnow is an absolute must have in the arsenal. For anyone willing why not try sight cast a few euro invaders (carp) you’d be surprised at how hard these things go! Try rigging small soft plastics on a 1/20th jig head hidden weight with a size 2 hook. With a good cast these things cannot help themselves.

Report 9/1/19

It’s been a bit patchy on the blue water with plenty of bait there and some boats marking plenty of fish but still not getting the bite it can be frustrating. Changing up little things when bait fishing can entice the bite light leaders seam to be the go so try and keep the fight time down and hope your trace holds in there.

Currently the tide is still ticking North which for us is a good thing considering all that ugly green water off Sydney. We’ve had reports of Kings but nothing of the quality we know this area can produce.

In the estuary things are still firing with good friend to the shop Ian Roth setting two PBs in one week with a beautiful Jew and a trophy Flathead, Congrats mate!

I’ve been fortunate enough to find a sneaky couple hours outside the shop to do what I love and that’s walk the flats chasing anything that’s willing to eat top water.

On the river even with all the traffic you’ll still find all the normal creatures around the areas they inhabit you just have to work hard and adjust to conditions. The bass are best fished early morning before the traffic gets too heavy. We fished one afternoon last week and found fish were keen to eat but they were definitely playing hard ball.

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McCallum’s Tackle World

47 Kinghorne St, Nowra
Ph: (02) 4421 2418

fishin@mccallumstackleworld.com.au