FISHING REPORT FOR WEEK COMMENCING 7 AUGUST 2023
Start of the Southern Whale Migration
4yr Olivia Wilkins of Tura Beach shows her first ever fish catch, a lovely 6 Spine Leatherjacket off Horseshoe Reef.
Offshore the East Australian Current (EAC) is running strongly to the south and whales have been sighted off Tura Beach moving southwards. Is this the start of the southern migration, with some 40,000 whales expected to pass our shores? There are reports of abundant yellowfin tuna about two apparent upwellings; north of Tathra and off Green Cape. Congratulations to Brendon Galea who weighed a 47Kg yellowfin taken north of Tathra from “Carey Leprechaun” captained by Ryan Walker.
What a sight to behold, from the Clubs new pontoon jetty at Spencer Park last Friday, when a mighty bulging wave of Australian salmon moving up the channel from Mitchies chased and attacked by a dozen or so dolphins. The subject of visiting expert Dr Murray Macdonald’s talk given at the Club social last Friday evening; Titled “East Australian Salmon Past and Present”. Dr Macdonald explained that East Australian salmon were spawned at sea all along the east coast between the Victorian and Queensland borders during a spawning season that extended from October to March.
The hatched lavae and fingerlings travelled southwards on the EAC to Tasmania where they frequent protected coastal areas before maturing and moving northwards once again. The most probable explanation for the enormous influx of adult salmon into our estuaries is not to spawn or feed on our local fish but to relieve themselves from sea lice.
This can be helped by entering brackish waters or, with new data now from drone videos; showing a distinct path over shallow waters and white sands, possibly using sunlight to eradicate the lice. Answering questions; Dr Macdonald told us the salmon needed to feed about once a week and favoured pelagic fish at sea like pilchards and that when in an estuary did not exhibit frenzied feeding behaviour. Any estuarine fish taken were at best opportunistic. This explains to us why these magnificent big salmon are so hard to catch.
Ocean flathead remain patchy but good size fish have responded in deeper waters off Long Point, Tura Beach Golf Course and Kianinny. Try 20 fathoms and be prepared to move deeper. Snapper and morwong can be found off White Rock near Kianniny, Long Point, Haycock, Lennards, Boyds Tower and Mowarry. Gummy shark are few and far between and in some favoured spots replaced by abundant Port Jackson shark. While there are no Luderick passing the Merimbula Wharf catches from the shallows along from Mitchies have been noted on the rising tide with anglers using stringy weed.
The water temperature in our local estuaries has cooled however there are reports a few dusky flathead have remained on the chew, but mainly tailor and salmon. With lots of floating weed, trolling is difficult and using small whitebait like soft plastic or unweighted pilchards brings the best results. Congratulations to Alan Wilkins who landed a 663mm tailor in the Merimbula Top Lake.
As noted salmon are hard to catch but some really great fish have been landed on small soft plastics and fish over 700mm reported. Try the Pambula channel and at the beaches: Tura, Main, Haycock and Aslings. Look for the deeper channels (rips) for best results. A good beach rig is a paternoster style with pilchard bait plus a popper. Some good drummer, salmon and tailor are available to rock fishers off the headlands.
For the Australian Salmon Species of the Month competition; Congratulations all to David Lee with a fish of 700mm and Harley Lee at 650mm and Junior; Jackson Lee with a lovely 690mm salmon. For August the Species of the Month is Morwong.
The Club will be open on Friday 11 August from 6.00pm. Visitors are very welcome. Come one and all and enjoy the Clubs ambience, friendship and lovely views. There is also the fishing report together with very competitive bar prices. Club stalwart Darragh Reynolds is your scheduled host.
Keep Your Rod Bent!