First and second prize winners of the rescheduled Dusky Challenge held over the weekend. First place, Les Dirou, with his 877mm and second place, Avon Rollason with her 813mm duskies. Big Thanks to Tackle World Merimbula for their major sponsorship for this event.
The outside flathead fishing is still on fire, coming from reports over the weekend. The water temperature is hovering around 21 degrees and there is basically no current. The flathead are being caught in depths from 22 to 30 metres. My reports came from in the Merimbula Bay, around Bournda Island up to Turingal Head and down off the Pinnacles. The flathead size is around 40 to 45 centimetres and the bite was non-stop. There were a few small fish in amongst the keepers I’m told. Fresh fish bait is the bait of choice.
There are still a few snapper, nannygai and occasional leatherjackets on the reefs. The snapper are up to 45 centimetres and plenty of pan size fish. There have been a few gummy sharks caught around the edges of the reefs also. Bonito and salmon are being trolled up on the points at Haycock and Long Point and I did hear of a decent kingfish caught on Thursday off the wharf at Merimbula.
There is limited surf over the last week for catching salmon on the beaches. If you can find a deep gutter with a sand bank along side it, it’s probably worth a fish. If you’re targeting salmon, try and present your bait in the white water area after the wave has broken. Otherwise try spinning off the points at Tura Heads and Merimbula on the low tide. You might get lucky there and you could also catch bonito and frigate mackeral. Use smaller metals in that 20 gram range to have a chance.
The estuary fishing over the weekend was hard work for most, especially when targeting a single species like dusky flathead. The water in Merimbula Lake was around 20.5 degrees and the duskies weren’t overly keen to play. Everyone caught some dusky flathead , even though they were under 50 centimetres. The two winning fish were caught on lures, and other better fish in the 60 centimetres range were caught on baits. However, the by-catch was pretty good. Bream, trevally, tailor, pinkies and mulloway were caught in Merimbula, Tathra, Pambula and Wonboyn systems.
Thank you again to Tackle World Merimbula for their sponsorship of the Dusky Challenge. Without the support of our local businesses, we could not run these events. The MBGLAC are very grateful for all the local businesses that support our club’s events and I’m sure our members are supporting them as well. The club has VIP Tackle World cards offering member’s discounts on tackle, so contact club President, Shane Mayberry on 0428 424 496 to organise yours, or come to the club on a Friday night to get yours.
The game fishing has changed again since the bad weather. The water has cooled and is now sitting around 21 degrees. There is cooler water sitting underneath, at around 19 degrees and the current is going to the north slowly. Reports from boats over the weekend said there is still bait on and just inside, the shelf. There are still a few marlin around, but not like a few weeks back. Slow trolling live slimy mackeral around the bait schools, around the tide changes is working the best.
The Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club is closed this week, Good Friday and is also closed the following Friday, Anzac Day. So, we will see you again on Friday 3rd May.
Good fishing and tight lines.
Fishy Fellow