Fishing Report week 6, February 9, 2025
Lucas Holley, Dad and Riley Holley with a couple of bream they caught on the weekend in the Merimbula front lake using nippers as bait.
The outside flathead bite is still going very well with good catches of sand and tiger flathead being caught off the Tathra Pub, back to Turingal Point, and Bournda Island back to Tura Beach Drive. The best depth is around that 40 to 45 metres, with the fish sizes being 40 to 55 centimetres. There are still odd flying gurnard and very occasional small gummy sharks. There are also schools of frigate mackerel being seen on the surface around Tura Heads and in the Bournda Island bay. So, trolling some small stripey lures or saltwater flies might catch you some great flathead bait.
Our reefs are still fishing well from reports. Not many large snapper, but reasonable numbers of pan size snapper, morwong, some quality nannygai and a mixed bag of sargent bakers, red rock cod and leatherjackets. Baits of choice are fresh squid, pilchards and tuna strips (bonito and frigate mackerel). Patternoster rigs and float baiting are the preferred rigs.
The beach fishing for salmon has been excellent. There are plenty of large salmon being caught to 60 centimetres in length off Tathra, Tura, Bournda beaches and south at Haycock Beach. The best baits are pilchards and blue bait. Lures are also catching plenty. Use stick baits and weighted lures in that 30 to 40 gram size. There are also schools of salmon hanging around the headlands at Tura Point, Long Point, Haycock Point and at the Merimbula Wharf.
The lake fishing, after all the rain we have had over the weekend and what is forecast for the new week, is going to be on fire. All the fresh water run off will force all the lake species like bream, blackfish, trevally, dusky flathead, whiting and tailor into the fronts of all the estuaries, towards the ocean entrances, looking for the saltier water. Bait is the preferred method to fish with baits like nippers, tuna pieces and even garden worms will catch fish. All the estuary systems will be affected the same.
The game fishing over the weekend was great. Tathra Amateur Fishing Club held its first marlin competition on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The marlin bit very well on Friday north of Tathra with reports of 29 marlin between 14 boats. On Saturday, around 20 marlin were caught and then, due to the weather decline, there were fish caught Sunday morning, but many boats stayed home. I also heard reports of dolphin fish and sharks being caught. Reports of the ocean currents that were getting stronger were making the fishing conditions not so good. The water temperature on the shelf is around 23 degrees celsius with the current running to the south. Bait was patchy early and it came to the surface at low tide in the middle of the day with the feeding marlin. The forecast for the next week is not the best, but that water will get closer to the Merimbula grounds.
Coming events for the MBGLAC are the:
Dusky Challenge, February 15th and 16th
Kids Introduction to Game fishing workshop February 23rd
Brogo Big Bass, February 28th and March 1st and 2nd
March Marlin, March 1st to 31st
Check out the MBGLAC website at www.mbglac.com.au for details. The club rooms are open next Friday night from 5.30pm for registration for the Dusky Challenge. The bar will be open also. Come on down, even if you are not planning on fishing and enjoy a bevvy, support our raffles sponsored by Goodalls Butchers and Bar Beach Kiosk. Have a chat with the locals and catch up on the week’s fishing reports. Everyone is welcome.
Hope to see you there.
Fishy Fellow