Report 29/9/16

[Nicole Penfold]

Although the weather has been far from perfect we’ve had some pretty awesome days amongst the bad ones and the fishing has been accommodating the good wether days. The river has bounced back pretty well after the flood and for this time of the year is fishing I must say pretty dam good! Flatty‘s, Bream, Bass, blackfish and even a few Jew are all being caught and we can’t forget those awesome fighting estuary perch which are now quite prevalent in our River system. These guys are becoming a saviour for many fishermen and are well suited to our system with plenty of deep rock faces, bridge pylons and holes for them to congregate in. With all the small prawns in the river these fish are in feeding mode and anything resembling what they are eating tends to do the trick! Gulp shrimp, blades or soft vibes and the ever popular Squidgy Prawn are all high on the list of lures to use and any of these lures will catch the many other species our river has to offer.

Once again the weed for the blackfish is very hard to come by but with the synthetic weed imitation fly’s on the market they are a great substitute and in some situations are out fishing the real thing! Fished exactly the same way you fish a weed bait is all that’s required, no fly rod or specialist gear needed for this sport.

Jervis Bay has seen some great squiding in all corners of the bay and the absence of the leather jackets “so far” has been a blessing for the squid fisherman...no so much for the tackle shop owners though . We seem to sell a lot more jigs when these guys are around. But it does give you the confidence to throw those better jigs when you know it’s not going to get chomped off first cast buy a leathery critter.

Outside the bay there have been some reds in the washers... but it’s hard to pick the weather and get the right and more importantly safe conditions to fish them in confidence. A good skipper, reliable engine and quick reflexes and an on the ball crew is a must when wash fishing from a boat, being in so close to the razor sharp rocks things can turn pretty ugly pretty quick and one slightly larger swell can change things dramatically! But it’s a very productive way to catch fish and a dew different species.

The Bass season has well and truly started and the fish have already been hitting surface lures with gusto! The Shoalhaven and its tributaries are all producing fish and there is plenty of water to coax the fish as far upstream as they can get. So break out the back pack, that short tight water bass stick, the gators or high top boots which are a must (the wrigglers are already out) and a small box of your favourite lures and hit that sneaky little creek. Jackson Cicada’s, Megabass siglets and the soft shell cicadas are favourites now in most serious bass fisho’s boxes, and well if you’re not catching them on one of these three lures pack up and go home coz they just aint bitting! Oh well maybe not that extreme but you get my drift. Places such as Coolondel and Gradys are great base camps to launch a bass expedition on the upper Shoalhaven with camping available at both spots.

Be good and stay safe!

#Pics: Blackfish on the weed fly, a must try if you like your blackfishing#

McCallum's Tackle World
47 Kinghorne St
Nowra NSW 2541
Ph: (02) 4421 2418