Luke from Leisure Coast Bait and Tackle at Corrimal said the big swell from last weekend finally abated and by all reports there have been plenty of fish about.
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For the snapper fishos, there have been plenty of good sized reds about both the shallow and deeper reefs.
The afternoon bite, whilst the swell was abating, held some big reds in close for those who chose to take on the lumpy conditions with a couple of fish that were nudging the 5.5kg mark caught in and around 10 metres whilst on anchor with a steady burley trail.
Float lining pillies and strips of cuttlefish were the go to baits.
Out on the deeper reefs, it was all about the bait balls and getting your bait down around the edges of the schools there were no massive fish but plenty of good sized fish in the 2-3kg range along with some big mowies and some great tasting pigfish as well.
For those chasing the kings, there were still plenty of legal fish about the Islands with fish up to and just over the metre mark, and as always, down rigging proved the best method to get your baits down past the smaller rats and onto the bigger hoods hanging below.
Squid and slimies were the go, but some were also taken on plastics, jigs and metals as well.
The flathead drifts just seem to get better, albeit with the jackets still on them that forces you to move away to escape them as they appear to be very localised and not unlike schooling pods.
The flatties that are down there, just waiting, are worth it with plenty of big sand flatties with many over the kilo mark and they are full of roe as well which is was a tasty surprise in the larger flatties.
Beaches continue to fish well for many species such as tailor salmon and bream and whiting as well, tailor and salmon both on dawn and dusk.
Most of these species will happily devour both lures and baits with gusto.
Bream and whiting after the swell were hungry for some beach worms, that have been scarce.
Picture perfect
Got a high resolution shot of your fishing catch? Email it to Gary at gazwade@bigpond.com for publication.
Big penalties issued for abalone offences
Tough penalties have recently been imposed on abalone offenders in NSW Far South Coast local courts when back on July 15 in Narooma Local Court, a Fisheries prosecution from Aragunnu (south of Bermagui) was finalised.
Two local men were apprehended by Fisheries Officers in possession of 262 shucked abalone at the Aragunnu campground within the Mimosa Rocks National Park. The men were sentenced on March 11 and July 15, 2021 after one man pleaded not guilty to the offence, but was later found guilty by the court, while the second man pleaded guilty.
The cumulative total of penalties included 16 months' imprisonment, to be served by way of intensive correction orders, plus $12,250 in fines.
These penalties related to charges for abalone trafficking and possession of shucked abalone.
On 13 July 2021 in Bega Local Court, three men from the ACT pleaded guilty to joint possession of 95 abalone (87 prohibited size) after they were apprehended by Fisheries Officers at Baronda Headland, locally known as Cowdroys within the Mimosa Rocks National Park.
The three men were fined a total of $12,000 for charges in relation to exceeding the possession limit of abalone and possession of prohibited size fish.
The maximum penalties for abalone theft include fines of up the $88,000 and terms of imprisonment up to 10 years for abalone trafficking. Rewards of up to $1,000 are available for information that leads to a conviction of abalone thieves.
Information can be reported to Fishers Watch on 1800 043 536.
Saving lives on the water
NSW Maritime have invited the community to have its say on two options to simplify and expand lifejacket requirements on NSW waterways, as part of the draft Maritime Safety Plan 2026.
Lifejackets are without a doubt the most important piece of safety equipment for survival in boating incidents where people are forced into the water.
Maritime would like to receive submissions from NSW boaters on the two new lifejacket options that have been developed, to make the law easier for people to understand. To have your say on the draft Maritime Safety Plan 2026 and the proposed lifejacket reform options, visit haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/maritime-safety by September 24.
Beach break
Local beaches have numerous reformed gutters after the big seas and some of them were host to big blue nosed bream, that moved in just as the swell abated enough to fish and joined the odd genuine kidney slapper whiting that pushed the 300mm mark.
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