Fishing Report: February 1, 2023
Get ready for some exciting fishing action! Striped marlin are making their way to our shores for a feast of bait fish along the southern edge of the East Australian Current.
Hats off to Harley Jenkins for reeling in his very first marlin last weekend while fishing out of Merimbula with the talented team of Capt. Heather Sutterby and young mate Kade. These majestic creatures are gathering near the Continental Shelf in 100 fathoms of water, and reports of tagged and released catches are already rolling in! Tight lines everyone!
The bass were biting and the fun was blazing at the Brogo Dam bass social hosted by the club last weekend! With individual catches reaching 30 or more, it was a successful day of catch and release fishing. Kudos to seasoned club member David Stewart of Bournda for landing a 425mm bass. All types of lures, including surface, soft plastics, and hard bodies, proved effective. And the excitement didn't stop there - the club enjoyed a lively BBQ to celebrate their catch.
A fantastic weekend of fishing at the Tathra Amateur Fishing Club's Australia Day Competition! If conditions permit, head to the north headlands of Tathra, Kianinny, Bournda Island, Tura Headland, Long Point, and Haycock Beach for sand flathead at 15 fathoms. You may also come across plenty of latchet in the flathead grounds. In deeper waters, tiger flathead are abundant and some great catches have been reported from 22-30 fathoms off the coast. Keep an eye out for good snapper and morwong at Long Point and try your luck at White Rock, Long Point, Haycock, Lennards Island, and even further south past Boyds Tower at Eden.
Australian salmon are abundant in good-sized shoals near the beaches and headlands. Use silver spinners or pilchard bait to reel them in. Also, don't miss out on the large sea mullet in the Merimbula channel - they can be caught on small reddish-colored soft plastics.
In the Merimbula Top Lake, try your luck with soft plastics and bait for tailor, trevally, dusky flathead, bream, and even occasional flounder, mullet, garfish, kingfish, latchet, and an increasing number of mulloway. Keep in mind the 70cm size limit for mulloway in NSW and be ready to release your catch. However, in the lake, you may find mulloway up to 150cm.
The Tathra Amateur Fishing Club has a lot to offer this month, with lots of prawns in the estuaries, good size dusky flathead being caught, and the Club's annual Dusky Flathead Challenge. The Monster Raffle draw will take place on January 29th, and everyone is welcome to attend. The Clubhouse at Spencer Park is open on Friday, January 27th, and visitors are encouraged to stop by and enjoy the friendly atmosphere, scenic views, and the Members Draw, fishing report, and raffle. Visit the Club's website for more information on membership and local fishing, and remember to "Keep Your Rod Bent!
