The gift that keeps on giving

Rob

Taylor

It’s hard to write about fishing at present and not have a column consumed by marlin as it really has been one of the best inshore billfish seasons in decades. We usually see black marlin numbers begin to wane around this time, but this year’s fish are the gift that keeps on giving. Little blacks continue to stalk bait schools anywhere from the 40m line out to the shelf and beyond that the usual stripe and blue marlin on offer.

We have also kicked off our mackerel run with good numbers of both spotted and Spanish mackerel falling to the usual techniques such as trolling live baits, pulling lures and dead baiting. These fish are being caught off the rocks and all the way out to the islands. Targeting inshore reefs has been a sure-fire way to find the razor gang.

Speaking of teeth, we’ve also had an excellent run of wahoo, and these fish should peak in numbers through March. If you’re a speed freak then now’s the time to chase one of the fastest fish on fins.

It’s not only the offshore scene that has been firing – the rocks and beaches along with our local creeks and rivers have also been producing some memorable sessions. We’ve had a great run of mangrove jacks, and March is one of the prime months to chase them.

If there are fish around, Jason Didio will find them, just like he did with this inshore black marlin.

Let’s take a look at one of my favourite months to fish the Coffs Coast.

CREEKS AND RIVERS

This month is a great time to be on our local creeks and rivers, and if you want to challenge yourself then why not target mangrove jacks! These red brawlers are thick at the moment, and there are rather large models getting about, so make sure you have the tackle to handle them. I’d be using 30lb braid as a minimum, and even then you may still get it handed to you. Try likely-looking snags in any of our creeks and rivers or, better yet, drift the deeper holes after dark to find a school of eager jacks to keep you occupied. Now is also a great time to target whiting and flathead off the sand banks and weed edges. Lures and baits are both effective, and now that the summer tourist season is over, fish should be enjoying extended bite times around tide changes and dawn and dusk. There will still be GTs boofing bait schools in the salt, and bass looking to attack surface presentations in the fresh, so get out there and get amongst it as March is truly a fantastic month to be on our local waterways with a rod in your hand.

Rocks and beaches

For land-based fishos, particularly those seeking gamefish, March is the best month on our part of the coast. With mackerel and longtail tuna on offer from most ledges and break walls during this month, it pays to have a live bait out under a balloon or otherwise cast metal lures or stickbaits. Places such as the north wall, Muttonbird Island, the Quarry and Third Headland will all be worth a look for a gamefish.

Now that the garfish are here, they make a prime live bait for pelagics off the rocks, but you can also use yakkas and slimies if you are lucky enough to find them. Find the bait and you will find fish.

Plenty of school-sized mulloway, tailor, bonito, dart and luderick will also be available off the rocks, and the beaches should also produce tailor and mulloway along with dart, whiting and flathead in those low tide gutters.

Offshore

The offshore scene is dominated by mackerel every March; these fish definitely hit their peak at this time of year. There’s a good reason for that, as there can be some truly hectic sessions on the razor gang if the weather holds. You can also expect wahoo, marlin and yellowfin tuna around the islands, with bigger blue and striped marlin out on the shelf.

Current depending, bottom dropping can also produce fish this month. I’d be looking at the 60m-80m reefs for big mulloway, snapper, pearlies and trag.

It really is an excellent month for fishing off the Coffs coast, so if you don’t mind me, I’m off fishing and I’ll see you on the water!