Batemans Bay

BATEMANS BAY Anthony Stokman

I’m pretty glad to see September arrive. True, I go into August with positivity with the tuna on the run, snapper inshore, drummer off the stones, salmon on the beaches, cagey bream in the estuaries, and the chance of estuary perch the bluefin either; good currents can have large schools of them show up anywhere along the coast.

One of our most stable species would have to be snapper. They are a yearround fish, contrary to what some fishos believed in the past. Snapper can be caught all year round from the stones to the inshore reefs and further offshore. However, there are spawning periods where they school in big numbers, and it’s during spring where you can find large aggregating snapper. Out in the 60-80m depths off our coast is where you can find a lot of snapper throughout spring. There is some debate as to whether there should be a small closure on snapper during this period to help keep the numbers healthy. We have seen this in other parts of Australia, and a month or two here could be a good thing.

Inshore reef fishing can become more popular throughout spring as the offshore fishing slows down. September, October and November are the months in between tuna and marlin season, and this means more offshore anglers focus on inshore snapper fishing.

Anything can happen in spring, such as the odd big yellowfin or good run of school yellowfin, a good run of albacore, or a big school of bluefin could show up. It’s in the hands of the ocean and what it delivers, but we can always count on a good snapper run. The only way to know what offshore fishing has to offer in spring is to get out there. It can be very different from year to year.

In September, fishing from the stones is still very productive when you are chasing drummer, grouper and spinning for salmon and tailor. These good winter species are still a good option overlapping into spring.

Squid fishing in the favourable clear winter water can go up a notch as they have a spawning period throughout spring also. When fishing from the stones you’ll start to enjoy that spring sunlight on your face as you take in the beauty of our coast.

Another place out in the open where you can bask in the spring sunlight is on our pristine beaches. This year we had the pleasure of some patches of winter whiting, and it could be worth a try looking for them this month. However, it’s not usually until the end of spring until we see them showing up, taking lures off the surface at some of our more productive lakes that open to the sea at times.

What you can really rely on is salmon and tailor along some of our main beaches, with the possibility of bream and trevally. Bream have seemed to have been found in good numbers and sizes at any given place over the last year or so, especially along the beaches.

This month we should see our estuaries start to warm up towards the end of spring going into summer. When the sun starts heating up the shallows in the estuary, the waters start to come to life again. Late September is typically when the big flathead start waking up and laying around in the warmer patches of the sand flats. They have become a special target these days, with anglers chasing the big girls up to the magic metre mark with bigger and bigger lures. To make it more exciting, you can use large surface lures, seeking that big surface strike.

Keen bass lovers will also be coming out of hibernation during spring, and they usually find a fish or few.

So September is a bit of a lucky dip of a month. Although we are celebrating the change of season and the extra bit of warmth

Micro jigging is as common as bait fishing these days. Georgia Poyner loves it.

or even mulloway and squid. However, by the end of August I’ve pretty much had enough of winter. If there was ever a month that slaps you in the face, it’s August. If you would call a month rude, it’s August. And did August deliver?

Well, yes and no.

The eagerly awaited bluefin seemed to be quite elusive. Unfavourable currents, extremely cold, green water, COVID lockdowns and some windy days all combined to make it hard to find tuna.

And although we have had a fairly mild winter once again with some glorious sunny days, it’s good to see the back end of the cold winter. So hello September, we love you! Now just show us some fish.

One species that’s been going well for the last couple of years is yellowfin tuna and it made up for the patchy bluefin throughout August. September can see some larger models still getting around, but as spring progresses we usually start seeing more smaller sized school yellowfin.

There have been a few albacore caught coming into spring, and some years there can be good numbers of them. Don’t rule out Rick Grinsmell and crew got a cracker 76kg tuna off the surface.

from the sun, the fishing is much the same as in winter. This is mainly because the water temperature is always catching up to the air temperature, so it may be spring on the land, but it’s still very much winter in our waters. Good luck out there. • For more up-to-the-minute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).