Luderick for the taking BOTANY BAY
Gabe Quercigrosse gabeandgabe@bigpond.com
Winter has finally caught up with us. There’s a distinctive hill in the air, and the water temperature is hovering around 14-15°C. This has obviously reduced the number of anglers trying their luck, but there’s always a loyal band of passionate diehards who brave the cold weather and reap the rewards.
The rocky shoreline just downstream from the Alfords Point bridge is called Blackbutt, and it’s a good run-in ground. The further you get back from the point, the better. This has been the premier spot, with consistent catches right throughout the month. Other spots which have produced include Russell Jones, which has a permanent eddy right underneath the overhead wires; Bakers Rock on the other side of the river opposite Little Moon Bay; Lambeth
the bridge can be good to try, so long as the tides are not too big. Boaters will find the third pylon on the northern side the prime spot during the last of the run-in tide. This spot is best fished from off the pylon blocks on the bridge itself, where you can tie your boat alongside and fish in complete comfort. Chipping Norton Lake to Liverpool Weir is another area which has been fishing particularly well for bream and flathead. Mainly fished from small boats and kayaks,
Bob recently got this mixed bag from Pulpit Point. lake. This is possibly the most consistent possie in the system, and all species can be taken here. There’s good country at Strong Park and
along Wildlife Island as well. Rowley Park, Cabramatta Creek and William Long Bridge are good places to pump shirt worms, especially
You don’t need a boat to catch big fish – just ask Hassan Alameri with his ripper king from Sydney Harbour! This is the case in the upper reaches of Georges River, where bag limits of luderick have been the norm. Locals are cashing in on the run of fish between 30-35cm, with the odd 40cm specimen appearing in catches. I’m told the feeding habits have changed, with tides dictating terms. Land-based spots are the way to go, with the fishing no more than two boat lengths from the shore.
Reserve along Henry Lawson Drive; Mickeys Point; and the wire fence. Green weed has been at a premium, and almost impossible to find. Anglers have had to travel long distances to gather enough for a day’s fishing. One location which stands out, and which is not fished a lot, is Como Railway Bridge. For landbased anglers, either end of
this stretch has enormous potential as there is plenty of food in the shape of squirt worms, prawns and small poddy mullet for the fish to chase. There are several well-maintained boat ramps only a short distance from the fishing grounds. You should also give Homestead Park a try. This is a long, rocky finger of land which extends into the
John’s catch from Lambeth Park on nippers.
GABES BOATING AND FISHING SYDNEY’S LARGEST RANGE OF BAIT
OVER 40YRS EXPERIENCE
WE WON’T BE BEATEN ON ANY ADVERTISED PRICE!!
• Live Baits • Marinated Baits • Frozen & fresh Baits Large range of fishing tackle + rod & reel repairs Boating + outboard accessories
10-50% OFF
SELECTED PRODUCTS
Shop 4, 1A Somerset Ave, Narellan
02 4647 8755
WWW.GBAF.COM.AU
Mon-Wed 8am-8pm • Thurs-Fri 8am-9pm • Sat 4am-6pm • Sun & Public Holidays 4am-6pm
18
JULY 2016
near the mangroves. Two Pipes Bend just upstream is another great spot. The Woronora River, which has its entrance on the upstream side of Como Bridge, has been fishing well for school bream, luderick and the odd large flathead. Bonnet Bay has been the standout location and is a proven spot. I recommend that you fish side-on to the current on a run-out tide anywhere between the mouth of the bay and the front of the houses 100m downriver. Berley heavily and the fish will find you. Another area which has been producing top catches of bream, whiting and flathead has been the stretch between Pelican Point and Towra Point. Peter McCormick, one of the local top rods, has been getting 12-20 mixed species per trip. Peter uses only live nippers, which he
pumps from Douglas Park flats on the low tide, and fishes the incoming flow. At times he is in water that’s only 1ft deep, but that’s where the fish are. This is an area worth exploring as the sand keeps on shifting and new corridors are formed regularly, creating feeding passages for the fish. The old oyster leases behind Charters Island are always worth a try, as stud bream lurk here. However, they are difficult to land due to the rugged terrain. The fishing in the bay itself hasn’t been too bad, with plenty of trevally and tailor on offer. The artificial reefs in Yarra Bay have been the main providers, with fish up to 45cm taking peeled prawns and ganged pilchards. The same applies to the structures in Congwong Bay and Astrolabe Cove, with the latter providing bycatches of calamari squid on the weed bottom. Yarra Bay continues to provide dusky flathead on the drift, with the eastern side the most productive. The 70cm Squidgy Pro Fish in grasshopper has been doing all the damage, especially when coupled with a 3/8oz, 2/0 jighead. The airport runways have been fairly quiet, with only trumpeter whiting and the odd bream taken. The kings have disappeared, and may be found in Cooks River just above the road bridge. The mulloway are still on at the Marsh Street bridge, and are taking 4” PowerBait Minnows in watermelon pearl, cast as close to the bridge as possible. The bridge is in close proximity to the Kyeemagh boat ramp and always fishes well at this time of year. The offshore scene has been very good, with Browns Mountain the hot spot. Bianca Charters has been bagging out on gemfish and getting blue-eye trevalla to 28kg. For anyone that hasn’t had a feed of blue-eyes, you don’t know what you’re missing!