Batemans Bay

Catching the winter blues

BATEMANS BAY Anthony Stokman

Some people may think having the ‘winter blues’ is a feeling of sadness, but not here on the south coast of NSW. It means bluefin season!

Having said that, you down from Mallacoota to Lakes Entrance has become a bit of a sword capital for anglers in NSW and Victoria. During the cooler months there is a good presence of swords in those southern canyons, and anglers are migrating there to try and learn the tricks of the trade. Then, if you do have success or get more confidence in sword-rich areas, you can bring that experience to your home grounds and have a go, like a lot of fishos have.

Another style of fishing that has blown up over the years is deep dropping with electric reels. It seems pretty much everyone around here who owns a boat now owns an electric reel. The cooler months are the best time because the currents are more favourable. Most deep dropping is done in depths of around 300-600m, which can also be sword country. Some anglers like to put a sword rig out when they are deep dropping to keep their options open, and it’s also good for practice, especially if you are at the learning stage.

The next evolution of electric reel fishing is a smaller size electric that is used in depths from 50-150m. These reels are great for the elderly, people with arthritis or other issues that hinder your winding, and it’s also great for kids that can’t wind in greater depths. You can have it in the rod holder or you can pick it up and use it manually if you wish. These electric reels are smaller and lighter. You can expect to catch flathead, snapper, bar cod, John Dory and nannygai to name a few off the south coast. There’s a massive amount of species in those depths, so you can expect the unexpected also. I like the Shimano Plays 4000 matched to a 6ft Shimano Aqua Tip, but there are other options that will do the job too.

Closer inshore the snapper fishing continues to be quite consistent from the boats. Alternatively, if you get the approach spot-on (i.e. fresh bait, the right rig and good timing) then land-based snapper can be caught all year round.

The most productive fish from the stones at this cooler time of the year will always be the drummer, which have been in good numbers this winter up and down the coast. The most common bycatch species are bream, trevally and grouper, according to what I’ve been hearing in the tackle shop.

There has been plenty of weed around in ocean rock pools which makes great bait for luderick. I have been seeing a lot of people coming through the shop getting luderick set-ups and seeking advice, and this sudden interest is due to word getting around of good numbers being caught. I have been selling out of imitation weed flies also to anglers who want to hone their skills or have some back-up when the bait runs out.

Beach fishing has been going strong all year and has continued throughout winter, with some good winter whiting at a few key places. This makes beach fishing worthwhile, especially when big bream are also very present up and down the coast. Salmon and tailor can be expected, and there have been quite a few trevally along our beaches and in estuaries also. Beachworms have been the best bait on the beach all year. If you can’t find worms, the good old pilly or spinning metals will get the job done.

It’s the quietest time of the year for estuaries, but some of my customers have been seeing that as a challenge. One customer has persevered with chasing flathead at Durras Lake and has been cracking a few good flatties, one around the 90cm mark. The rivers and lakes have had the odd flathead, and bream are still being caught in reasonable numbers along the break wall, racks, holes and oceanic bays and beaches. Estuary fishing can be tougher and cold in winter but the reports coming through have been relatively positive, especially for bream and trevally.

Squid fishing has been on and off as we have had some good rainfall throughout autumn into winter. After a good rain event it takes a couple of weeks for the water to settle and clear up, and then we start seeing some

Rohan Griffin has been on a roll lately. Another nice yellowfin.

could be excused for feeling a little over winter if winter is not your thing, and August is a good month to take a vacation and come back as spring starts. But to be honest, the south coast is a pretty amazing place all year round, and our winters are pretty mild. Just don’t go up the mountain to Canberra – they can keep that weather. Plus, there’s no tuna in Canberra.

August can have some fantastic days on bluefin tuna. In July and August the bluefin take the stage as the yellowfin take a back seat. There are still some good yellows getting caught at times and there can be some good numbers of albacore over these months also, but it’s bluefin that are on everyone’s mind. They can run quite well through August and then can start to taper off by the end of August, with some catches into September. At this stage, Sydney can get some good numbers and fire up the city slickers before they migrate back south.

What has been generating a lot of interest over the years is sword fishing. Just south of here Zoe O’Connor with the love of her life, and Billy.

squid again (at least until the next downpour). There have been a few good windows, and going through July and into August there looks to be some squid opportunities. Also, usually the first places to clear up after rain for squid is Durras and north to Bawley Point.

From bluefin offshore, snapper from the boat and the stones, beaches on fire, plenty of bream and calamari rings for dinner, there are plenty of things to keep you warm this end of winter. • For more up-to-theminute 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).