Illawarra

ILLAWARRA Greg Clarke

Every day is a good day in January. It’s holiday time for lots of people, the weather is hot, the water is hot and the fishing is great regardless of what you chase. Does it get any better? You bet, because it won’t look like slowing down for the next four months.

Offshore the pace will get hotter with each passing day as the EAC (East Australian Current) pours down the coast bringing with it all sorts of warm water species.

Marlin are the target for many sport and game anglers, and with a bit of luck it will be a better season than last year. Blacks between 40-150kg are the trace of about 100kg will do the job. Stick an 8/0 to 10/0 solid circle hook on the end and you are in business.

Now all you need is a few live slimy mackerel or yellowtail (preferably large ones) and feed them out over one of the local reefs. Alternatively, you can just have one out while you are drifting around for flathead or snapper, or when you are anchored over your favourite reef fishing for snapper.

Australia Day is usually the guaranteed kick-off day for the billies, but they can show up any time from Christmas onwards in earnest.

Of course, marlin are not the only fish in the sea, and when the water temps start rising all manner of creatures show up. One example is the anticipated run of dolphinfish yellowfin tuna, striped tuna and even the odd wahoo so it is a good time to be chasing the gamefish.

Closer to shore there are some solid yellowtail kings around the usual haunts, along with heaps of undersized fish. Live slimies and yellowtail will catch the better fish, or if the frigate mackerel have turned up, a live frigate will always attract the attention of any monster hoodlums in the area.

The ever-present salmon seem to be all along the coast, mixed in with small kings, bonito and a few mac tuna. Tossing small lures around the schools feeding on the surface is always a fun way to spend the morning. Keep the tackle light to maximise the fun and the hook-ups.

Over the inshore reefs there have been a few snapper coming in, with plenty of decent fish among them. The deeper reefs in 30-50m have been holding most fish, but there are plenty in around the shallows too for the ‘pick and berley’ guys. It’s been a good few months for snapper so far.

Then there are other species mixed in with them to keep you busy, with samsonfish, teraglin and various trevally species, with other exotics like rainbow runners and even spotty or Spanish mackerel showing up later in the month.

Bottom bouncers are well catered for this month, with heaps of flathead over all the sand patches. The northern areas around Stanwell Park and Coalcliff have been standouts, but down around Kiama way there are plenty as well.

Drifting over the reefs you’ll find a smorgasbord of fish species, with snapper (in all sizes), trevally, mowies, kingfish, teraglin, sweep, pigfish, samsonfish, small mulloway, tailor and leatherjackets by the dozens. You should be kept busy.

Beach fishing is rolling along quite nicely too, and with the kids on holidays you can get out and have some fun with the whole family. Whiting are the main target, and they are on all the beaches this month. Just grab a few beach worms and walk along casting into the likelylooking runs and gutters until you find a school.

Along the way you will probably find a few bream, flathead, salmon, small jewies (mulloway), and even a few dart and trevally. Then, if you really want to get serious, you can head down to one of the deeper gutters during the evening with some fresh tailor or mackerel fillets, and chase a big jewie.

Most of the guys putting in the time have been getting quite a few school size jew up to 10kg, with a sprinkling of fish to 18kg. As of yet, I haven’t heard of any fish breaking the 20kg barrier, but that’s not to say they haven’t been caught. The secret society of mulloway anglers like to keep their cards close to their chest! The big tides early in the month are a great time to target these fish.

The rock scene is much the same, with most species on the bite. The deeper ledges have been producing salmon, bonito and small kingfish on pilchards and lures, while larger kings have been picked up on live baits.

We don’t get a lot of marlin off the rocks in the Illawarra, but the next few weeks are your best chance for the year. The blowhole point at Kiama, Marsdens a little further south, Bombo and to a lesser extent the south side of Bass Point and Hill 60 are all worth a shot with large live baits. Some seasons produce more than others, but there are always a couple hooked each year so if you have a bait out you are in with a chance.

Blackfish are about, taking cabbage and green weed off the rocks and early morning in the quiet harbours like Port Kembla and Wollongong. Pretty much the only species that’s not firing is the drummer, as they seem to slow down a bit with the appearance of the warm water.

A few bream and trevally can be enticed with a bit of berley off most of the popular ledges, with early mornings being the best time.

There are some nice snapper around this month, and some days they come in two at a time.

most common captures, but striped and blue marlin are always on the cards, particularly if you fish a bit wider out around the shelf. A grand slam of all three in one day is not out of the question.

Contrary to popular belief, marlin are not the domain of millionaires. The truth is, you can catch marlin without traveling to the horizon in a huge boat. Places like Bandit Reef, Wollongong Reef, the southeast grounds even just out the back of the islands will produce fish. Water temperature plays a key role. Although you will find marlin in cooler water, generally when the water hits 23°C that is when to start chasing in earnest.

A decent game outfit loaded with 15-24kg line and a few metres of heavier mono (mahimahi). These fish have been the saviour of sportfishing as they can be relied upon during summer to produce some action. The size can change from day to day, so expect anything from little undersized rats to big bulls of 20kg and better.

You don’t have to be Einstein to find or catch them, just head out to the FAD and throw in a bait. As usual live baits are best, but a pilchard will do the job. Some days the dollies will be thick and grab anything that hits the water, while on other days they can be finicky. Usually the harder the current is pushing down the coast, the better they bite.

If you like dragging plastic around the ocean and chewing up fuel then there are the marlin and dollies plus the added chance of

The lake and Minnamurra are right on song at the moment, with flathead everywhere. Softies, live poddies and live prawns will take good fish every day.

There are nice bream in the deeper holes and around the bridges, and whiting over all the sand flats if you have squirt worms or nippers for bait.

Still in the lake there are a few prawns to be had during the dark, so grab a light and a scoop net and head to the shallows for some after-dark fun, and maybe a feed. They also make great bait.

A black marlin about 80kg being towed to keep it strong before release.

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