Batemans Bay

BATEMANS BAY Anthony Stokman

It’s July and that means bluefin tuna. We can see bluefin show up in June or towards the end of June in patchy schools, but it’s July when we can see some bigger numbers. We usually get some idea when the commercial vessels head out, or go south, and start bringing home some fish. We have had some good Julys and some very average ones, but with a good season on the bluefin further south let’s hope we see them coming up the coast in good numbers.

The migration usually begins in July and can last until September, and anyone of these months can be better than the other. Each year is a little different, depending on currents and food source.

The majority of these fish are found over the shelf and beyond. In past years I have travelled 90km, 120km and more to find these fish. The 151 line has been a sweet spot in the past, so big fuel tanks,

Naite Turner with a good salmon. There are plenty of these fish around off the break walls and beaches.

From page 64 the deeper ledges around Kiama way are producing a few trevally and salmon, while whole pilchards are scoring salmon, tailor and the odd snapper as they venture in close. A stray bonito or mac tuna is still on the cards, but only if you are lucky. worms in the waves, with a wind chill factor below zero. Salmon are on most beaches in deep gutters early in the mornings, with tailor in the same gutters during the evenings.

A few jewies are about, and what they lack in numbers they make up for in size, with some quality fish up shop for the year until a bit of warmer water arrives. There are just a few bream in the feeder streams to the lake and around the weed beds and rocky shorelines.

All in all, it’s tough going at this time of the year, but you have to be out there having a go as you won’t catch them sitting on

An average cuttlie-crunching snapper. Georgia Poyner with a nice estuary mulloway.

and in some cases spare fuel containers, are needed.

The last few years we have seen yellowfin and albacore in good to great numbers mixed in with the bluefin run. Over the last couple of years the yellowfin have taken the crown, and the bluefin have been quite patchy, but prior to that we have had some solid bluefin runs and had them in massive schools with little sign of yellowfin. This year we’ll see how the battle of blue and yellow plays out. Either way, the albacore remain a welcomed bycatch and can remain that way until October. Last year we had albacore right into November, where they were in massive numbers and became the target species.

I’m hoping by August I’ll be reporting tuna with some more accurate info and some good tuna pics.

Other pelagics like marlin, dolphinfish (mahimahi), bonito and so forth traditionally taper off at this time of year due to the cooler southern waters. The warmer water has been persistent this year, and June still saw 20°C water holding bonito and plenty of slimy mackerel. However, July should see an end to that and winter is when the tuna show, with a chance of kingfish.

Inshore there are plenty of salmon, and we have seen a large number of tailor over the last couple of months, and they have been of decent size too. There will also be trevally and bream in reasonable numbers along the beaches, rock walls and headlands over July.

Anglers frequenting rock ledges this winter will be looking for the ever-reliable drummer, and picking up the odd grouper, trevally and bream as by catch. Berley will greatly increase your chances of success. Never throw out old bread – just mix it with moist sand and use it for drummer berley. And remember, one of the best free baits is cunjevoi, so get down at low tide and get some.

Spinning metals and lures will jag salmon and tailor also, and don’t forget to pack your squid jigs because squid will be on the cards at these locations.

The snapper run has continued, and I’m quite amazed at the number of good fish being caught from boats, kayaks and land-based recently, and also just in general over the last couple of years. The snapper fishery must be in great condition, and it makes me wonder how good it really is. I am regularly in touch with the DPI and other bodies, so I should ask why there have been so many big fish and how healthy is our system really is. I’ll get back to you on that, and in the meantime let’s hope this run of snapper continues.

Beaches will be holding schools of salmon and tailor in the coming weeks, with some patches of bream and flathead here and there. Mulloway will be a target at night on the beaches as well as in the estuaries if you rug up enough.

We can feel the snow in the mountains in the crisp, westerly winds that arrive to the coast. Still, we have the sun, and with thermals on we are warm and good to go. Estuary fishing will be tough from here on as it cools down, but if you work hard enough, you’ll find some bream, flatties and trevally, and lose your lure to the odd tailor. The action never completely dies, and as long as you’ve got warm gear and a hot drink, and the sun is out, you can have an enjoyable time fishing on our beautiful south coast estuaries. Very serene and peaceful. • 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).