Coffs Coast

It’s pretty hard to go wrong

COFFS COAST Rob Taylor

While we’re likely faced with the disappointing reality of being in the midst of another La Niña weather just around the corner.

Offshore, we’re still seeing good catches of snapper, trag, mulloway and pearl perch for the plonkers. Also, the gamefishing fraternity are rolling out of their winter doldrums as the first striped marlin arrive out on the shelf (including a rather large one I lost after an hour, the memory of which still haunts me).

Now we’re finally back into shorts and thongs, let’s take a look at what November

An unusually early mahimahi for the author bodes well for a bumper year on these popular fish. holds for such style masters.

CREEKS, RIVERS

AND ESTUARIES

As mentioned, the start of this bass season has been nothing short of phenomenal. Every man and his dog have been getting PBs, smashing records, and landing 50+ fish – and little finesse has been required. The Clarence in particular has been the system of choice as the fish were holed up at the choke point that is The Gorge. It was pretty much shooting fish in a barrel. We’ve had large river rises since then, so it’s likely the fish are now upriver and will be more spread out, but they are all big, hungry and there for the taking (and releasing) if you can find them.

Smaller systems such as the Bellinger and Macleay rivers will also be fishing well now for bass. Grab a kayak and go.

In the salt reaches, a lot of the excitement has centred on the start of the mangrove jack and GT season. Plenty of anglers wait in great

cycle, the fishing of late has been surprisingly good. When not too fresh and brown, local rivers and creeks have been producing whiting, bream and flathead in solid numbers. The first smattering of jacks and GTs has signalled the onset of the summer fishing season with a bang, and the bass fishing in the fresh has been, at the time of writing, the best I’ve seen in years.

The rocks and beaches have also been fishing quite well for this time of year, with plenty of mulloway, tailor and bream in the wash zones. The first dart and summer whiting have also started to infiltrate the gutter systems, so summer really is Some really fun fish turn up in the washes at this time of year. This pinky brought a smile to Luke Giovanetti’s face while chasing bigger targets. There are good numbers of mulloway around the local rocks. Luke Giovanetti has been landing plenty on plastics.

anticipation for this time of year, and for good reason, as the creeks and rivers really turn on some epic fishing.

Some very big flathead will be eating lures and baits this month, and it’s no coincidence that the big flathead competition at Urunga is on at this time of year. ROCKS AND BEACHES

We’re really moving into summer proper around the rocks and beaches, but it will be a couple more months before the land-based game season starts and the first pelagics arrive. Until then, you will still be able to catch drummer, groper, tailor, snapper, mulloway and bream in the wash zones off the beaches and headlands.

Whiting and dart have already been caught in the beach gutters, so they will start to definitely increase in numbers this month. Nothing beats walking beach gutters at low tide and flicking lightly-weighted baits such as fresh worms or yabbies, or casting out small plastics. At this time of year it can really fire.

Although they will be thinning in numbers somewhat, tailor and salmon are always dependable at this

“It’s all about Customer Service” AVOID THE DELAY

and order your NEW Formosa SRT and Suzuki Outboards package TODAY!

AVAILABLE AVAILABLE FINANCE

Home of Suzuki Marine On The Coffs Coast! 2 Marina Crescent, Urunga

Sales I Spares I Repairs I Repowers Servicing all makes and models Phone: 02 6655 7700

time of year. Again, both the rocks and beaches will be the places to target these fish. They really are great fun on light spin gear. I like to head down to the stones during prime bite windows with two rods, one for jewfish and one for tailor. I recommend working a likely-looking gutter to death and then moving on to the next. Some action is pretty guaranteed at this time of year. OFFSHORE

Given the fact that I caught a pretty solid mahimahi (dolphinfish) back in September, they should be well and truly here in good numbers by now. I for one love it when they bless our coast with their presence, as they are such fun to chase, are relatively easy to find and chase and taste sensational. As always, FADs, wave recorders, fish traps and flotsam will hold mahimahi. Try to find a spot to yourself and have a ball.

Some good reports of striped marlin have also been trickling in. Straight out from Coffs in 100m has been producing fish, and there were also good numbers further south at Crescent Head and Port Macquarie. They are well and truly worth chasing now. It won’t be long until they are joined by the blacks in close, and the blues out wide.

On the bottom fishing front, there are still plenty of good snapper about following what has been a bumper season. Plenty of old faithfuls such as trag and pearlies are also feeding on the 30m to 60m reefs for those seeking out a feed.

It’s pretty hard to go wrong in November, and it’s only just the start!

What can we say about the bass season thus far? Cameron Hall provides the answer!

John Millard from Warwick with a couple of nice whiting caught fishing with his son at Red Beach.