IF you’ve been wetting a line this holiday season, you’ve likely been rewarded with bent rods and full eskies.
The festive period has kicked off with a resounding success in our local river systems, ensuring plenty of fresh seafood has made its way onto Christmas tables.
In the Hastings River, the mud crab scene is booming.
Crabbing enthusiasts around Wauchope, Rawdon Island, and the Maria River are reporting great catches, perfect for the holiday feasts.
Offshore, the FADs are providing some entertainment with mahi mahi, though the bite remains a little inconsistent. However, whispers of inshore mackerel to the north and the odd black marlin suggest things are about to heat up.
Down south in the Camden Haven, strategy is paying off.
The magic hour seems to be the top of the high tide, particularly in the lower reaches.
Flathead have been the absolute stars of the show here, with some stonker fish pulled off the breakwalls. If you’re targeting them, white or bright soft plastics are doing the damage, though traditional baits like whitebait, pilchards, and prawns remain deadly. It’s not just about the flatties, though.
The local wharfs are holding active schools of bream, while the sand flats are producing decent numbers of whiting on worms and yabbies.
For the thrill-seekers, surface lures are also tempting the whiting, providing some explosive top-water action.
On the offshore reefs, bottom bouncers are loading up on quality snapper, teraglin, and pearl perch using squid and pilchards.
Up north, South West Rocks is surging with holiday activity.
For the land-based anglers brave enough to tackle the headlands, the reward has been thrilling encounters with some truly impressive kingfish that are testing tackle to the limit.
In the Macleay River, the breakwall continues to deliver consistent catches of flathead and mangrove jack.
But offshore the inshore black marlin season has begun, we are seeing the start of what looks to be a bumper season, and this bite is expected to intensify rapidly over the coming weeks.
Looking at the long-range forecast, we might be dodging a few showers and some unsettled weather in the coming weeks. But don’t let the weatherman dampen your spirits, there will be plenty of fishable windows to get out there. The systems are healthy, the bait is present, and the fish are hungry.
By Kate SHELTON
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
