Game fishers will be heading to Bermagui in force this weekend for the annual Blue Water Classic tournament staged by the Bermagui Big Game Anglers Club. The event, held over three days starting today, attracts a big crowd and judging from reports this week, there should be plenty of fish on offer.
Numerous striped and blue marlin have been seen and hooked. Most of the striped marlin were in the 70-90kg range but the blues were considerably larger, with the largest, caught off Tuross, weighing 256kg.
Most of the fish have been taken out wide but Scott Bradley from Bermagui Bait and Tackle says anywhere past 70 fathoms is worth a try and a lot of fish are feeding around the 12 Mile Reef where there also are some bonus yellowfin. For marlin he recommends using 15-20cm skirted lures on relatively light leader - no more than 113kg, or switch baiting which involves offering an inquisitive fish a live or dead fish bait as an alternative when it comes up to look at a lure.
Best baits include slimey mackerel, frigate mackerel, sauries, flying fish, mackerel tuna, striped tuna, small mahi mahi and even small yellowfin.
Anglers should not be disappointed at a high loss rate with marlin. On average about one in seven hooked on a lure and three in seven hooked on a bait are brought to the boat. The rest are lost through line breakage or the fish throws the hook. Many are lost through over-aggressive handling.
Kingfish active
There were plenty of kingfish on jigs, bait and trolled lures at Montague Island this week, with about three in 10 of legal size. Seals took their fair share of hooked fish and one angler who had hold of a kingfish while a seal was pulling at the other end said it was the toughest fight of his life.
The angler's mates claim superior strength and intellect won out and the seal got the fish.
One angler had the misfortune to run a 6/0 kingfish hook through his arm while trying to land a fish. He was lucky the hook protruded far enough out of the flesh for the point to be cut off and the hook removed so he could continue fishing.
Mighty cod
Freshwater anglers are enjoying some excellent Murray cod fishing with a number of fish in excess of 1m reported on bait and lure from Wyangala, Burrinjuck and Jugiong. Best lures were large AC Invaders and Custom Craft deep divers and Mudguts, Auspin and Outlaw spinnerbaits. Shrimps, yabbies and bardi grubs were the top baits.
Trout streams
Anglers reported good flows and some good trout fishing on lure and fly in regional streams this week. Fish to 36cm were relatively common in the Goodradigbee, Eucumbene, Thredbo, Murrumbidgee and Tumut Rivers and some of the smaller creeks. Cotter River anglers are reminded that the gates recently erected on Vanity's Crossing road will be closed permanently on February 6, restricting access to the area.
Fly competition
The 2012 Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championship will be contested this year in lakes and streams in Tasmania's central highlands from 15-18 February. Sixteen teams from 12 countries will take part and Canberra angler Danny Spelic has been selected in the Australian team.
.gif)
