Improved weather at the coast has resulted in satisfying catches for most offshore anglers.
A group at Bermagui was typical, doing a morning drift in a light southerly from The Brothers up towards Camel Rock, in 30m of water. Using toughened salted pilchards the anglers landed 32 flathead, two morwong, several small snapper, one gummy shark and a large flounder.
They retained enough for some family feeds and returned the rest.
Kingfish, too, were a big attraction.
Some nice ones were taken on jigs and live baits offshore and from the rocks at Green Cape and near the woodchip mill at Eden.
One group used squid and live yellowtail at Montague Island for 12 fish, of which they kept four.
The resident seals took their share but spent most of their time harassing anglers on the charter boats rather than recreational boats.
One hungry seal even pinched a small, tough-skinned shark, biting chunks off it and throwing it in the air to show how clever he was.
The angler said he didn't want the shark anyway.
Seals were active, too, at Currarong where kingfish were schooling close to shore in 30m of water. One angler had 12 beautiful fat slimey mackerel to offer the kingfish but the seals got every one.
Estuaries alive
Estuaries also fished well. There were reports of small jewfish in the mouth of the Bega River and plenty of flathead in Wallaga Lake. More flathead and whiting came from Wagonga Inlet and at Ulladulla some nice bream were caught at night by berleying heavily and fishing with prawns at the harbour breakwater.
There is a prawn dark coming up on Monday and the prawns should be active and of good size. Cuttage, Wallaga, Coila and Durras should all be worth a look.
Burrinjuck the best
Burrinjuck is the standout location for golden perch and Murray cod at the moment. Good fish have been taken from the Main Basin, especially up around Wade Island, at Scrubby and Little Scrubby in the Murrumbidgee Arm and directly opposite the boat ramp at Woolgarlo in the Yass River Arm.
Best lures have been Outlaw and Mudguts spinnerbaits and Custom Craft, AC Invader and Golden Child deep divers.
Numerous anglers also have reported catching carp on cod and perch lures.
Carp can be fun to catch but not much good as a fish for the table.
Pejar gets trout
NSW Fisheries has restocked Pejar Reservoir with 10,000 rainbow and 5,000 brown trout fingerlings.
This is great boost to the trout population which is redeveloping after the reservoir dried up during the drought but was refilled last year.
The fish should be of catchable size in 18 months.
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