February is renowned for producing the worst humidity of the year, with 2018 shaping up as no exception. With conditions on or near the water often far more tolerable, wetting a line this month certainly has additional benefits.
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In the estuary, blackfish numbers and quality are improving however as has been the case often over recent times, the shallower weed beds are now holding more fish than many of the shore based locations we have grown accustom to.
If you are prepared to fish such areas, the fish are there to catch using traditional methods with either weed or cabbage, or as many are now adopting, lightly weighted yabbies. The latter are proving increasingly popular as not only will you catch blackfish, but bream, whiting and flatties also come into the equation.
Elsewhere in the Hastings, some good flathead are on offer from areas around Rawdon Island and the Maria, while bream numbers remain excellent, particularly well upstream. Whiting also remain plentiful with Lake Cathie and around Blackmans Point both fishing well on worms or yabbies.
Off the beaches, flathead numbers continue to be excellent with North Beach, Town Beach and the beaches at Point Plomer all producing. Soft plastics or whitebait have been the winning offerings. There have also been tailor on North Beach and Lighthouse, with evening sessions producing the better results. Small metals have been working well. North Beach has also produced a few school mulloway after dark on beach worms.
Off the rocks, a few nice bream and blackfish are on offer for those willing to put in the time, with areas north around Plomer and Hat Head fishing reasonably. Tailor have also been consistent from most ledges, albeit mainly in the chopper class.
However the news on surface or game fishing remains a little quiet, with few reports of LBG action from the more popular ledges at either Hat Head or Point Perpendicular. However having said this, the odd long tail tuna has been taken just offshore, so it’s only a matter of time until more land based opportunities eventuate.
Outside reports have been encouraging from a pelagic perspective, with just about every desirable species on offer. Small black marlin have been on the chew both out wide and closer in to around 40 meters of water, whilst the wider grounds have also yielded better quality blues and stripes.
Those heading wide have also scored the odd wahoo, yellowfin tuna and of course, mahi mahi. Closer in, Barries Bay has seen a few Spanish and spotted mackerel along with cobia and long tail tuna, but the bite has been inconsistent. Those fishing the bottom have also been enjoying reasonable success, with all the regular species on offer as long the currents play fair.
Best snapper reports have come from the 40m reefs off Shelleys, while a few kingfish and teraglin have been in around 60m off Plomer.
Until next week, good fishing and tight lines to all.