Freeeedom
13-03-2008, 02:35 PM
Just got back from my first week at Iluka for the year - and only 4766 new posts on Ausfish to read! Looks like a late night coming up.
Headed for Iluka last Thursday - an early trip for me as I usually head that way in the winter, but I thought the recent heavy rains in northern NSW might have flushed the fish down towards the river mouth.
Arrived just after lunch and after unpacking headed for the northern wall to try to catch our dinner. The tide was perfect for fishing the washes at my favourite spot and the bream were very cooperative. Pulled seven good bream in no time and a reasonable flathead, a bit unusual in that spot.
Next morning it was back to the same spot for a similar result - nine good bream and another flathead. I fished the same spot for the next four days (until the tides became unsuitable at the dawn session) and pulled some magnificent bream every time. The best went 39cm and quite a few were around the 36cm mark. As well I was busted off frequently by big fish that I couldn't keep out of the rocks even on a 25 pound leader - probably big bream but I did release a small jew, so you never know).
The winds were pretty strong easterlies most of the week with quite a decent swell, so fishing the beaches was almost impossible. I managed one beach session in Shark Bay on Wednesday but only scored three nice bream - no sign of any tailor, although there were some very good ones caught recently at Woody Head according to a couple of people I talked to.
The locals in the know were pulling quite a few luderick from the river, but I'm not the greatest still-water fisherman for luderick and I only managed four in two sessions. Had a shot for luderick in the washes at the Iluka Bluff on Tuesday - the water looked really good with plenty of suds coming over the rocks but I couldn't get a single down - that might be a winter only location.
On Wednesday I had a couple of hours throwing soft plastics for flathead behind the rocks at the Bluff. Took 2 flathead - one about 36cm (released) and another close to 70cm, who released herself just after I beached her and before I could grab the camera. It was a nice way to finish a great week, standing waist deep in crystal clear water throwing plastics to the edge of the rocks and retrieving through the sandy gutter.
Coming home I ran along Shark Bay beach to Black Rock campground instead of down the highway - the wind was down and the surf was very fishable, the best conditions of the whole week. Them's the breaks - I can't complain after some great fishing every day.
Cheers Freeeedom
Headed for Iluka last Thursday - an early trip for me as I usually head that way in the winter, but I thought the recent heavy rains in northern NSW might have flushed the fish down towards the river mouth.
Arrived just after lunch and after unpacking headed for the northern wall to try to catch our dinner. The tide was perfect for fishing the washes at my favourite spot and the bream were very cooperative. Pulled seven good bream in no time and a reasonable flathead, a bit unusual in that spot.
Next morning it was back to the same spot for a similar result - nine good bream and another flathead. I fished the same spot for the next four days (until the tides became unsuitable at the dawn session) and pulled some magnificent bream every time. The best went 39cm and quite a few were around the 36cm mark. As well I was busted off frequently by big fish that I couldn't keep out of the rocks even on a 25 pound leader - probably big bream but I did release a small jew, so you never know).
The winds were pretty strong easterlies most of the week with quite a decent swell, so fishing the beaches was almost impossible. I managed one beach session in Shark Bay on Wednesday but only scored three nice bream - no sign of any tailor, although there were some very good ones caught recently at Woody Head according to a couple of people I talked to.
The locals in the know were pulling quite a few luderick from the river, but I'm not the greatest still-water fisherman for luderick and I only managed four in two sessions. Had a shot for luderick in the washes at the Iluka Bluff on Tuesday - the water looked really good with plenty of suds coming over the rocks but I couldn't get a single down - that might be a winter only location.
On Wednesday I had a couple of hours throwing soft plastics for flathead behind the rocks at the Bluff. Took 2 flathead - one about 36cm (released) and another close to 70cm, who released herself just after I beached her and before I could grab the camera. It was a nice way to finish a great week, standing waist deep in crystal clear water throwing plastics to the edge of the rocks and retrieving through the sandy gutter.
Coming home I ran along Shark Bay beach to Black Rock campground instead of down the highway - the wind was down and the surf was very fishable, the best conditions of the whole week. Them's the breaks - I can't complain after some great fishing every day.
Cheers Freeeedom