lake Illawarra

[1975fflh]

oes anyone know if the fish are on the go again, was looking atFriday night or Saturday arvo to go and have aplay in the lake.

[Scott nthQld]

I used to live on the lake about 6 years ago then I moved to Townsville. Have they fixed the entrance to the lake yet or is it still closed? I remember when they first built that breakwall the authorities were all told that thay were building it on the wrong side of the Island, but they insisted on ignoring everyone and built it anyway, last I heard thery were going to raise the rates to pay for their f*ck up, typical.

I do know of a few good spots of Port beach where I used to go all the time (weather permitting) I can't remember the exact location now but its only about 5 km off there's a couple of reefs along there and in the right current you can drift across the whole lot in one drift, you can teel you are on the right track when fishing cos the catch is so predictable (flatties then on the reef snapper, then more flatties off the reef, then on the reef again for more snapper.

The amount of times I have been fishing along there just isn't funny and the quantity and quality of the fish was awesome. Don't know if it's still like that but my grandfather still fishes there regularly and always manages a feed or 2

[Noelm]

yep, another breakwall is built, lake is open and the fishing is good right at the entrance for bream, plenty of Blackfish in the channel and even some small to medium jewfish been caught on live bait on the runout tide at the entrance.

[Scott nthQld]

Bout time they got they act into gear, when they first built the breakwall it was great fishing plenty of good sized bream and flatties around and heaps of blue swimmer crabs, I remember the jetties along the Mt Warigal side of the lake were teaming with kids catching an obcene amount crabs on their fishing lines. A mate of mine and myself used to just walk around in the shallows around that little Island on the lake side of wingdang bridge and just pick em up as we went.

Do they still get like that around Autumn? Or did the lake closure nearly wipe em all out?

[Noelm]

there was practicaly no crabs this year or prawns, but hopefully with the new deep entrance they might return after a couple of seasons, the crabs just sort of dwindled away over a long time when the lake closed, so I guess it will take some time for the NEW generations to grow and breed.

[Scott nthQld]

Well Its good the lake has been reopened, I was down that way in January and the lake was looking very dirty and was starting smell as bad as it did just before it was opened the first time around. There might get a bit of water in it too, it seemed to be a bit empty when I was there.

Are there any fish being caught at Minnamurra/Kiama area, they were another 2 favourite haunts of mine

[Noelm]

Minamurra was good before it started to get cold, plenty of Whiting and Flathead as well as Blachfish around the bridges,I have not been there for a month or so, not too sure about around kiama, but I guess it would be similar to me (Shellharbour) which is a bit patchy at the moment, but still fishing OK, a few Yellowfin are being caught and plenty of Gemfish and Blue Eye out at the Canyons.

[1975fflh]

Thanks Guys

I will be down there sat arvo, no its a crappy tide but beats sitting at home, If you see the Rumrunner say hello (check the avatar)

[BAT]

Does it still smell?

[1975fflh]

No It didnt smell at all about a month ago, but the usual spots in the main channel sucked big time, the current is very fast now and very little turn around from tide out to tide in , no lull.