Fishing Iluka hints & tips please

[Axl]

Myself and a few of the boys are heading to down to Iluka in a bit over three weeks time for a week of fishing. There will be a dozen of us so we plan on taking at least six boats so we can have two people on board each rig at any time for both safety and comfort.

Not all rigs are outside capable but several are so we will be fishing both in the Clarence and outside weather permitting.

I have done a search of Ausfish and found some great info on the fishing in the area and we have also been onto the NSW DPI site. We are all from the SEQ area so we have studied up on the NSW fish sizes rules and regulations.

As we have never been there before the more info we can gather the better, any hints or tips the people of the Ausfish community can offer will be greatly appreciated.

[ranga7]

Mate the clarence imo is the best water way in nsw, sound around and fish alone the walls and you should fine. The wall fishing back into the beach is always producing big jew. Not to shaw on the outside seen there, i think its fairly average compared 2 Evans head. If u get a good day head out and go north about 20-30mins , go past a huge bay, stay close to shore until u see black coffee rock on the shore, it goes 4 a few klm. Sound around in that area from 100m off shore and out. The snapper fishing through there is really good, both plastics and float lining.

[kingcray]

hey mate ive done a fair bit of fishing in the clarence, i find this time of year a bit tougher to fish the lower reaches of the river as the water clarity is so good.
The middle wall and any of the walls near the 2 breakwalls always hold flathead and jew.
Browns rocks back upriver a bit is always a sure bet if you want to chase some bream, flathead lie closer to the bank in this area.
Further upriver the "broadwater" usually fires for big flathead about now.
There are heaps of landbased options also, the breakwall and the bluff usually being the pick of them for jew and tarwhine.
Make sure you drop in to Dizzys bait and tackle. They normally give up some good advice on the area.

[Chong]

Axl,
as the boys have said above, all good info...you can also launch from woody heads if swell is down, i take 4.2m tinnie up to black rock or out the front of woody. There is a reef line not far out from the point which basically runs parra all way north and south, just sound around, fish light baits down to bottom for snaps, jew, other bits...watch the red cod...use a glove...pain in the ass to clean but worth it, poor mans lobster also the whales..had some close calls out the front there...4.2m of boat isnt much when they come and say hi

If really blowing ass off, u can go to the bridge on the way in and fish the esk for bass upstream, or big whiting down, its is shallow, so pick tides.

My old man lives there so if you need an update before you go send me a pm and i will get latest upadate, also got some good contacts for seafood if you need it and Mattyootie is, i think, still down that way, he nice guy and can catch heaps of fish.

its a great place, pub id good, bowls club can be dangerous.....beaches are good and headlands make for interesting fishing and sight seeing

Also worth a go to troll for tailor out front VMR near rock wall around green bouy...we always get a few or also try that on middle wall.
Cheers,
Chong

[theoldlegend]

Yep, all of the above. If you can't get out, do all the spots in the river that have been mentioned. I've found that the further up the river you go, you've got to make adjustments to the tide tables. Sedgers Reef is a good place to get wrecked in if nothing's happening. Eastern end of Middle Wall but tide can really roar through there. The Bluff is ok at the southern end where it meets the beach and also out the front depending on weather and tide. Plenty of yabbies a short way up stream.

[theoldlegend]

I forgot to mention: don't forget to get your fishing licences!! Unless things have changed, when you're going outside, stick to the starboard side of the wall then you hang a turn to starboard to avoid a bank just outside the bar, then a 180 turn to head north to Woody Head. Just watch what others are doing.

Another spot I forgot is Frazers Reef. This is accessible by foot at low tide, but keep your eye on the incoming tide. You should be able to pick up some pippis along Shark Bay, but you can't take them more than 50 metres from the beach.


TOL

[Axl]

Thanks very much for the info guys only a couple of weeks to go now, hopefully we get some good weather and can get amongst them.