Steve Mc

G'day Diver. Just went down to visit my olds at Lake Munmorah. My wife and I fished Lake Mac hard using every lure in my tackle box for nothing, so you are not the only one. For some reason I have more luck in winter on the Lake.

Down the southern end. Launched at Kingfisher Shores then basically worked the channel markers on either side as we headed out towards the main bay. There are a lot of good drop offs all through the lake. Just look for the black cardinal markers. Thanks Roberta, next time I am heading out I will give you a call.

Tailor Yeah Rob, all in the deeper water. Some were caught as far out as 20m from the actual drop.

Last week the family and I headed down to my parents place for a few days of Lake Macquarie fishing. Last year we went down the same week in the school holidays and had an awesome time on the flatties so expectations were high. Day one and the weather wasn't overly kind. No rain but an icy cold wind made it very difficult to hold in one spot for any length of time but we managed to do a "slow drift" with the anchor scraping along the bottom. Things started slowly (i.e. not a touch for the first hour) and a half but just as I was thinking it wouldn't be our day, my youngest hooks up and pulls in a nice table sized fish at 43cm. It sucked the 100mm Killer Tomato Squidgy Fish so far down when I opened its mouth to retrieve the lure it was nowhere to be seen. Over the next 2 hours things continued to happen. In the end we managed 5 keepers from 43 to 50cm but managed to lose 3 very big fish. My managed to get the net under my biggest which looked about the 70cm mark (I am telling myself it was no bigger because my pb is 72cm) but it crocodile rolled out and the line snapped as it hit the side of the boat. It was taken on a 100mm gold squidgy fish. Both my youngest and my managed to lose fish in the same class. One was just bad luck as the hook pulled below the boat and the other I take full responsibility for as the knot gave way after a big boat side surge. I should have backed her drag off because it was only 4lb line. The second day it was just the and I and things were a bit slower but we did manage one at 58cm and one at 60cm. All fish, both landed and lost, were taken on 100mm squidgy fish in either Killer Tomato, Gold or Drop Bear and all right near a big drop off that went from 1m to 5m.

Hi Roberta. I have question about your gear. Do you use a traditional long blackfish rod when fishing from your kayak or do you use something shorter? Steve

Great report. Just read it to my wife and it gave her the goosebumps. Very poetic. Very enjoyable.

Well this would explain a lot. I can't catch a bream on a hard body but I am using 304 which no one has mentioned. Thanks everyone, I badly needed another excuse. Wrong wind, temp, tide and barometer can only go so far.

I might just do that Roberta. Thanks for the offer.

Hi Roberta. I love reading your reports because I, along with my wife and kids, have decided to move up to Hallidays Point early next year from the Blue Mountains. Everytime I read one of your reports I tell my wife "Roberta had another good day on the blackies. That will be us soon". Being a keen fisherwoman herself she is actually interested. Keep those reports coming. It just gets me more excited about the move. Steve

I had no idea wrasse were OK to eat. I have thrown back a heap over the last few years. Might keep the next one.

G'day Hobbitt. Chain Valley Bay. G'day Poddy Trapper. Mate I hope your young bloke manages to get one soon because the proud look on their face when it happens is fantastic to see. It sure helps promote the love of fishing. The fish Scott gets are hard earned. He throws out as many casts in a day as the rest of us. Steve

My family and I just spent a week fishing Lake Macquarie. We went with the intention of fishing for tailor and bream but on the first day I saw a bloke at the boat ramp with some great flatties and a metre long jew. That had me changing plans. Over the next few beautiful days we caught a stack of flatties including four between the sizes of 73.5cm to 80cm (all four released of course). My youngest (and keenest) caught and released 74.5cm, 74cm and an equal PB for him at 80cm. (He caught an 80cm model last year at Hawks Nest). My eldest (doesn't mind fishing but not real keen) caught and released a 73.5cm fish which was a PB for him by a long way. The biggest I could manage was 63cm while my wifes biggest and new PB was 67cm. We had the most amazing week and I am still on a high from it. All fish were caught on pink or gold 100mm squidgies on half ounce jigheads using 6lb Fireline and 20lb fluorocarbon leaders. Amazingly with all the head thrashing that went on over the few days we didn't lose one fish.

Well done Mick. Were you in the lake or up river? What colour power bait did you use? Everyone seems to have luck on the pink but I have had all my success on the orange twist. Steve

Awesome fish Wise One. Where is the wreck in Salamander? Whenever I read a fishing report from Port Stephens it always mentions that something is getting caught at the wreck, but I have no idea where it is.

Thanks for the info.