Jocler

My daughter decided we should take the kayaks out. We launched at Mogareeka and headed up river. Managed a few tailor and flathead on sugarpen divers but the main thing was just getting out on a great autumn day. J

Hey Mike, Do you feel like heading South and see a bit of the country? Can do both boat and kayak. J

Bill, If you get down this way, give me a yell. Always good to catch up fishing and going with someone else increases the safety factor plus the added advantage of local knowledge. Tuross is a great place to fish, look also to the upper reaches around Trunketabella Lake or there is a ramp where the highway crosses the Tuross River just north of Bodalla. The second kayak is never spare, always someone I can coax into coming out …….. J

Bill, Good choice on the kayak, I did the same as you. Very stable even when you are standing up on it. Much easier to get out by yourself onto some of the rivers and lakes down the coast. Looks like we got the same trailer, I modified mine a bit though. Moved from Sydney about 18 months ago. Often fish from Batemans Bay to Merimbula. J

The whiting fishing is very good at the moment, especially along Tura/Nth Tura beaches also the southern end of Bournda Beach at Bournda Island. I have mainly been using worms and prawns on a light surf rod. Early mornings appear the go. Flathead seem to be everywhere at the moment as well. Middle Beach is also worth a go if you don't mind the walk. I know you aren't interested in offshore but are you purely landbased? J

The new bridge is open and the roundabout is finished, still a fair bit of work going on. The old bridge is being pulled up and is mostly gone. Nice report, I have always promised myself to fish there one day. J

Have a look at GPSBabel. I have not used it for Lowrance (although it lists it) but have for things like Google Earth etc. I use a Garmin as well. https://www.gpsbabel.org/capabilities.html J

It is currently being built. Tugs and cranes currently dropping the structures. J

The jetty at Swallow Rock. Always mullet or some bream around, take some bread with you. J

Hiya Neil, I finally have the internet back and am now in Bega...boat and all. Next time you are looking to coming this way give me a yell. J

I would have a look at the Majorcraft Solpara range of egi rods. They would be a good start. Secondly, do you get many squid down Eden way? J

Now that's a tall tail.............. J

Gray Diving are often launching from Kurnell Bonna Point. Might be worth a ring. J

Double Braid in 8mm has a breaking strain of 1750Kg which might be better. There is always Dyneema but that is way over the top for cost. J

Steve, Sorry I missed this post. Been a bit busy but congrats on your first marlin. J

Moving to Bega in 1 months time. Not sure if that helps but would be good to have some help with the boat and it does go offshore. J

Little Bay as well produces some good squid. J

Congrats Steve, Great to see your hard work has eventually paid off. J

Nice little brownie! The swimming pool is sensational on cold days...bit of a hike back up the hill but well worth it. J

OK a bit more info for those that asked about Hank I have passed Paikea’s contact details on to John (Snatcher). We hope to get John out either in my boat or Paikea’s when John comes to Aus in February. Paikea is fine, still fishes regularly and keeps busy “pimping” his latest boat a 490C Bar Crusher that has everything that you could possibly fit to it. Pushing the back of his heavy Tournament over onto its trailer last year shredded the major muscle in his left shoulder. The ortho surgeon then told him that once you get past 65 it cannot be repaired (Paikea is 78) so he decided to get rid of the Tournament and buy the Crusher which he can easily handle on his own. He passes on his greetings to Raiders that he used to be in regular contact with and said that if you see the Crusher on Botany Bay or Port Hacking (inside or outside) pull over and say hello. The Crusher even with all the gear for going offshore is much easier to handle one up. The Tournament whilst it was a super offshore boat was just too big. That is Steve (NaCIH20K9) Paikea’s fishing buddy standing beside the Tournament just before Paikea did his shoulder in. Steve has since moved to the Central Coast. J

In short, yes it is. If you are on the water at the Audley Weir it is a very short journey from there to the boat ramp at Swallow Rock. There is a very deep hole on the first bend (opposite the new jetty and pontoon) that fishes well of an evening and you can drive your car to there as well. Caught some good bream and flathead on the rising tide along the mangrove flats as you head from Audley to Grays Point as well. Also put some bread out, seems to be a good supply of mullet and gars. I have always thought that the western bank (the same side that the SR boat ramp is on) would hold jewfish as well where the banks are undercut.......but never tried it. J

Hank indeed sold his tournament boat and now runs a Barcrusher 495. We fish quite often together either in his boat or mine. I will let him know you are looking for him. J

And once again, the politicians who make these decisions (even against public backlash) are not held responsible for those decisions. If I made a decision of such consequence in my job, I would be dismissed, yet they will clean it up by sending the local industry to the wall with no compensation for their actions. J

One of the nicest spots would be the ramp at Swallow Rock at the bottom of Grays Point Road, Toilet facilities, a park, swimming and fishing off the pontoon. J