Live Bait Areas At Hawks Nest

[Billythekid]

Hi Raiders

I am heading up to Hawks Nest for a few days and was wondering if anyone new any good spots to catch live bait, squid and yellow tail prefered.

I have never been up this way so any maps or links of spots would also be great.

I will be fishing mainly off the beach so any recommendations on spots would also be appreciated.

Thank in advance

Billythekid

[Croydon]

G'day Billy,

Used to holiday and fish Hawks Nest & Tea Gardens heaps a few years back, spending a lot of time there as a kid. The wharves around Tea Gardens are generally pretty good for a few yakkas but the tide runs hard. Just back along the river past the pub, towards the Police Station, there's a small boatramp and sand flats. Usually a few poddy mullet around if you have a small trap. Hawks Nest beach always had a good supply of pippis and beach worms, but as I said, it's a few years back now.

If you follow the road round past Jimmies Beach Caravan Park at Hawks Nest, heading west and continue along the beach opposite Nelson Bay, park at the end of the road. Then walk a few hundred metres and you'll find an area where the river meets the bay. Some great sand/weed beds for flatties, and whiting. If you continue round the road you'll come to the boat ramp which has a small rock wall where black fish and bream and pretty likely.

This is a beautiful part of the world, enjoy yourselves and good luck with the fish..........

Dave

[Boban]

Depends on the live bait you want to catch.

You can get poddy mullet at the small beach opposite the intersection of Moira Parade and Yamba St. You do this at high tide with those clear plastic bait traps. I make my own with 1.25 drink bottles. They have to be clear. Once scratched you need to toss them as they are less effective.

You can get whitebait at the Hawks Nest wharf at high tide, but you will need to make a trap. Pretty difficult to explain but if I get back to Hawks Nest before you go, then I can take a photo of my trap and post it.

At low tide, the same spot, only further out will yield nippers with a pump.

At low tide, you can get black crabs behind the wharf. You just turn over the rocks and you get them easily.

I dont think you will get yakkas and slimy makeral in the Myall River at Hawks nest. I have caught squid in the river, so you just need to target the weedy/sandy areas.

A good squid spot is Barnes Rocks on Jimmy's Beach. Plenty of kelp there and I have seen them whilst snorkelling and caught them when I have targeted them.

If you are looking to catch flatties and bream, I've had some success with soft plastics at the dropoffs. You will see these areas when you are pumping yabbies. Here is my daughter with a flattie she caught there. The second picture was taken at the singing bridge.

Dont forget the beaches mate, both for fishing and live bait. Pippies are easy to acquire as are beach worms with a bit of practice. If you cant get live worms then talk to Stuart at the Tackle/Sports shop, tell him Mitch sent you and get some up to date info on how the area is fishing.

[Billythekid]

Depends on the live bait you want to catch.

You can get poddy mullet at the small beach opposite the intersection of Moira Parade and Yamba St. You do this at high tide with those clear plastic bait traps. I make my own with 1.25 drink bottles. They have to be clear. Once scratched you need to toss them as they are less effective.

You can get whitebait at the Hawks Nest wharf at high tide, but you will need to make a trap. Pretty difficult to explain but if I get back to Hawks Nest before you go, then I can take a photo of my trap and post it.

At low tide, the same spot, only further out will yield nippers with a pump.

At low tide, you can get black crabs behind the wharf. You just turn over the rocks and you get them easily.

I dont think you will get yakkas and slimy makeral in the Myall River at Hawks nest. I have caught squid in the river, so you just need to target the weedy/sandy areas.

A good squid spot is Barnes Rocks on Jimmy's Beach. Plenty of kelp there and I have seen them whilst snorkelling and caught them when I have targeted them.

If you are looking to catch flatties and bream, I've had some success with soft plastics at the dropoffs. You will see these areas when you are pumping yabbies. Here is my daughter with a flattie she caught there. The second picture was taken at the singing bridge.

Dont forget the beaches mate, both for fishing and live bait. Pippies are easy to acquire as are beach worms with a bit of practice. If you cant get live worms then talk to Stuart at the Tackle/Sports shop, tell him Mitch sent you and get some up to date info on how the area is fishing.

Cheers Boban and Croydon Much appreciated, This site is amazing what a great place to network on the best hobby in the world.

I will let you know how I go.

Cheers Boban and Croydon

Much appreciated, This site is amazing what a great place to network on the best hobby in the world.

I will let you know how I go.

Great Pics, Well done Girls, good to see the future for fishing in Australia is bright.

[Boban]

The older one is actually a boy.

I know, I know, but thats the way he likes his hair.

[Billythekid]

Cheers Boban and Croydon

Much appreciated, This site is amazing what a great place to network on the best hobby in the world.

I will let you know how I go.

Great Pics, Well done Girls, good to see the future for fishing in Australia is bright.

Sorry I was mainly looking at the flathead PIC. Well done to the both of them.