Landbased & Boat Fishing For Jewfish In The Daytime

[jewgaffer]

Hi Everyone.

I know a lot of members are interested in catching jewfish in the daytime when either boat fishing and needing to fish in closer towards landbased spots and there are members who are restricted to landbased fishing.

I have written this topic principally for landbased fishermen, and I have included boat fishing back into the area around the same types of locations as well. By having a boat you have the option of anchoring and casting back towards pre- determined fishy looking landbased areas particularly remote ones which boat fishermen may be able to identify as they read on. Fishing in closer in the right places in the daytime can be as good as it gets on the day, provided of course that the surrounding water is not too clear.

I have received several pm's from landbased members asking me for the best spots to fish for jewfish in daytime hours in rivers and estuaries in the Sydney area.

Members, including boat fishermen looking to fish landbased or those wanting to bring in their boats for having family picnics etc, have been asking me for good shore based jewfish locations in the Hawkesbury, the Georges, the Hacking and particularly upper Middle Harbour, an area where I used to stay and fish with relatives from a very young age, particularly in the winter months during the 50's, where the most sought after fish were John Dory and Jewfish.

I share whatever I have found to be the best way to fish with my Fishraider friends, and I like to pass on proven methods and also some of the least known methods.

Coastal estuaries fish best at night for incoming jewfish with the exception of the Hawkesbury which fishes well during the day as well as the night. The Hawkesbury has resident jewfish throughout it's large system and is unique in having deep sea like depths and reefs and is well known as being the home of the jew.

Apart from the somewhat itinerant resident jew in other areas, which can adapt themselves to a suitable area when conditions suit, incoming jewfish of breeding size, generally school up typically around the five to eight kilos size. Those schools by nature seek suitable conditions where they can commence their breeding cycle in upriver areas which have a good food supply as well as having compatible temperatures for the outside schools to enter an estuary and frequent over a period, particularly areas where female fish, escorted by males, can tolerate and congregate for breeding.

The same also applies to incoming spawning size bream and incoming winter trevally, whilst dusky flathead which also spawn outside, reside in estuaries and decimate the fry of other fish which start off in shallow, swampy backwater areas, particularly in areas with food around such as is found in and around mangroves.

Jewfish are habitual to and repetetive in marauding beaches and estuaries at night time for their food supply. They are most active in the early run out during the natural tidal exodus of their food supply, and packs of hunting jewfish corner and ambush bait fish and other small fish.

The best way to answer the area questions, rather than giving specific locations, is to describe the spots where jewfish are more likely to be caught, rather than fishermen getting an occasional bi catch in the day time when fishing for other species.

In regards to Hawkesbury jewfish, my better results have come towards the middle of the day and just on dark, with nothing much to show in the period after sunrise until about 10am. I'm not saying I haven't done well on the Hawkesbury overnight, I have done well, but moreso and more comfortably at night, and with less rubbish around as the bi-catch in deeper jewfish waters at night in December / January and towards the end of summer.

Jewfish are predominant in the autum/winter months where they congregate ever so naturally to do their breeding bit before the females, escorted in and out by groups of males and they go back to the offshore reefs to spawn. With that in mind, and going on my trips up north, I've always had the idea that the spawning schools which settle in Sydney, and again apart from the colonized Hawkesbury which fishes well for jewfish in the night time and the day time, can be specially targeted in the day time in other estuaries, with some areas with residents being also in up river areas, in addition to the overnight marauding jew and the breeders which come in from outside.

Apart from the Hawkesbury and its colonized, resident jew, as well as the systems high tide jew incoming jew which usually return to the bluewater as fast as they come in at the times outside of the breeding season, jewfish are being caught occasionally in other areas in the day time, usually when most fishermen are fishing for other species. We have also seen soft plastics and stealth fishermen using electric motors and kayak fishermen catching good size jewfish, so accordingly quietness and stealth is important to that.

What comes out of this are the words depth, fishy looking location, cover, and stealth . and another important factor when fishing for alert daytime predators is seclusion

It's a lot different fishing off a river bank for jewfish in the daytime. The two most important factors when you're trecking along checking out the water are finding seclusion and depth.

You should never do a jewfish session just based on a convenient and comfortable spot.

You should always use stealth and respect the fact that fish, from a very young age, are looking through the water skywards in fear of an attack from birds and to go one step further, fish as well as other creatures have an inbuilt fear of the unknown. For example under a backwater bridge up north you may even see the eyes of flathead looking up at you. If you go up to a river, the fish close in will see you and spook and like birds fly off together regardless of species, an alarm is relayed which is in turn picked up by other fish.

As you are walking along a river bank looking at the water looking for a spot In deeper water rocky areas, further depth more often than not, valleys out over sand and becomes a main channel, which goes hand in hand with having drops offs on either side depending on the width and nature of the area. The more mountains behind the area, the more depth in the base area at the waterline and at the side of a mountain or a small cliff backdrop a drop off is formed. Thus fishing at the sides are more suitable for jewfish than the main hole which you may probably chose.

For landbased fishermen, the carefully located green navigation markers away from the shoreline, within easy casting distance are the key to finding drop offs. Prime drop offs for jewfish are in areas where the shoreline rocks meet sand which has been eroded away at the base of those rocks over time. These sandy runs where jewfish travel along the same route repeatedly are known as jewfish highways.

In some areas you may find the water clear and flat, whereas in deeper areas around the corner you might find a ripple in the water. These are very fishy waters prone to underlying currents that always fish better for jewfish over sandy areas starting from the shoreline. Those areas are typical in rivers, all sand and lack of cover and should be avoided.

Sandy areas fish well for other estuary species due to the fact they can alter in currents and tempest etc and replenish and revive from time to time. These sandy areas, extending out from a river bank, are unsimiliar in nature to deeper beach gutters which may fish well for jewfish one month and the next month or even a few days later for that matter, the same area in an estuary is only suitable for flathead, bream and whiting and certainly not the right place to sit around all day targeting jewfish. As far as setting out jewfish baits in that type of area you will find you will be targeting non existent jewfish in an absolute haven for sting rays.

On the other hand see if you can apply your own thinking while trecking along a river bank looking for a likely jewfish spot which has very deep water right at the shoreline. That is also a bad choice. I'll tell you what you'll catch there on jewfish gear and they will come one after the other and moreso if you feed them up with burley - River eels, catfish, pike eels, overblown toadies, deep water freaks and mourays, and you will more than likely donate fifty bucks in bait and time and effort to the future of baby snapper.

That needed to be said in humour as it is rather typical of day time fishing and the object after all is to find the right location where there is a good possibility of catching jewfish in the day time.

You need to walk along a river bank to find a good spot for yourself. If you find a hot looking spot where the water is too clear, keep on looking for water with ripples within casting disrtance. Ripples around flatter water indicates both depth and current behaviour on the particular day. That type of area suits jewfish to treadwater better and wait for passing baitfish or shoot in and "re-organize" them.

However where you saw the right waters in the clear conditions it would be good thinking to mark that spot down for returning to do a night session.

Once you have found a spot along the bank that meets the criteria, you should carry rods for general fishing at the spot where you have set up. With the jewfish rods, it's best to have rods placed in rod holders a fair way away from where you are standing and moving around. If you can stay away from the jewfish rods and don't front the waters edge when your casting or dwell in the casting area, the less likely the fish will see you and spook.

When fishing for jewfish it's most important to avoid wading. Anywhere where you have to wade out is not the right area to spend your time with jewfish rods out in the daytime.

Pre-selected grounds with shallower depth going into medium depth towards a main channel can often fish well on balmy, fishy nights.

Locating likely jewfish spots along a river bank for fishin in the day time include :-

1. Rocky corners near green navigation markers in narrower channels which are situated not too far away from the red channel marker. A red channel marker on the shore in close proximity to a green marker is a good spot and you should cast towards the green marker. If boat fishing, anchor your boat back not far behind that green marker and stagger your casting distances towards the red marker. Remember that when a green marker is close to a red marker, the best spot to place the green marker has been carefully measured and the drop off area has already been established for you.

2. When you locate deep holes cast into the sandy side/s

3. High cliff backdrops with sides, points or corners create deep holes. Fish the drop offs which go into those holes

4. Bubbles or rings on the surface, and around poles and debris, indicates activity

5. Diving bird activity signifies fry, baitfish.

6. To find healthy and attractive underwater conditions, you should look for areas with heathy green vegetation along the shoreline, particularly those with shrubs etc where longer casting and daytime stealth can be used.

I hope this information on fishing for jewfish in the day time is of further help to the members who sent pm's and also helps other members as well.

Cheers

jewgaffer

Edited May 30, 2008 by jewgaffer

[Josh88]

Awesome info mate, thanks for sharing.

Hopefully i can put it to good use!

[yting]

excellent post J Gaffer. Very useful thanks.

[arpie]

Oooooh Thanks Jewgaffer - just what I need to know for up here!!! I still reckon my best bet of landing one on my own will be off the beach, rather than the breakwall! Been done there numerous times already! Exciting tho!!

cheerio

Roberta

[james7]

Another great post Byron. It will be filed with all the other great info you've already given regarding the Jew.

Many thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Cheers

Peter

[Timmy76]

Great reading!

Very useful for newbie like me. (even though, wish I'd know more about Jew tackle, rigs & bait)

Thank you so much for sharing

Any chance if important tips and readings like this and Roberta's/Roostermans recent Blackie tips can be put in General Fishing Section under new folder created 'Tips' or something like that for newbies like me and others interested to learn more about a particular topic?

It will make it easier and user-friendly having a 'Tips' folder in General Fishing Section - and excellent reading posts of tips and suggestions on different topics from experienced fishers.

Just a thought

[TunOFun]

Thanks for some more great info Byron!!

Hope your feeling better soon.

Brett

[slinkymalinky]

Great info and very generous of you as usual Byron. Thinking of the spots we went to recently they all fit those characteristics perfectly so it's not surprising there were Jew around.

I was thinking that one of those spots in particular would be a lovely, accessible land-based spot but was wondering, short of using a 16oz lead and a telegraph pole as a rod, how to deal with the current?

Have you ever tried to fish some of the stronger current areas with a rig including a beach style 'grappling hook' sinker. I'm thinking that a 4oz grappling sinker, cast well up current so it 'touches down' on the spot, might be a good way to hold bottom without sacrificing the ability to cast distances that would be a problem with the really big leads?

Any thoughts?

Cheers, Slinky

[Jewhunter]

Great info and very generous of you as usual Byron. Thinking of the spots we went to recently they all fit those characteristics perfectly so it's not surprising there were Jew around.

I was thinking that one of those spots in particular would be a lovely, accessible land-based spot but was wondering, short of using a 16oz lead and a telegraph pole as a rod, how to deal with the current?

Have you ever tried to fish some of the stronger current areas with a rig including a beach style 'grappling hook' sinker. I'm thinking that a 4oz grappling sinker, cast well up current so it 'touches down' on the spot, might be a good way to hold bottom without sacrificing the ability to cast distances that would be a problem with the really big leads?

Any thoughts?

Cheers, Slinky

G'day Slinky.

If you fish the prime Jew times at that spot, i.e. 1-2 hrs either side of a tide change then tide run shouldn't be a problem. When the tides belting through the jew aren't there. They will hunt that area when the tide slows.

Just my opinion anyway.

Cheers,

Grant.

[shefford]

It's stormed heavily up here lately is there a chance of jew fish around even in murky cloudly water?

[jewgaffer]

It's stormed heavily up here lately is there a chance of jew fish around even in murky cloudly water?

Hi Irricangi Depends on how murky the water is up there at the moment. If there are reams of mud coming down it can take oxygen out of the water. To give you an example - Do you know where the highway crosses the river up there at Wardell ? Anyway there used to be a large number of old poles in the river just east of the bridge and jew fishermen used to fish the eddies and the swirling water around the poles. Because of the number of poles close together there would be swirls in the eddies which gave fish a holding area and relief from the murk. After good rain that up river area was dynamite for jew and the bridge pylon area still is at the best of times. However during or after heavy rains the fishing depended on the duration of the rain and the amount of mud and fresh of course. Otherwise the river mouths and the colour line out to sea always fish well for jewfish and naturally floods are the signal for incoming pelagics to come in close and wait for river fish and baitfish to come out. In the river itself flathead can tolerate a bit of fresh and murky water ok, but if it becomes too muddy and contaminated fish have no alternate but to move outside. and that's when the nearby rocks, around the river mouth and the adjacent beaches fish particularly well. Do you fish the Logan?

If you fish the Tweed I'm sure Grant (Jewhunter) can advise and update you better in that area than I can from down here in Sydney.

Irricangi I may be able to look you up shortly when I go up to Ballina or you may be able to come down and have a go at the Richmond jew with me and my Ballina friends. I usually go up there at this time every year when the winter bull mullet schools come in to the Richmond and the Tweed which bring the jew and the estuary bull sharks in as well, a regular occurrence and very typical of the far north coast which Sydney fishermen are not so familiar with.

Cheers

jewgaffer

Edited June 1, 2008 by jewgaffer

[MrGenius]

Ive been told and recently read on here that once the sharks leave the jews come on, is this a common thing?

At one of our favourite spots on the south coast we regularly catch sharks one after the other to the point where we get sick of catching them and call it quits. Are we cutting off our own feet here and is there a good chance that we would catch a jewie?

We are catching the sharks on slabs of tailor most of the time so i guess we have a bait in the water that is likely to get taken.

[jewgaffer]

........Ive been told and recently read on here that once the sharks leave the jews come on, is this a common thing?

......we regularly catch sharks one after the other to the point where we get sick of catching them and call it quits. ......is there a good chance that we would catch a jewie?

We are catching the sharks on slabs of tailor most of the time so i guess we have a bait in the water that is likely to get taken.

Hi MrGenius Sorry for the late reply. I missed your questions about the relationship between fishing for jewfish and the arrival or the presence of sharks.

Nathan I've found that it's more often the other way around where predator sharks like the whalers the bull sharks, clean up after the jew have got the message as to "the time being right for the arrival of the whalers" and leave the river mouth areas and the beach gutters or move upriver away from the incoming bull shark packs. If the jewfish are part of the breeding size schools or in clusters of males escorting a female, the same jew can be caught upriver on the same tide due to the time lag and when I'm fishing in places like Ballina we allow for that to get much more top of the tide jew fishing in before daybreak especially when the tide tops around 9pm.

I go up to Ballina a few times a year to fish with long time friends who fish for a living up there. I go up for the jewfish especially in the June/July school holidays. The run out tide jew come in around the river mouth at night like clockwork and go out again. Around the early part of the "Ballina winter", the regular large bull mullet come in and literally school up in thousands in the Richmond and, I believe the bull mullet also do their congregating and breeding bit when the river temperature is compatible with the temperature of the currents outside. The boys often fish for bull sharks using the same live bull mullet jewfish bait with the wire on and have caught jewfish before the bull sharks come in with the wire on, no problem at all, but there are no jew to be caught when the bull sharks are being caught and it has always worked like that.

Jew fishermen who regularly fish places like the Richmond at Ballina, the Tweed River (Jewhunter territory) and in Qld, rivers like the Logan and the Brisbane River have more understanding than Sydney fishermen of the habits of bull shark packs coming into certain rivers in numbers seeking food and generally hunt baitfish, on the run out tide, exactly the same as the jewfish do.

As to other shark species, I have noted that Rays and Shovel Nose are compatible in feeding with jewfish. I have often caught more of these species and a jew on another rod at the same time n a reasonable jewfish day. Whereas, in the Hawkesbury if I catch a bull shark or a Hammerhead etc on one side of the river I was taught to anchor up straight away and move further up river and fish on the side opposite to where the sharks entered. In doing that in a river there is a also more prime time in some of the upriver spots from the tidal delay during the particular tide. I was taught that the presence of Port Jackson sharks or Wobbygong sharks meant shut down times for some reason for jewfish.

I have also found that after a fair amount of rain, rather than go over thru Botany Bay to the Georges where the water becomes too dirty, jewfish seem to hang around the Bay and particularly wait for baitfish coming out near the mouth of the Cooks, and the jewfish are sometimes followed in according to season by the estuary whalers, the bull sharks packs and the bulls can adapt to fresh very well and can be more active after heavy rain.

As to large slabs of bait, I sometimes put on a huge mullet fillet in the Hawkesbury, which I get hold of from the chap up there to have something different to add to the variety. I just say to my friends watch this it's a sure catch shark bait and you know what, just like a dead and useless bull mullet left on the hook up at Ballina, a big slab bait like that on few of the jew rods in the Hawkesbury can become a good test for the presence of sharks.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[MrGenius]

Thanks Jewgaffer that gives a fair insight to the goings on. The sharks we are catching are mostly small school sharks and bronzies off the beach in a deep hole.

The bully mullet is interesting also as the same spot holds a lot of bigs ones at certain times of the year.

Thanks for the info