Blackfishing On The Central Coast

[glennmreid]

Can anyone give me ideas where to fish landbased on the central coast for blackfish? I remember a few years ago people catching blackfish from the wharf that surrounds the enclosed swimming area at Woy Woy. Does this place still produce fish? any other ideas on places up there that would produce reliable catches would be appreciated.

[Scienceman]

Hey Glen, I'm also interested in this and i live on the Central Coast. I've fished the Woy woy baths and the road bridge which are both well know blackie spots and only gotton a small fish each time. I am sure they were from the local population not the travelling larger fish which come into the system in winter. I have a 16ft Quinnie and would be happy to team up with anybody wanting to access blackie spots from the water.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Scienceman

[Ray R]

G'day guys, I live at Kincumber and although I am not a luderick man I do know of a couple of spots,

1) The davistown waterfront approx at the end of Davis st (you guys could look that up).

2) There is the Rip Bridge (Daleys Pioint side).

3) And around the rocks at Avoca (plenty of that stringy green stuff there).

Hope this helps you guys out a little.. Cheers...

[glennmreid]

G'day guys, I live at Kincumber and although I am not a luderick man I do know of a couple of spots,

1) The davistown waterfront approx at the end of Davis st (you guys could look that up).

2) There is the Rip Bridge (Daleys Pioint side).

3) And around the rocks at Avoca (plenty of that stringy green stuff there).

Hope this helps you guys out a little.. Cheers...

Thanks for the info Ray

[livo]

Years ago the entire Woy Woy Channel area used to hold huge amounts of really large blackfish. The best season I experienced as a kid was the time the Old Road Bridge was under repair and they had large floating pontoons underneath as work platforms. The fish were as thick as you could hope for. I've never seen it like this again though but it still holds fish.

A friend of mine's father was a specialist and one of his favourite spots was just down from the baths area toward the Lions Park corner. There are some large stormwater drains coming out from between the sports ovals. These drains used to hold green weed and on high tides the fish would swim right up to the little foot bridge that links the two ovals. He used to fish in waders at the outlet of the channels using the local weed.

Davistown Channel has already been mentioned and the oyster leases opposite are good but not land-based. You could try from the public jetties along the front there. While over that way you might try walking out to the old rock ballast heap on the mid point of Paddy's Channel. There's a good deep hole there right in front of you that drops to about 6-7 metres deep only a couple of metres from shore and it's an easy short walk (a little section of Mangrove and mud but it's a fairly well worn track). It's very easy to see at low tide as the ballast rocks are exposed. A large eddy forms on the end of the run in tide and the hole produces blackfish, jackets and bream. I've caught an Estuary Cod (released of course) and once broke the tip off my rod striking at what I thought was a jew only to have a large turtle poke his noggin out to look at me.

There is another old ballast heap you can access from North Burge Road Woy Woy, almost right in front of what used to be my Grand-parents house. There is a large block of flats (3 Story) with another storm water drain running into the salty next to it. The rock heap is slightly to the left of the drain, almost directly in front of the flats.

Another spot worth a try is under the St Hubert's Island Bridge. You used to be able to wade out to the first pylon from the shore on the high side but I haven't been down there for a long time. Also go down to Merrits Wharf just upstream from the bridge. You access it by driving right down through Empire Bay.

I've caught Blackies at all of these spots but not recently as I haven't targeted them. Hope this helps.

Edited July 15, 2008 by livo