Hawks Nest

[Flanman]

Flanman and the tribe packed up the tinnie and headed Hawks Nest last week for the school holidays. This place is as it was 20 years ago, that is, a lovely, sleepy seaside hamlet that is oh so fishy.

Flanmans' wingman, the BIG MUN (aka Big Mac) was laid up in hospital with a nasty infection that I won't relate to you here lest to say that he cannot sit down (OUCH!!) so Flanman had to go the fishing alone which was no big deal as we were staying across the road from the river.

The Myall river runs through Hawks Nest and feeds into Port Stephens. When the current is running it is almost impossible to get a bait near the bottom so fishing at slack water was the only option. Lucky for Flanman the bottom of the tide was right on dusk and it was double fishy!

The first afternoon saw the poor bloke standing like a shag on a rock with no mates looking quite forlorn until he felt the tap tap on the SP. Something big had taken the lure and swam off into the middle of the river never to be seen. It was a bit hard getting the brakes on this guy with only 6lb braid and 4lb leader. Anyhooow, after a quick re-rig, Flaman got busy. Two flatties later (around the 30-35cm mark) he was off home to climb into a beer or ten, having being summonsed by she who must be obeyed.

The next afternoon was just as fishy and Flanman set out to chase "the one that got away" Bouncing a 3" blue jerk shad across the bottom he felt the tap tap.

He's Baaaaaaaaack.

Mr Flattie had been lipped and for ten minutes or so gave a good account of himself as a fighter but it was to no avail as he was swum into the rocks and was flicked ashore (the net was in the other boat that the Big Mun was supposed to be bringing up).

For the record he was 73cms long and weighed a tonne (felt like it any way after Flanman carried him home on the end of a stick)

One interesting thing was the length of mono it had sticking out its' arse. Upon being cleaned I discovered that the mono was attached to a hook that was still rusting in its' gut. If you ever need a case to support using chemically sharpened hooks then this was it, as the fish seemed quite OK and it would have only been a matter of time before the hook corroded away and the line would have simply passed through the fish.

I ma looking forward to the next trip to Hawks Nest and can recommend it to all raider as a great place to take the family to get away.

[b.a.shannon]

Flanman and the tribe packed up the tinnie and headed Hawks Nest last week for the school holidays. This place is as it was 20 years ago, that is, a lovely, sleepy seaside hamlet that is oh so fishy.

Flanmans' wingman, the BIG MUN (aka Big Mac) was laid up in hospital with a nasty infection that I won't relate to you here lest to say that he cannot sit down (OUCH!!) so Flanman had to go the fishing alone which was no big deal as we were staying across the road from the river.

The Myall river runs through Hawks Nest and feeds into Port Stephens. When the current is running it is almost impossible to get a bait near the bottom so fishing at slack water was the only option. Lucky for Flanman the bottom of the tide was right on dusk and it was double fishy!

The first afternoon saw the poor bloke standing like a shag on a rock with no mates looking quite forlorn until he felt the tap tap on the SP. Something big had taken the lure and swam off into the middle of the river never to be seen. It was a bit hard getting the brakes on this guy with only 6lb braid and 4lb leader. Anyhooow, after a quick re-rig, Flaman got busy. Two flatties later (around the 30-35cm mark) he was off home to climb into a beer or ten, having being summonsed by she who must be obeyed.

The next afternoon was just as fishy and Flanman set out to chase "the one that got away" Bouncing a 3" blue jerk shad across the bottom he felt the tap tap.

He's Baaaaaaaaack.

Mr Flattie had been lipped and for ten minutes or so gave a good account of himself as a fighter but it was to no avail as he was swum into the rocks and was flicked ashore (the net was in the other boat that the Big Mun was supposed to be bringing up).

For the record he was 73cms long and weighed a tonne (felt like it any way after Flanman carried him home on the end of a stick)

One interesting thing was the length of mono it had sticking out its' arse. Upon being cleaned I discovered that the mono was attached to a hook that was still rusting in its' gut. If you ever need a case to support using chemically sharpened hooks then this was it, as the fish seemed quite OK and it would have only been a matter of time before the hook corroded away and the line would have simply passed through the fish.

I ma looking forward to the next trip to Hawks Nest and can recommend it to all raider as a great place to take the family to get away.

Well done on the flatty mate.

Its a beautiful spot up there at Hawks Nest. We rented a holiday house up there opposite Jimmy's beach about a month ago and after studying all the National Parks zoning maps for about 5 hours we thought we were almost ready to head out fishing and not get fined for inadvertently fishing in a reserve!!!!

We took the long journey outside the heads from the ramp at Windi Woppa hoping to chase down a few snapper. Bounced soft plastics and dragged some pilchards around for a couple of hours and only managed a 15cm sand flatty on a 5" jerk shad (the little flatties have some balls chasing prey that big). So we headed back inside the heads to no avail, we gave up on the boat and I headed out to chase blackfish off the shore and did terrible catching only a heap of undersized fish, actually some of the smallest I have actually caught on a blackfish rig.

So I am glad you managed a descent fish because they elluded me on the last outing.

Regards,

Ben

[Basil D]

Great to hear about hawks nest, I will be fishing the area in january

[mikey85m]

Good job on the flatties

tilgerry creek or up the karuah river is where its at.

There are certain sections of the upper myal that were prime fishing spots, no made marine parks a couple of years ago, along with alot of the best places outside :S

So when I river fish up there, thats where I go.

Another great land based spot for the kids is also just off the warf hawksnest side, just next to the singing bridge. Always get a few bream around there

[Flanman]

Here is a pic of the big fella. doesnt really do it justice suffice to say that it lying across the sink.

[Rednet]

what a lizard. Good to hear that he gave more than one fisho an exciting fight.

[a5corray]

nice croc

[diver1]

great flatty mate, some good eaten there, congrats!!!

[padfoot]

Nice fish.

I should get back up to Hawks Nest. Haven't been there for a while.

[wahoo76]

Ah. Hawks Nest. What a magic place. I'm fortunate enough to have a holiday house there. So many areas to fish there

[johnv]

nice lookin croc there well done

john