Windy Week At Port Stephens

[adkel53]

Just had a week staying at Shoal Bay. Had plans to throw softies around the Tilligery Creek area in the hunt for lizards.

The ramp at Little Beach is a shocker at low tide - went out on the first afternoon from there and when I got back a large boat that was hooked up to a 4wd was stuck and had to be pulled out by another 4wd owner. I was in a bit of a dilemma as my Commodore would certainly have become bogged in the sand at the bottom of the ramp too. However, the owners of the above mentioned boat kindly unhitched and towed mine out for me - a very kindly gesture indeed. Threw softies around Shoal Bay for zilch that evening - more a a test run for the boat than anything else though.

Left Soldier's Pt ramp early next morning and headed up Tilligery Ck for a few kms to an area I had caught fish several years ago. The tide was about 2 hours from low but the water very cold - 14.5 degrees was the highest I saw. Not one hint of a hit up there. Motored all the way out to Shoal Bay, stopping of at the Corlette Groynes to try again (without success). By now the tide had turned and I noticed that the water was 17.5 degrees.

That set me thinking that maybe the time to be fishing up in Tilligery was towards the top of the tide as the warmer water should have pushed up with the tide. Set off up there about 3/4 tide up on Monday afternoon and commenced throwing softies right in close along an island shore where I had success last trip. Sure enough the water was now 17.5 and I caught 5 legal fish in an hour before having to leave due to an approaching storm. Too late though - we got a bit wet!!

Plans were to repeat that trip over the next two afternoons then switch to mornings to coincide with the last of the run-up.

The rest is history. The westerlies blew at about 20 knots for the rest of the week!! Did get back up there on Saturday morning but very windy and couldn't fish my usual spot. Tried some protected shores but only managed one 41cm lizard.

Next time!!

Kel

[JayKay]

Hi Kel,

Im actually heading up to the port from tomorrow for a few days with the family. Im hoping to get away and have a fish in our little tinny. I was looking at trying the west side of soldiers point or the entrance to the tilligery creek. that would be the first time. do you have any tips of what you find there and anything to look out for??? any help would be appreciated. also, do you know if I should bother putting a few crab nets out???

JayKay