Prawning Lake Illawarra

[Callaghan]

.

I am seeking advise on prawning on Lake Illawarra. I am a complete novice and have some friends who are keen to visit from the city and do some prawning on Lake Illawarra east of Windang bridge. I am a local and am ashamed to say have never prawned although I have enjoyed watching the pretty lights of the happy prawners.

I need to know how when and optimum conditions before to prepare for my friends visit.

I will be eternally gratefulll for your tips and knowledge. I do my bit for the Lake clearing up discarded fishing line and waste and calling wires to help injured wildlife.

Please help

[Bleeding Green]

Hi Trary, welcome to the site.

I've been prawning in the channel a couple of times. Although I've only caught a handful of prawns it's great fun.

From what I have gathered, best time to go is when there is at the start of the moon phase (when there is no moon), on a run out tide. What happens is the prawns what for a dark night to make their dash out to the ocean to give them the best chance of survival.

You stand in the channel up to about waist deep with the tide coming to you. Once you notice a prawn by it's two glowing eyes you position your net so the current feeds it straight into the net.

I have a tub which floats behind me and tight to me with a rope. In this I put the battery which powers my light and a bucket for my catch.

I have also tried prawning with the boat in the channel but had no success that way.

My favourite spot is down off king street. I sit on the edge of jetty with a beer and a net. Great times.

[Guest]

to the site,

PRAWNS

Prawns will run from November onwards till around April and the peak time is a week after the full moon with the dark of the moon being the very very best.

The best time to prawn is after the sun goes down with a run-out tide,the incoming tide does not produce the best results.

Gear you will need.....

Long handled prawn nets the lighter the better in aluminium.

A light source ... torch, lantern or the best are the underwater prawning lights run by a 12 volt motorbike battery

A bucket with lid to put your live prawns in when you get to many in your net...hopefully

Other things you may like to add are waders to stop the prawns spiking your legs and definately shoes or sneakers as there is a fish called a "fortesque" that can deliver a nasty sting if stepped upon.

Face into the outgoing tide and place your net in the water and face your light forward and look for the pink eyes of the prawns or jumping prawns and scoop them as they come into view...its great fun and the end result is a great feed.

Lake Illawarra prawns are one of the tastiest on the coast and make sure you have a current fishing license for everyone as this is mandatory whilst gathering prawns and there is a bag limit per person of 10 LITRES

Regards Swordfisherman

[ghost88]

are there any particular area or type of structure which is best for prawning?

[Guest]

are there any particular area or type of structure which is best for prawning?

The edge of the channel is great around any type of weed bed or drop off.

Regards Stewy

[SNAP-ER]

Yeah definately watch out for those fortesque fish they are small in size, got stung by one last new years eve while prawning at the entrance, the girlfriend scooped one up and when I went to empty the prawns out of the net it stung me as it was on the bottom and I didn't see it,SO MUCH PAIN!!

[ghost88]

The edge of the channel is great around any type of weed bed or drop off.

Regards Stewy

Thanks for that. Is prawning sufficient or is there a particular type of light that is the best? For example is brighter the light the better it is.

[mrelxr6]

yeh mate the brighter the better.local tackle shop should sell them between $25 /$35

[manhands]

.

I am seeking advise on prawning on Lake Illawarra. I am a complete novice and have some friends who are keen to visit from the city and do some prawning on Lake Illawarra east of Windang bridge. I am a local and am ashamed to say have never prawned although I have enjoyed watching the pretty lights of the happy prawners.

I need to know how when and optimum conditions before to prepare for my friends visit.

I will be eternally gratefulll for your tips and knowledge. I do my bit for the Lake clearing up discarded fishing line and waste and calling wires to help injured wildlife.

Please help

Hey Trary how are you? I'm new to Windang and was looking forward to prawning next month after full moon, give me a yell if you want to give it a go together I figure the kids will love it (well I did when I used to up at South West Rocks)