Lake Illawara

[Surtees580]

Gday Raiders,

Heading down to lake Illawara for a week with a mate for the first time. We'll be mainly fishing in the actual lake itself chasing flatties with a mix of Hardbodys, blades and plastics but if the weather allows we'd like to jump outside and have ago. Just wondering what the bar is like and if its even navigable? Have tried to do a bit of research on google but havent found anything.

cheers in advanced,

Mitch

[Dfishin]

Mate !

The lake itself is a great spot to get a feed itself. Like you said Flatties. Bream, There has been guit a few jew been caught inside the lake itself over the last few months. Great spot for Blue Swimmers. withches hat pots anywhere on the edges of the channel will produce crabs.

I know the entrance to the lake is now a permanent opening but i dont know if i would take a boat out there. I have heard of boats using this entrance to go outside since the new entrance has been made. If i were to do it, i would pick a mid tide to head out out and only head back in on the top of the tide preferably a bit after it starts to run back in. Put it this way. This entrance ( Actually in the new channel entrance to the lake ) on the right conditions is some of the best surf in the area. sshhhh. Ive surfed it at 4-5ft plus in the entrance.

The upside is you can drive 5 mins south and launch from shell harbour. Great spot. Fish it heaps. Lately ive been catching plenty of squid around the quarry loader off bass point. Plenty of flatties, Go out to in line with the end of bass point straight out off the harbour in 35-60 m of water and you will get flatties all day.

Head north from bass point to windang island. Straight out off lake illawarra. If you get yourself just north of windang island, Pretty much in line with windang surf club, in about 32 m of water there is plenty of patchy reef. if you can pick some reef and fish up on your sounder anchor and berly for snapper. Caught plenty here. If you dont have the best sounder just drift until you pick up a pinky or some other reefy fish, then anchor and berly. You will find them this way, i did this before i got my new sounder and gps.

And then you have kingies at the islands off port kambla just to the north of lake illawarra. Let me know if you want to chase kings from port kembla and i will tell you a bit about that too.

Dave

[Surtees580]

Mate !

The lake itself is a great spot to get a feed itself. Like you said Flatties. Bream, There has been guit a few jew been caught inside the lake itself over the last few months. Great spot for Blue Swimmers. withches hat pots anywhere on the edges of the channel will produce crabs.

I know the entrance to the lake is now a permanent opening but i dont know if i would take a boat out there. I have heard of boats using this entrance to go outside since the new entrance has been made. If i were to do it, i would pick a mid tide to head out out and only head back in on the top of the tide preferably a bit after it starts to run back in. Put it this way. This entrance ( Actually in the new channel entrance to the lake ) on the right conditions is some of the best surf in the area. sshhhh. Ive surfed it at 4-5ft plus in the entrance.

The upside is you can drive 5 mins south and launch from shell harbour. Great spot. Fish it heaps. Lately ive been catching plenty of squid around the quarry loader off bass point. Plenty of flatties, Go out to in line with the end of bass point straight out off the harbour in 35-60 m of water and you will get flatties all day.

Head north from bass point to windang island. Straight out off lake illawarra. If you get yourself just north of windang island, Pretty much in line with windang surf club, in about 32 m of water there is plenty of patchy reef. if you can pick some reef and fish up on your sounder anchor and berly for snapper. Caught plenty here. If you dont have the best sounder just drift until you pick up a pinky or some other reefy fish, then anchor and berly. You will find them this way, i did this before i got my new sounder and gps.

And then you have kingies at the islands off port kambla just to the north of lake illawarra. Let me know if you want to chase kings from port kembla and i will tell you a bit about that too.

Dave

thanks so much mate great stuff!!

kind regards

Mitch

[davelee71]

Mate you can get out through the bar from the lake. As usuall with bars though a lot depends on tide and swell. Lake has been pretty quiet I've found. Tries plenty of sp's and blades but only Taylor and rare flatty on the chew. Water temp only 17 degrees though. Good luck for your week. Flatty spot I like is north along winding as you leave the channel. Good weed/ sand patches.