New to Port Stephens - have read Scratchie's notes

[greatwhitehunter]

I have read Scratchie's notes and have recently moved to Corlette.

I have a 50hp engine on a 5 metre boat - its nothing flash, a little underpowered and I wont be going offshore in a hurry because I dont trust my boat or seamanship well enough to handle big seas - maybe short runs offshore on dead calm days sometime in the future - so hoping to find some good places to catch fish in the Bay.

I love fishing and I put in a lot of effort, but the results suggests I am pretty sh@t at it which is disappointing but true

I have fished the Bay maybe 50 times in the past - but a lot of that was pre-Marine Park - and most of the hotspots I used to fish are now sanctuary zones. I don't fancy $500+ fines or losing my boat or gear - so I need to learn new places and ways to fish.

Scratchie's notes and the attached comments are very useful. I'd love to take Scratchie out on my boat some day as I am sure I'd learn a hell of a lot in just a day. I probably do more wrong than right and I am sure some of the things I do are plain idiotic.

I have a lot of questions. These are my most burning ones:

* best land based prawning spot on southern side of the bay?

* best boat based prawning spot on southern side of the bay?
* how do i find "the wreck" in Corlette and when I do, what side of it do I fish?

* best places to catch mud crabs?

* best rigs/baits/times/locations for fishing the Nelson Bay breakwall from the boat?

* best places to catch squid (Shoal Bay moorings but where else?) ?

* Any daytime places for squid?
* tips on dealing with getting around the bay on windy days and best places to fish on windy days?

* Best way/rigs/bait/etc to fish the island just north of Soldiers Point ramp?
* Are shovel-nosed rays actually good eating? (Fish markets poster rates them above snapper??)
* Recommended trailer/outboard/marine electricans on the southern side of the bay
* What breed are the small sharks (mostly around 1 metre or so) that I keep catching when I use pilchards near Jimmy's Beach or the breakwall? Are they worth eating? I've caught maybe a dozen but let them all go.

Edited December 17, 2015 by greatwhitehunter

[Scratchie]

I have read Scratchie's notes and have recently moved to Corlette.

I have a 50hp engine on a 5 metre boat - its nothing flash, a little underpowered and I wont be going offshore in a hurry because I dont trust my boat or seamanship well enough to handle big seas - maybe short runs offshore on dead calm days sometime in the future - so hoping to find some good places to catch fish in the Bay.

I love fishing and I put in a lot of effort, but the results suggests I am pretty sh@t at it which is disappointing but true

I have fished the Bay maybe 50 times in the past - but a lot of that was pre-Marine Park - and most of the hotspots I used to fish are now sanctuary zones. I don't fancy $500+ fines or losing my boat or gear - so I need to learn new places and ways to fish.

Scratchie's notes and the attached comments are very useful. I'd love to take Scratchie out on my boat some day as I am sure I'd learn a hell of a lot in just a day. I probably do more wrong than right and I am sure some of the things I do are plain idiotic.

I have a lot of questions. These are my most burning ones:

* best land based prawning spot on southern side of the bay?

* best boat based prawning spot on southern side of the bay?

* how do i find "the wreck" in Corlette and when I do, what side of it do I fish?

* best places to catch mud crabs?

* best rigs/baits/times/locations for fishing the Nelson Bay breakwall from the boat?

* best places to catch squid (Shoal Bay moorings but where else?) ?

* Any daytime places for squid?

* tips on dealing with getting around the bay on windy days and best places to fish on windy days?

* Best way/rigs/bait/etc to fish the island just north of Soldiers Point ramp?

* Are shovel-nosed rays actually good eating? (Fish markets poster rates them above snapper??)

* Recommended trailer/outboard/marine electricans on the southern side of the bay

* What breed are the small sharks (mostly around 1 metre or so) that I keep catching when I use pilchards near Jimmy's Beach or the breakwall? Are they worth eating? I've caught maybe a dozen but let them all go.

Hi greatwhite!

Firstly, congrats you've moved to a great part of the world!

Secondly, I'm up for a fishing invite anytime

Now to answer your questions.....

There is NO prawning spot on the southern side from a boat or land.

Corlette wreck- 32.43.178s 152.05.437

The western side in a hole. The wreck is in two parts.

Mud crabs- tilligerry creek or karuaha but there is a ban on tilligerry creek ATM

Breakwall- all year round depending on what your targeting. Luderick-weed bream-prawns kings- whole live or unweighted squid jew-live bait

Squid- shoal bay or eastern end Jimmy's beach

Also Barry park or any headlands off boat harbour

Windy days- time on the water is your best way to learn. No many places to hide from a north easterly.

Middles island- once again depends on your target. The deep holes are best using a live bait rig.

Shovel nose- this tells me that you are sitting your bait on the bottom of the bay. This will only get you the shovel nose. Yes you can eat them but they aren't that great. The larger they are the more they developed a taste like chlorine.

On George st soldiers point

Sharks- probably port Jackson. If they are grey then I would say school sharks more than likely small bronze whalers. If they have no teeth then gummys. IMO not worth eating except gummys as there are better fish on the bay.

Hope that helps and I'm happy to be corrected on any non factual info.

Cheers scratchie!!!