Long Reef / Fisherman Beach

[Halibut man]

Just posting a report. Fished at the rocky parts of the northern end of Long reef Golf club/Fisherman man beach. Tried the channel along the rocky channel during incoming tied at arounf 11.00-13.30.

Lots of weeds a few bites but no fish.

Anyone has experience along Collaroy beach or Narabeen?

Thanks

[Koalaboi]

Long Reef used to be my go to fishing spot when I lived in Sydney many years ago.

We'd walk out to the eastern tip of the reef and stow our gear on the high rock there. next job would be getting cunjie though I'm not sure if that's legal anymore. grab some cabbage off the front and then head out to the sides to fish the incoming tide into the holes and channels for blackfish. If the wind was from the north fish the butterbox side and if from the south fish the northern side.

By the time the tide was 3/4 in we'd be at the eastern tip either fishing back towards the golf course into the holes which were dry at low tide or maybe the holes on either side of the front.

Would depend on tide height, swell size and direction and wind.

The top of the tide saw options: either

1. continue fishing for blackfish with a float

2. Clean the fish and then throw out on the bottom for bream using cunjie but if not, the blackfish gut is a sensational bream bait. This was an option if after dark.

3. If sunny still, fish for bream or

4. Change over to a pussy footing rig to chase blackfish flicking the bait into the currents running back to sea in the gutters over the platform

We also fished the hole ion the front catching tailor and snapper to 5kg and pigs, groper etc.

It really is a versatile and fun spot to fish. If you stand at the top of the headland overlooking the platform at high tide, you could see the flashes of light as bream and blackfish fed in 2 foot of water over rock dry at low tide.

I remember many afternoons standing at the front rock fishing back towards the gold=f course seeing hundreds of blackfish tails breaking the surface as they nuzzled the weed off the rock.

KB

[neilm]

I used to fish Fisherman's in the evening with a large fish flesh bait for huge rays. I lost more than I landed and lost a lot of tackle on the bottom so gave up and haven't fished there for years. Narrabeen & Collaroy are good for all the normal beach suspects when you find a gutter that's producing. The trick is to keep moving until you find it. Worms work well for all species, half a pillie is also a versatile bait but you are unlikely to get dart or whiting.

[ginko]

agree with Neilm - anywhere close to the cleaning tables is covered with banjo sharks - really big and heavy, they just suck themselves onto the bottom with no fight at all, and no fun of losing rigs and sticking them into rays' faces. On the other hand, there are definitely blackfish and bream out along the northern side of the spit there. Just go out past the big rock shelf into the little bays and cast alongside the edges of the rock. Cunje is definitely a no-no there, as it is a no take zone, and I think even weed may not be allowed.