Belated Forster Report - 10th of Feb

[BrassRoots]

So I wanted to wait until I could edit a video together for this one but still waiting on the missus to make some space on her mac. 

Bugger it though. Here comes the report:

I went up on a family trip and even though I had looked into a lot of different options at Forster time constraints and laziness directed me to fish the closest waters to where we were staying. I was also limited to fishing sunrise so had to work around the tides as necessary.

The first session was at this spot:

https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/32°10'58.9"S+152°30'44.5"E/@-32.1837101,152.5104233,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-32.183032!4d152.512359

I was testing out a new 2-4kg soft plastic set-up so was working with 100mm squidgy whip baits, 2inch zman grubs with 1/16 heads and 4inch powerbait jerkshads in pearl. No interest in the whip baits. Lots of interest in the zmans (bloodworm) but couldnt get anything to commit except a tiny little unknown thing. The spot was good as I was there on an incoming tide (probably about 1hr or so before high at forster beach) so all the bait fish were getting pushed into the area of slower water movement near the entrance of a mangrove drainage creek. 

The amount of life in the water and water clarity was staggering coming from Sydney. The water was absolutely alive. Tonnes of tiny bait fish, long snouted something or others, bream, luderick, grass whiting and more. I even saw a small group of frigate mackerel coming in to smash the small bait fish every now and then. 

After a few hours of struggling with the bream I switched to a belly weighted 3/0 worm hook and put on the powerbait. This brought in the main fish of the trip. A nice flathead of around 40cm, no measurements as I was C&R this whole trip.

Second session was at some sand flats in Smiths Lake:

https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/32°23'23.3"S+152°30'03.2"E/@-32.389802,152.4995953,17.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-32.389802!4d152.5009

Had a blast here trying our 1/40th jigs with bloodworm and amber zmans. Had a few takes on the bloodworm but no hook-ups.

The highlight was seeing something very large about 60m away jumping. A LOT. Not sure what it looked like but it had a dark back and quite a forked narrow tail.

Last session I walked from the first session spot up to just inside on the breakwall:

https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/32°10'31.3"S+152°30'30.7"E/@-32.175354,152.5076895,18.4z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-32.175354!4d152.508519

This time I was fishing a run out tide about an 1hr before the low and the bait weren't holding in the same spot. So I went walking towards the mouth of the estuary expecting the fish food to be pushed towards the ocean. Along the way I did see a lot of bream etc stacked under pontoons or near piling at the bridge but they couldn't be tempted. The most action I saw was the the breakwall casting into eddies the were forming along the wall. Not only lots of pickers but a couple of really good takes and saw some nice big fish followers. This was with the powerbaits again. I ran out of time though and had to make my way back fishing as I went. On the way back I pulled out a tiny flathead at wharf st with the 2inch bloodworm zman grub.

 

One thing I really wanted to try was beach fishing but while I was there the beaches were clogged with red weed so just avoided it altogether.

 

Overall, I'll definitely be heading back the first chance I get. The system is just so clean and alive it really blew my mind. There are so many beautiful spots around there too.

I would highly recommend the Wallis Lake sailing club picnic area. There are trees growing over the water that means you can swim in the shade of gum trees. Managed to take my little one out for her first swim too, which was really sweet.

[mrsswordfisherman]

Good report that and your little girl looks like she loves the water and fresh air.

The water does look clean and inviting at Forster and a great pic of the flattie

[BrassRoots]

It's hard to get good pics when you want to release cause I'm always really worried about how long they are out of the water. Wish it wasnt blurry. I still have the gopro footage to relive it though.

[Cargo05]

Good report BrassRoots

[BrassRoots]

Just adding the vid for posterity as I know someone will be looking for info on Forster at some point.