Nth Coast

[dogbox]

A New Beginning.

I have fish may years from Batemans Bay to Port Stevens covering many estuary and bays. My mother in-law just bought a house in South Grafton which means that there will be host of trips to the north coast. I've only been to Wooli twice fished on a charter boat. But now trips to the Nth coast are going to happen on a regular bases I am keen to learn as much as I can fishing Minnie Waters and Wooli. There are a lot of no fishing zones because of the marine parks, really couldn't find many GPS marks, beach launching the boat going to be a learning experience, bar crossing yar done that at South West Rocks don't know how i survived that. Looking at the maps I'm also looking at Broom Head Yamba and the Clarence River, might give some fresh water fishing ago as well.  

If any Fishradiers are regulars around this part coast some help about local knowledge would be helpful.

dogbox

     

[tyrone07]

Grew up fishing Wooli every school holidays as we had a holiday house up there. Bar crossing is very tricky, just hve to have patience and pick your days. You can also do a beach launch at Minnie Waters, last time we went up the sand was way to soft. Really depends what you want to chase but there's plenty of good spots to get amongst it up there. A lot has changed with all the marine parks etc. Live bait can be caught near the bombie as you exit the river, good kings and reds will also hold here at times. A lot of our fishing was done off Solitary Islands, the most southern point there is a pinnacle with a sharp drop off holds some solid kings, amberjack, Sampson fish which is prime for jigging. Have to get in early because the sharks move in. 

[JonD]

My last trip to Wooli was awful on the bar, it wasn't just the bar as on that trip we had to battle breaking waves and surfers for about 300m+ out. The ramp itself has very shallow sand making launch and retrieve tricky with bigger or very deep v boats. We managed to get out in the rib each day but very few others did. I will be up that way again very soon, love the fishing there.

[rickmarlin62]

we mainly fish Minnie..heaps of good reefs ..from 6mtrs to 60mtrs..sandon shoals.minnie itself.diggers camp.wilsons..nth solitary...more reds trag an jews than you can poke a stick at..the island has reds jew kings mackerel an wahoo when warm..pearl perch are common and heaps of samsons in 60 mtrs..the shelfs not far and the canyons are awesome...il get into my mates gps and pull a few marks for you in the next few days....the beach launch at Minnie is usually good.stay close to rocks south end..only bad on high tide with large swell coming over front rocks...what boat do you have ??...we beach my vsea or mates milligan if swells coming over front then drag up the sand a few feet then winch trailer under boat...im planning a trip in sep or oct   the big reds make you drool...rick

[dogbox]

Thank guys heading up on the 10 July have a Barcrusher 610 pulled by my Isuzu 4x4

[rickmarlin62]

you should have no dramas..have a good look in daylight and suss out lagoon...there is one shallow spot halfway from launch area to where you turn to head out..run a track on gps and follow in if coming or leaving in dark...get your launch retrieve downpat an be quik as you can..as I said closer to rocks in southern corner is best..cheers rick

[rickmarlin62]

heres a few basic marks..sound around and have a look..29.45.920  153.32.615..sambos   29.44.455  153.27.810..jew trag    29.43.350  153.24.880..reef    29.42.100  153.21.000..top of shoal sound in .out marine park cuts thru halfway down shoal    29.43.695   153.19.970..reef   29.49.755  153.18.495...top of reef sound in out and south  good reds also good soft plastic reef....all these shallower spots hold reds pearlies tusks  cobes etc etc  these are personal marks of mine  close but not quite exact   sound around and search as the fish move dependant on current and conditions....these are all good reef marks and should produce for you   .jealous I cant get up there sooner...rick

[dogbox]

Yar I have auto boat catch I drive my boat on. I fish bendalong which has swell breaking on it so I'm know how important it is to be quick. 

[dogbox]

Thanks Rick can't wait 

dogbox

[dirvin21]

14 hours ago, dogbox said:

 

, might give some fresh water fishing ago as well.  

If any Fishradiers are regulars around this part coast some help about local knowledge would be helpful.

dogbox

     

I can help you with the sweetwater I can pm some spots around the area

[dogbox]

Yes sweetwater hope your talk'n bass I've never caught one yes please PM me

dogbox

 

[rickmarlin62]

looks like your well sorted now.....hope you get heaps..rick

[JonD]

I'm heading up that way too in just over a week, part of my trip will be at Lady Musgrave but the rest around Wooli.

[rickmarlin62]

if your launching out of wooli jon head up an try the southern mark area I posted in this topic...wilsons is a good snapper spot....sometimes in winter the inside section of the reef fires on snapper..rick

[JonD]

22 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said:

if your launching out of wooli jon head up an try the southern mark area I posted in this topic...wilsons is a good snapper spot....sometimes in winter the inside section of the reef fires on snapper..rick

Thanks for that, the snapper fishing has gone very poor in my area so I'm quite prepared to reguarly head up that way. We tend to just catch enough to eat one fresh meal and release any others, love the way you can get among good fish in quite shallow water up there.

 

[Squid Inc]

To help you get excited, here is a Wahoo my brother caught of Wooli a couple of years back. 

[dogbox]

That's huge 

[rickmarlin62]

if you go to nth solitary..try nth rock there are two pinnacles that come up to 4mtrs n/e off the rock..they are outside the marine park zone..lots of wahoo and Spanish caught and speared there..rick

[JonD]

2 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said:

if you go to nth solitary..try nth rock there are two pinnacles that come up to 4mtrs n/e off the rock..they are outside the marine park zone..lots of wahoo and Spanish caught and speared there..rick

My daughter snorkelled those reefs last time we were up, she saw wahoo, yellowfin, cobia, mackerel and even a big school of Jews off the back drop off ( and some big sharks).

 We trolled 4 outfits which constantly ended with 4 screaming fish, dropped down to 2 rods to make releasing fish easier but in the end had to drop back to using just one rod. Fish were hitting the lures before we could get the boat up to speed, love the north coast.