Jervis Bay Yakkas

[darnsmall]

Hi All

 

I'm heading down to Jervis Bay over Xmas and I'm really excited to give places like Longnose Point, Target, and Murrays a go (land based).

I'd love to grab some live Yakkas for Longnose Point, I'm just wondering where is the best place to get Yakkas land based in Jervis Bay?

I was thinking Huskisson wharf, Murray's boat ramp, and maybe Bindjine jetty might be good spots to find them.

Just wondering if there are any other spots, like off the beach or rocks around Longnose or Target?

I'd love to not have to do that walk to Longnose/Target with a bucket of Yakkas on my back, but if not, no dramas, should help work off a few extra kgs from xmas.

 

Cheers All

Darn

[Green Hornet]

Don’t waste your time at Husky wharf as the tide roars through there. 

Along with the other places you mention, you can add just out from the NW corner of Bowen Island to the list. Good for yakkas, slimies and squid. 

[darnsmall]

1 hour ago, Green Hornet said:

Don’t waste your time at Husky wharf as the tide roars through there. 

Along with the other places you mention, you can add just out from the NW corner of Bowen Island to the list. Good for yakkas, slimies and squid. 

Cheers, thanks for saving me a lot of time and wasted effort with Husky wharf.

Will keep NW Bowen Island in mind for a later trip when hopefully will have a boat 

[noelm]

It's a fair old trip to Longnose from Murray's or Huskinson, I reckon with a bit of effort you will get some at most locations, I have had good success at Callala, but never tried from the shore for them, also at Currarong near the boat ramp.

[darnsmall]

5 hours ago, noelm said:

It's a fair old trip to Longnose from Murray's or Huskinson, I reckon with a bit of effort you will get some at most locations, I have had good success at Callala, but never tried from the shore for them, also at Currarong near the boat ramp.

Yeah I'll pick on the day depending on the weather and swell, whether to fish on the north or south side of the bay. Never walked to Longnose before, I'm hoping it's much the same sort of terrain as Target. Should be fun with a bucket of Yakkas on my back if I'm successful.

Epic advice...will definitely give Currarong boat ramp a go...much appreciated 

[Green Hornet]

Sorry, when you mentioned these your spots both sides of the bay, I assumed you were going to be in a boat.

Yakkas can be caught at a lot of the ledges you plan to fish, however they go off the bite at dawn, so you must get there super early.

When I fished LBG, the most consistent place to catch yakkas was Greenwell Point wharf. The main wharf where the trawlers tie up, near the public pool.

I also believe they get them off the wharf at Callala Bay, beside the boat ramp.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Green Hornet

[darnsmall]

8 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Sorry, when you mentioned these your spots both sides of the bay, I assumed you were going to be in a boat.

Yakkas can be caught at a lot of the ledges you plan to fish, however they go off the bite at dawn, so you must get there super early.

When I fished LBG, the most consistent place to catch yakkas was Greenwell Point wharf. The main wharf where the trawlers tie up, near the public pool.

I also believe they get them off the wharf at Callala Bay, beside the boat ramp.

No dramas, appreciate the info for a future trip when I go down there with a boat.

Glad to hear I might be able to catch them at places like Longnose and Target...but I doubt I'll get there in time, so sounds like a good trek with them on my back instead. I'll be staying in Nowra so Greenwell is easy and I didn't realise there was a wharf at Callala, will give that a go too.

Much appreciated.

Cheers

Darn

[Green Hornet]

If you’re chasing kings and having trouble catching yakkas, don’t overlook pike as a live bait. 

Throw a deep diving, minnow shaped, hard body over the kelp beds in the bays near where you’re fishing and you should get a couple. The same area could also produce a squid.

If there’s small bonito or early season frigates around, better still. 

[Green Hornet]

I should mention too. If you're planning on a trip soon, check for updates on google. There's a pretty intense algal bloom in the bay at the moment, leaving the water a milky, pale green colour and no fish.

[noelm]

And of course check for sanctuary zones.

[darnsmall]

f

4 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

I should mention too. If you're planning on a trip soon, check for updates on google. There's a pretty intense algal bloom in the bay at the moment, leaving the water a milky, pale green colour and no fish.

Damn that's a shame, heading down there on Thursday until Monday...if it's still around then I'll probably try off the Southern Head at Murrays (if it's dead flat), not sure what to expect over at Steamers, Cave, and Bherwerre otherwise.

Thanks for the heads up, will end up going for a swim over at Longnose or Target still, but would have been devastated to walk all that way with the gear to find that out. lol

Cheers

Darn

 

[darnsmall]

3 hours ago, noelm said:

And of course check for sanctuary zones.

Yeah I've had a look at the NSW fisheries map for the area. I was quite surprised to see everything from Greenfields to pretty much Plantation Point a sanctuary zone (and I think much of Husky included too if I remember correctly). I haven't fished in the Bay since I was a kid. Always used to fish around those beaches.

[noelm]

Not too sure about access to Target these days, I was told (but not confirmed) that you can't get in there, I haven't been there by land for years and years.

[Green Hornet]

You can still get into Target, but you have to walk in from Honeymoon Bay. 

[darnsmall]

18 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

You can still get into Target, but you have to walk in from Honeymoon Bay. 

I've only ever walked in from Honeymoon Bay.

I just thought they restricted access during the week and outside of holidays for when the military are using it.

As it stands now, I might not even make down the South Coast if Sydney goes into another lockdown.

Looks like with algae bloom and Covid, things aren't looking promising.

[Green Hornet]

Back in the day I used to access Target in my old land rover or dirt bike. I haven't been in there since it was made a walking track only. We used to ring HMAS Albatross to find out if the bombing range was closed, but pretty sure you can find out now on the net.

I heard the current is dragging the bloom water out of the bay northwards, meaning the good Currarong rock spots like Beecroft and Eaves Ravine may possibly be affected as well as the bay.

[darnsmall]

41 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Back in the day I used to access Target in my old land rover or dirt bike. I haven't been in there since it was made a walking track only. We used to ring HMAS Albatross to find out if the bombing range was closed, but pretty sure you can find out now on the net.

I heard the current is dragging the bloom water out of the bay northwards, meaning the good Currarong rock spots like Beecroft and Eaves Ravine may possibly be affected as well as the bay.

Damn I didn't realise you used to be able to drive further up the path before.
I guess the bonus of it now being a walking track is I've never seen more than 5 people at Target in the middle of summer.

But god damn it's going to be a painful walk back if I did get a decent catch

[SquidMarks]

Calla Bay wharf definitely has them (including pike too). Go to the end of the warf, left or right side does not matter. 

 

Early morning or late afternoon with a high tide is best. Small, size 12/10 hook straight to 6lb mono with tiny bits of pillies/ prawns works with a bit of mashed up pillies or prawn shells and heads sprinkled in as burley.

 

If there a bit of wind, tie a swivel about 30cm from the hook to act as a tiny splitshot (or use a splitshot doh!) Otherwise the wind acting on the line will stop your bait from sinking.

 

Go about an hr before dusk and you should get at least a dozen. 

[darnsmall]

On 12/21/2020 at 12:56 PM, SquidMarks said:

Calla Bay wharf definitely has them (including pike too). Go to the end of the warf, left or right side does not matter. 

 

Early morning or late afternoon with a high tide is best. Small, size 12/10 hook straight to 6lb mono with tiny bits of pillies/ prawns works with a bit of mashed up pillies or prawn shells and heads sprinkled in as burley.

 

If there a bit of wind, tie a swivel about 30cm from the hook to act as a tiny splitshot (or use a splitshot doh!) Otherwise the wind acting on the line will stop your bait from sinking.

 

Go about an hr before dusk and you should get at least a dozen. 

Thanks...will definitely give it a go.

[darnsmall]

Yakkas have been somewhat easy to find. Loads at Murray's boat ramp early in the morning. Everywhere else I was able to score them as well, but god damn there were so many other shittly little fish getting in the way.

Skipped out on Longnose after getting to Target with a bucket of Yakkas...was so damn heavy I couldn't make it any further. Was there late morning to early arvo...no luck.

I've never seen so many schools of large fish cruising around the beach and totally ignoring the yakkas...I guess it was just the wrong time of day.

 

Planning to go back much earlier tomorrow and try Lognose...but with frozen yakkas. That walk killed me today. Good exercise though.

 

Thanks for all your help, much appreciated. 

[Green Hornet]

Did you empty some of the water out of your bucket for the walk in?

With about 6 large yakkas I used to drain the water until the bucket was one quarter full and top it up as soon as I got to my spot. I guess how much water you let out depends on the size and shape of your bucket. My old Nally was a lot wider than most you see today. As long as there's a few cm's covering their backs, they seem to survive okay.

If those fish you saw were kings, I'm not surprised they ignored your yakkas. Kings in around the rocks at JB are pretty savvy and in all the years I fished LBG in the area, I never caught one on a yakka. Frigates and pike were my best baits.

Hope you do better today.

[darnsmall]

On 12/27/2020 at 6:43 AM, Green Hornet said:

Did you empty some of the water out of your bucket for the walk in?

With about 6 large yakkas I used to drain the water until the bucket was one quarter full and top it up as soon as I got to my spot. I guess how much water you let out depends on the size and shape of your bucket. My old Nally was a lot wider than most you see today. As long as there's a few cm's covering their backs, they seem to survive okay.

If those fish you saw were kings, I'm not surprised they ignored your yakkas. Kings in around the rocks at JB are pretty savvy and in all the years I fished LBG in the area, I never caught one on a yakka. Frigates and pike were my best baits.

Hope you do better today.

yeah I only had about 1/4 of the bucket full for the walk in, but I'd been keeping the yakkas going since the previous day from Murray's and other places...they were ok when I got to Honeymoon bay for a refill but didn't make it to Target...might have been too many for such a small bit of water over such a long period of time. I'm so glad I went to Target and not Longnose with that bucket on my back. Longnose was one hell of a trek without a bucket...climbing over all those rocks to get onto the point would have been a nightmare with the bucket.

I'm actually not sure what the school of fish were...I saw some larger silvery blue fish swimming around quite close to the rocks on the East side of the rocks at Target, but yeah then there was this large school of really large darker slender fish circling the beach...I just presumed they'd be Salmon as well...didn't think for a second I'd see Kings there. I've never had a vantage point like that before to see into such crystal clear water before. 

Seems like the only thing that was keen on the Yakkas was an Eagle Ray and some other ray/shark thingy.

Caught a Scorpion Fish over at Longnose and a rock cod. got lots of big bites and reefed by what I'm guessing were more Scorpion Fish a few times. That point must be a productive spot in a boat...there were tons of boats all around that point from when I got there at 6.30 up until when I left at 10.30

 

Even though I didn't have the most productive trip, really enjoyed it and looking forward to heading back down sometime soon.