NSW North coast Must fish destinations

[yo_jono]

Evening All,

 

Sitting at home on days off waiting to go back onto nightshift has me planning a trip for summer this year.

Me and my best mate are planning on loading up the ute, the boat and the swags and sending it North and spending about 2 weeks fishing our way back down the coast in rivers and bays.

Currently we have a few spots that are definates - Yamba, South west rocks, Port Maq/laurieton, Manning river (manning point), Karuah river and probably Lake Maq on the way home. We spend our whole summers fishing the Hawkesbury from Wisemans to Lion Island chasing flatties and Jewies.

We are still trying to work out where to head straight too to start the trip - Any suggestions? Ballina maybe?

If anyone has any Tips, Suggestions on Fishing/Accomodation etc. on the way or any input in general would be great!

We swag it most places if there is a campground close and/or with a boatramp.

 

Cheers

Jono

[rickmarlin62]

If you are from sydney you cant go  fisheries busted guys at port stephens the other day  big fines

[yo_jono]

6 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said:

If you are from sydney you cant go  fisheries busted guys at port stephens the other day  big fines

Yeah Rick, I know mate.. People Just need to learn to stay home!

I'm just getting a plan ready for summer this year, Either November or February 2022 (pending any lockdowns that come into play)

[kingie chaser]

10 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said:

If you are from sydney you cant go  fisheries busted guys at port stephens the other day  big fines

 

Hopefully Sydney wont be in lockdown by the time it gets to summer!

But the way its going it might very well be 😭

[yo_jono]

13 minutes ago, kingie chaser said:

 

Hopefully Sydney wont be in lockdown by the time it gets to summer!

But the way its going it might very well be 😭

I know mate, Not looking to Crash hot is it! I'm lucky I can still work thank god.

All my days off are spent staring at my boat haha! I have had some major works done on the tinny this winter.. Praying we don't have any summer lockdowns!

[frankS]

Jono. 2 weeks that's a good break, lets hope by the time you are ready to do it the restrictions will be gone.

Sounds like you are going to avoid going offshore ?. 

Here's what I would do IF I had 2 weeks to travel with a mate and was fit enough.

Firstly I would head straight up to Geraldton Qld and go to Lake Awoonga , spend 2-3 days there fishing for Barramundi then I would start heading south, stop off at Lake Monduran for a couple of days barra and Bass fishing, some monster Bass that will pull your arms out of their sockets. Permits needed locally available and reasonably priced. 

That would basically take care of the first week, then I would work my way down the coast stopping at the places you have mentioned. And especially fishing the upper reaches of some of the bigger rivers targeting Mangrove Jack. 

Good luck with your plans.

Frank

[yo_jono]

57 minutes ago, frankS said:

Jono. 2 weeks that's a good break, lets hope by the time you are ready to do it the restrictions will be gone.

Sounds like you are going to avoid going offshore ?. 

Here's what I would do IF I had 2 weeks to travel with a mate and was fit enough.

Firstly I would head straight up to Geraldton Qld and go to Lake Awoonga , spend 2-3 days there fishing for Barramundi then I would start heading south, stop off at Lake Monduran for a couple of days barra and Bass fishing, some monster Bass that will pull your arms out of their sockets. Permits needed locally available and reasonably priced. 

That would basically take care of the first week, then I would work my way down the coast stopping at the places you have mentioned. And especially fishing the upper reaches of some of the bigger rivers targeting Mangrove Jack. 

Good luck with your plans.

Frank

Thanks Frank! Yeah, 10 days - 2 week'ish 🤣 Just going to pick a first destination and work it out from there.

Not avoiding offshore completely, I don't venture outside alot. My mate had an extremely bad bike accident last year and can no longer fish out of his tinny - Can hardly drive.

I have noted down both of them places for stops when I head upto QLD myself at a later date - Thanks so much for that!

Wouldn't be able to spend that much time on the road with him unfortunately with one leg that doesn't bend haha!

So we were just going to keep it to NSW for this trip, Head as far north as the fishing is worth within the home state and then plod back from there. Another reason for NSW only is the COVID situation within the country and short notice border closures etc. Easier to keep it within NSW.

Cheers

Jono

[dirvin21]

What are you wanting to target? 

[yo_jono]

24 minutes ago, dirvin21 said:

What are you wanting to target? 

Just our usual targets mate - Jewfish, Flatties and Mudcrabs.

[dirvin21]

40 minutes ago, yo_jono said:

Just our usual targets mate - Jewfish, Flatties and Mudcrabs.

Since you've only got 2 weeks, I'd start at Yamba and work your way down, systems like the bellinger/kalang, nambucca and surrounding small creeks have decent jack and gt fishing as an extra option

I'm now based in Port Macquarie, when you're in the area drop me a message and I'll show you some areas on the Hastings or even a jack session on the Nambucca

[yo_jono]

6 minutes ago, dirvin21 said:

Since you've only got 2 weeks, I'd start at Yamba and work your way down, systems like the bellinger/kalang, nambucca and surrounding small creeks have decent jack and gt fishing as an extra option

I'm now based in Port Macquarie, when you're in the area drop me a message and I'll show you some areas on the Hastings or even a jack session on the Nambucca

 

Beauty mate! Was thinking Yamba over Ballina as a starting point to be honest.

GT! Now that would be awesome.

Will definately shoot you a message then mate, Would be tops! We usually goto Laurieton each year in March for a week, although this years trip was pretty dissapointing - nothing but bream haha!

[Hoods]

If your mate is not that mobile Manning Point has a Caravan/camping park with good facilities, easy boat ramp for the river and walk over the dunes to the beach. Limited facilities. Or Harrington on the north side has easier access 7 minutes off the Highway, better road, more facilities & several Parks and ocean access at Crowdy. More people though AND probably from Sydney!!! - M.Point nice & quiet. Just the shop & Club!! Let me know when you get close (70cm flatties are bycatch)

[Jiggy]

If you'd like to go offshore with a mate that has limited mobility a charter may be a good option. I know an excellent one at Yamba, drop me a line if you'd like their details.

Cheers

Rob

[Rebel]

Ballina is a good start. The jetty is the go, jewies at night time.

Have a great time when you decide to go.

Cheers.

[yo_jono]

13 hours ago, Hoods said:

If your mate is not that mobile Manning Point has a Caravan/camping park with good facilities, easy boat ramp for the river and walk over the dunes to the beach. Limited facilities. Or Harrington on the north side has easier access 7 minutes off the Highway, better road, more facilities & several Parks and ocean access at Crowdy. More people though AND probably from Sydney!!! - M.Point nice & quiet. Just the shop & Club!! Let me know when you get close (70cm flatties are bycatch)

Yeah mate! I love manning point, Have spent alot of time there over the years.. Heaven on earth! His mobile enough to get around and do normal day to day things, We only fish out of a 4.3 metre tinny (which is a beast, 2.1 beam and super stable) but crossing bars and any sort of swell and he can't stand up for long. Camping etc. is still fine, I have camped at farquar a few times - The dredge is currently working the channel too 😁 I will definately let you know when we decide to do a trip!

 

2 hours ago, Jiggy said:

If you'd like to go offshore with a mate that has limited mobility a charter may be a good option. I know an excellent one at Yamba, drop me a line if you'd like their details.

Cheers

Rob

Thanks Rob, I will have a yarn to him and see what he reckons. We have family friends that fish daily at SWR aswell.

 

1 hour ago, Rebel said:

Ballina is a good start. The jetty is the go, jewies at night time.

Have a great time when you decide to go.

Cheers.

Thanks Rebel! I was wondering is it worth the long run upto Ballina as a starting point - Sounds like it is!

[campr]

Inlaws used to live at North Haven and I  loved to visit.  I used to fish Southern wall for Luderick and bream as well as jewies at night.  I believe this wall is second to none for jew if your lucky enough to get there during the mullet run.  Ron 

[yo_jono]

6 hours ago, campr said:

Inlaws used to live at North Haven and I  loved to visit.  I used to fish Southern wall for Luderick and bream as well as jewies at night.  I believe this wall is second to none for jew if your lucky enough to get there during the mullet run.  Ron 

Thanks Ron! 

I went up there in March last year for a week and there was so much fresh in the System.. soooo many herring in the place and our usual drifts of the wall produced nothing but massive bream! In the past drifting livies and flicking plastics has produced 70+ cm flatties every drift. 

When do the mullet usually run up there? 

 

[Scratchie]

Isn’t it exciting planning a road fishing trip like that. 
For me, I’d add…..

Wooli/Minnie waters

Areas around Coffs

North Haven

 Crowdy/ Harrington 

Forster and the Great Lakes

Seal Rocks 

And of course PORT STEPHENS 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

 

[kingie chaser]

10 hours ago, Scratchie said:

Isn’t it exciting planning a road fishing trip like that. 
For me, I’d add…..

 

Absolutely, we all have to look forward to something out of all this covid madness!    

[campr]

Like all northern rivers the nth haven mullet run varies each year but is around Anzac day period.   Ron 

[yo_jono]

On 7/29/2021 at 7:47 AM, Scratchie said:

Isn’t it exciting planning a road fishing trip like that. 
For me, I’d add…..

Wooli/Minnie waters

Areas around Coffs

North Haven

 Crowdy/ Harrington 

Forster and the Great Lakes

Seal Rocks 

And of course PORT STEPHENS 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

 

Thanks Scratchie!

I'll spend nightshift tonight having a read about a few extra stops, Super exciting planning this trip and especially with the boat having a big birthday at the moment ha!

 

[dirvin21]

On 7/29/2021 at 12:58 AM, yo_jono said:

Thanks Ron! 

I went up there in March last year for a week and there was so much fresh in the System.. soooo many herring in the place and our usual drifts of the wall produced nothing but massive bream! In the past drifting livies and flicking plastics has produced 70+ cm flatties every drift. 

When do the mullet usually run up there? 

 

Mullet run is usually early to mid April