Planning day fishing trip with kids - Thinking Maianbar, Wattamolla, Greys Point or Windang

[Gengar]

Hi fellow raiders

Its that time of the year again...school holidays and my opportunity to plan a fishing trip with the kids. I haven't really explored south of Sydney so been scouring google maps to find some flats that we can pump yabbies and do some fishing nearby (ideally all within 1 to 2 hours of Sydney). I have done some research but wanted to see if any raiders have any specific advice for these locations. It will all be landbased. So far I have found:

(a) Maianbar flats - I hear many people talk about this place on this forum but seems most people get there by boat? Thinking of just driving out to Maianbar foreshores reserves, walk down to the flats, pump some yabbies, put them on hooks and see whats on offer. It seems a decent place to spend the day. Would there be any poddies there? Still haven't trapped any poddies yet so keen to do that.

(b) Wattamolla beach - Looks like a nice spot that is not far from Maianbar. Doesn't seem there are flats to pump yabbies but the creeks might hold some mullet to trap? I couldn't find much recent info other than a report back in 2014.

(c) Grays Point (at end of Grays Point Road) - It seems you can walk from the end of Grays Point Road to the flats. I haven't found much recent info on this. The last point was back in 2014 and it seemed alright and perhaps less crowds but wondering if anyone has been there more recently and can comment? 

(d) Windang bridge - This one is quite a bit further and maybe we stay overnight nearby. Anyway there seems to be a big flat area just south of the bridge. We could also walk towards the area where river meets the ocean where there may be bigger fish. Only concern is whether this will be too crowded but at least seems big enough place.

Thanks all.

[noelm]

Fishing off the bridge is not possible, there is lots of sand flats around, plenty of Nippers and Squirt Worms, the water is starting to clean up, but it's still pretty brown, the crabs have started again up in the lake too. Down towards the entrance the current Rios through, so fishing is difficult.The beaches are pretty hit and miss because of the recent big seas, but I'm sure you could find a gutter or two.

[campr]

Maianbar flats are huge and easy to get to from car park in front of shop.  Nippers are plentiful and getting them is fun for the kids.  Whiting, flathead and bream are a possible.  This is a village within the park so there is no nead to pay the park fees.

I don't think there are nippers at Watamola and poddies are possible but difficult.  Ron 

[Larkin]

Can get poddies at swallow rock in grays point (off the boat ramp wharf) - & nippers at the end of grays point Rd - there are a couple of holes you can cast into from the sand flats too.
You’ll find nippers easy to get at maianbar and some good sized whiting around there.

[Gengar]

5 hours ago, noelm said:

Fishing off the bridge is not possible, there is lots of sand flats around, plenty of Nippers and Squirt Worms, the water is starting to clean up, but it's still pretty brown, the crabs have started again up in the lake too. Down towards the entrance the current Rios through, so fishing is difficult.The beaches are pretty hit and miss because of the recent big seas, but I'm sure you could find a gutter or two.

Oh I wasn't going to fish off windang bridge....just the area around the bridge. Sounds like nippers will be easy to get so thanks for confirming! Probably get some and flick them out to the deeper channels and see what I get! BTW what are squirter worms? Heard of Beachwood but never squirter worms. Are they good bait?

[Gengar]

3 hours ago, campr said:

Maianbar flats are huge and easy to get to from car park in front of shop.  Nippers are plentiful and getting them is fun for the kids.  Whiting, flathead and bream are a possible.  This is a village within the park so there is no nead to pay the park fees.

I don't think there are nippers at Watamola and poddies are possible but difficult.  Ron 

Got it. I couldn't see any village but was thinking of parking at the foreshore reserve. Or is there somewhere else I should park?

Also are you saying I don't have to pay the national park entry fee? How do I do that? Sorry for so many questions just want to be as prepped as i can. Thanks!

[Gengar]

2 hours ago, Larkin said:

Can get poddies at swallow rock in grays point (off the boat ramp wharf) - & nippers at the end of grays point Rd - there are a couple of holes you can cast into from the sand flats too.
You’ll find nippers easy to get at maianbar and some good sized whiting around there.

Cheers thanks mate. Looks like they are all good locations.

I still haven't managed to trap any poddies yet so keen to tick that off the bucket list. Any particular times/tides I should try for poddies?

[campr]

Foreshore reserve is place to park.  Shop I mentioned is marked as cafe.  Park fees are not entry fee but for parking within the park.  The residential areas (villages) of Maianbar and Bundeena are not in the park so no need to pay parking fees.  If gate is manned just tell ranger where you are going and they will wave you through.   You can also drive right through park to Stanwell Tops and further south without paying as road is RMS controlled and fee only payable if you park within the park.  Only thing to be wary of is the crossing at Woronora can be closed by floods and it's a long way to Maianbar via Waterfall.  Ron 

[noelm]

20 hours ago, Gengar said:

Oh I wasn't going to fish off windang bridge....just the area around the bridge. Sounds like nippers will be easy to get so thanks for confirming! Probably get some and flick them out to the deeper channels and see what I get! BTW what are squirter worms? Heard of Beachwood but never squirter worms. Are they good bait?

Don't get all hung up about "deeper channels" lots of fish will feed right up on the shallow flats during high tide. Squirt worms are probably the best bait there is, it's a bit hard to describe, but worm holes are very round and smooth, and you will find there is two holes for each worm, they live in a kind of U shaped holes, get your pump and pull the handle up, put it over the smooth round holes and push down on the handle, it will blow the worm out of the second hole (squirt them out) they are very fragile so pick them up with care.

[Larkin]

23 hours ago, Gengar said:

Cheers thanks mate. Looks like they are all good locations.

I still haven't managed to trap any poddies yet so keen to tick that off the bucket list. Any particular times/tides I should try for poddies?

I’ve caught them there at all tides and times of the day. It’s my go to location if I want poddies.

Just take half a loaf of white bread, a hand line with a very small hook unweighted - or with a tiny split shot if there is any wind. Can hook plenty straight off the boat ramp wharf. Burley with some of the white bread and toss your line in amongst the feeding poddies. Bait with a small round ball of the soft white bread - make sure the bread isn’t dry and have the tip of the hook slightly exposed. 

if you want to try a trap I usually put mine under the footbridge on the right hand side. But I prefer to just catch them on a hand line as it can be quicker.
 

Poddies are easy to keep alive overnight in a large bucket with an aerator, so you can catch them the day before if going to a different location.

[Gengar]

14 hours ago, campr said:

Foreshore reserve is place to park.  Shop I mentioned is marked as cafe.  Park fees are not entry fee but for parking within the park.  The residential areas (villages) of Maianbar and Bundeena are not in the park so no need to pay parking fees.  If gate is manned just tell ranger where you are going and they will wave you through.   You can also drive right through park to Stanwell Tops and further south without paying as road is RMS controlled and fee only payable if you park within the park.  Only thing to be wary of is the crossing at Woronora can be closed by floods and it's a long way to Maianbar via Waterfall.  Ron 

Thanks Campr for saving me some $ as I always thought the fee was for entry and not parking! I had always presumed that you had to pay as soon as you enter the national park, didn't know it depended on where you park. Might be a stupid question but will it be clear where I park whether its within or outside the park? Just don't want to accidently get a parking ticket. Cheers.

[Gengar]

13 hours ago, noelm said:

Don't get all hung up about "deeper channels" lots of fish will feed right up on the shallow flats during high tide. Squirt worms are probably the best bait there is, it's a bit hard to describe, but worm holes are very round and smooth, and you will find there is two holes for each worm, they live in a kind of U shaped holes, get your pump and pull the handle up, put it over the smooth round holes and push down on the handle, it will blow the worm out of the second hole (squirt them out) they are very fragile so pick them up with care.

Do you have any photos of these worm holes? Would the two holes be really close together?

I searched online but there doesn't seem to be much info on exactly where to find these squirt worms. There was one youtube video that says I should be looking for these small fresh mound of sand and you pump them like you would nippers but I couldn't see two holes where he pumped.

 

 

[Gengar]

10 hours ago, Larkin said:

I’ve caught them there at all tides and times of the day. It’s my go to location if I want poddies.

Just take half a loaf of white bread, a hand line with a very small hook unweighted - or with a tiny split shot if there is any wind. Can hook plenty straight off the boat ramp wharf. Burley with some of the white bread and toss your line in amongst the feeding poddies. Bait with a small round ball of the soft white bread - make sure the bread isn’t dry and have the tip of the hook slightly exposed. 

if you want to try a trap I usually put mine under the footbridge on the right hand side. But I prefer to just catch them on a hand line as it can be quicker.
 

Poddies are easy to keep alive overnight in a large bucket with an aerator, so you can catch them the day before if going to a different location.

Got it. When you say the footbridge you mean the footbridge to the jetty beside the boat ramp?

[noelm]

4 hours ago, Gengar said:

Do you have any photos of these worm holes? Would the two holes be really close together?

I searched online but there doesn't seem to be much info on exactly where to find these squirt worms. There was one youtube video that says I should be looking for these small fresh mound of sand and you pump them like you would nippers but I couldn't see two holes where he pumped.

 

 

If you do happen to go to Windang, just out from the Kiosk (at low tide) on the SE side of the bridge you will see a little island,  between  the eastern end of that and the shore you will find both Nipper holes and Squirt worm holes (if the fresh water hasn't cleaned them out) the worm holes will be easy to see, groups of very neat round holes, Nipper holes are quite random and "messy" keep in mind this is very much a tourist area, so there will be Little kids running around and picnickers . The fishing can be OK there, even though it's popular, fish the same flat you got the Nippers on at high tide, or out towards the channel as the tide drops. Use pretty basic gear, about 6lb line will be plenty, a long shank hook and a very small sinker.

[Gengar]

6 hours ago, noelm said:

If you do happen to go to Windang, just out from the Kiosk (at low tide) on the SE side of the bridge you will see a little island,  between  the eastern end of that and the shore you will find both Nipper holes and Squirt worm holes (if the fresh water hasn't cleaned them out) the worm holes will be easy to see, groups of very neat round holes, Nipper holes are quite random and "messy" keep in mind this is very much a tourist area, so there will be Little kids running around and picnickers . The fishing can be OK there, even though it's popular, fish the same flat you got the Nippers on at high tide, or out towards the channel as the tide drops. Use pretty basic gear, about 6lb line will be plenty, a long shank hook and a very small sinker.

Thanks mate. Will let you know how I go if I head down there. Cheers!