LuckyFil Posted November 26, 2022 Share Posted November 26, 2022 Just back from a 3 week van trip up the NSW north coast - Hat Head, Evans Head and Brunswick Heads. Weather was strangely dry and warm, strange because we're not used to 3 weeks with no rain! The water was very clear in most places and the water temp was all over the place, 18 degrees one day then 22 the next which I put down to the time of year and the variable winds. Several days of northerly brought the cold water then the southerly change returned the warmer current. The cold water didn't help with the rock/beach fishing but the creeks/rivers less of a problem. The fishing was patchy. I had plenty of donuts at spots I knew could fish well (and places I hadn't fished before), and a few better days. It wasn't purely a fishing trip so we were often doing other stuff; bikes, walks, kayaking etc. On the way north the rock fishing at Hat Head was dead not just for me but everyone I spoke to and no boats going out from the ramp - not a good sign. I caught one good sized flattie off the beach on a plastic from a gutter it was roughly 68cm (my brag mat stops at 60. I thought I'd hooked a big clump of weed until it got back to the shore break then off it went! Took another 5 minutes to slowly work it onto the sand (only using my light rod and 10lb line). Then a couple of smaller models somewhere between 45-48 (didn't measure) from the river at South West Rocks - also on plastics. The river at Evans Head looked very fishy and I caught a few undersized flatties there and one about 50 (no pic). My first time here and some local knowledge would help as there's lots of possible places the fish could be. Brunswick was very pleasant for swimming kayaking etc but water was crystal clear and hardly saw any fish being caught off the beach or break walls . On the run back south stopped at HH again and finally had a good session off the rocks with 3 drummer, 2 bream and a tarwine. The first hour I burlied hard and tried bread, prawns and cunje for no bites, then the next hour 6 good fish - most on bread. The bigger drummer was 48 the others 45 and the bream 35-38. Sorry for the crap pic, it's a long walk back to the cleaning table and was dark by then. So for our first van trip since covid it was great to get out of Sydney and have plenty of swimming, fishing, bike rides and walks with no rain! Cheers Fil 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted November 26, 2022 Share Posted November 26, 2022 A few nice fish there, and a good flattie. Like you, I was up around that way, also Tweed Heads, during late August/early September. The fishing then was just starting to pick up a little, mostly undersize but a few for the table - bream, whiting, flatties - on nippers, bread for the bream and plastics. Also like you, I had no knowledge of the areas having not been there for many years, just a matter of plugging away to find spots. A few good feeds of fish is what you managed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted November 26, 2022 Share Posted November 26, 2022 Great trip. Nice Flattie. Top photos. Well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted November 27, 2022 Share Posted November 27, 2022 Great report mate i checked out brunswick hds today beautiful spot but not much in the way of fish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted November 27, 2022 Share Posted November 27, 2022 Great stuff @LuckyFil, nice fat Flatties - a good feed there and great pics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little_Flatty Posted November 27, 2022 Share Posted November 27, 2022 You really are Lucky, Fil! Well, to have a holiday like that anyway. The fishing was probably more than just good luck 😎 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Ct Posted November 27, 2022 Share Posted November 27, 2022 Very nice bag of fish, well done. Good quality as well, tasty feed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bessell1955 Posted November 27, 2022 Share Posted November 27, 2022 Great Flatties. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyFil Posted November 27, 2022 Author Share Posted November 27, 2022 16 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said: Great report mate i checked out brunswick hds today beautiful spot but not much in the way of fish Brunswick can fish well at times, apparently there was a good run of green backs off the southern break wall a couple of weeks ago but they left when the white bait moved on. There are also jewies off that break wall but you need livies. I spoke to a fellow who said his mate caught some good jacks up the river using live mullet and herring. So live bait seems the key up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted November 28, 2022 Share Posted November 28, 2022 That sounds fantastic @LuckyFil We had the same idea and snatched a quick break away in the van to Windang an old fav of ours. Attempting to go get some crabs tomorrow and perhaps some flatties. I may even get a report done! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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