North Coast Adventure

[Little_Flatty]

It recently occurred to us that our family hasn't had a decent holiday in three years!

So a few days before Christmas, plans were hatched to set off on an adventure to head up the coast for 11 days. This was planned more as a family trip than a fishing trip, but it went without saying that I would wet a line some time or other.

First stop was Port Macquarie. Trying hard to be a dutiful husband and father, it took me more than 24 hours to get a lure in the water! But I must have been getting hard to live with, because I was sent out the next morning. Thanks to some intel from @dirvin21, I found some great sand flats to cast lures over in the Hastings. Unfortunately, it was not my day, but I did find a school of little herring and tailor to stop the session from being a complete donut:

 

Lure of choice was a squidgy wriggler in wasabi, which seemed to be a good match for the baitfish that I saw swimming around. I noticed I needed quite a lot of lead to get down through the current, eventually settling on a 1/4oz jighead. Having spent most of my time fishing 1/12 jigheads or less in shallow water, this felt like casting a brick!

I got home to find out I had been totalled by sandflies, in what is becoming a bit of a holiday tradition; it had happened two times prior in QLD, pre-pandemic. Thankfully I was able to get some medical advice and was able to use some antihistamines and dermaid cream that I had on hand. That shut it down a lot faster than previous times. Last time this happened, I was itching for a month! But now I'm almost completely fine. Next time, maybe I might just remember the long sleeves and the repellent!

Next morning I had a plan to fish the more fishy looking parts of the flats, but driving through town on my way there, I noticed some structure that I just had to cast at. A few casts in, I got a little bream under one of the bridges in a canal.

But I really wanted a flatty for the table, so it was back to the flats. I fished for another hour but only managed one undersized flatty. Ah well, at least it was my target species. I put him back after this photo:

I also had a late morning session with the kids off the town wharf. The goal was to catch something interesting to look at, like a butterfish or a stripey. But we caught everything but our target species, including a nice little luderick that went back into the drink. Finally, we caught a little stripey on the last cast, which sufficiently impressed the kids.

That night we were walking along the break wall in front of the caravan park and witnessed a kid pull up what looked like a 1m flathead. It was a sight to behold. He had a pretty serious overhead setup. Clearly, he was chasing big fish and whatever he was doing was working.

On New Years Eve in the Port, we were due to leave for Coffs, but I snuck a quick fish in at the town wharf. Third cast in, I landed my first legal fish of the trip, a little bream, which was released after this pic:

A few casts later, I got another little flatty, which was so chock full of baitfish that it spat out several after landing on the wharf. It vindicated my lure choice:

After this, I called it a day and we headed up to Coffs. Unfortunately, in spite of my best efforts, I failed to turn a scale in my Coffs Creek and marina sessions, including a little effort with @wazatherfisherman's chip lure! Surely, they should have worked there, but alas it was just not my day.

What I did manage to do in Coffs, however, was visit the bricks and mortar store of a large online tackle retailer. For me, it was as if I had entered Willy Wonka's fishing tackle factory! Whatever I wanted, they had. Only trouble was that with so much stock, it took some searching and help from the staff to find it! I walked out with a lot of niche jig heads, plastics, hardbodies and a few items of clothing (the sand fly bites still itching at the time). I even managed to find one of Dan McGrath's Attack lures, which I haven't seen for almost 20 years! I had to buy it just for old time's sake. Like my favoured Berkely Power Minnow, hopefully it has sufficiently gone out of fashion so that it can dupe the Parra bream again:

Regardless, we still had a great time in Coffs, celebrating new years with some of our family who happened to be up there at the same time.

Our final stop was in Karuah, to break up the drive home. Having enjoyed reasonable weather the whole trip, this was when things turned to custard. In particular, the wind had started to blow, accompanied by rain. Rain doesn't bother me, but wind does, as it makes fishing difficult. Ordinarily, I would've just rolled over in bed and went back to sleep, but I had fishing opportunities available very close to my accommodation (the Big 4's private jetty!), so I just had to have a go.

My efforts were well rewarded with my first ever lure caught mulloway, a stocky little soapie, which was released to put on another 20 kilos:

After taking the kids for their afternoon swim/water play for 9 of the 10 days on this trip, I was let off the hook for an afternoon session! It was still blowing a gale, but at least there were some sightseers and fellow anglers to keep me company.

I had a lot of hits from soapies again, even hooked then dropped one, as well as a little flatty. Then I hooked a veritable steam train of a fish which whizzed out into the channel and then tried to wipe me out under the wharf. Could I have hooked a school mulloway? It could've been, but instead it was a foul-hooked mullet. These are just superb sportfish, if only we were able to target them consistently on lures!

I let some kids release the mullet for me after this pic, then I promptly lost my brag mat in the wind and into the drink, and there was nothing I could have done to retrieve it! That's fishing on a windy day for you...

I cast on. In amongst the moorings and under the wharf, I hooked up onto what felt like a decent flatty. Of course, that's when I realised; I had forgotten the net! So 8lb leader, 1m above the water and a reasonable flatty in the water, what to do? It was between boats, so beaching wasn't an option. I had a close look at the situation and realised the flatty was lip hooked, so likely the leader was undamaged. So I took my chances and grabbed the leader...and miraculously landed the fish! This was clearly a legal fish, so it came home for dinner. The jetty had a cleaning table on it, along with a measuring sticker and I was able to confirm it was a 50cm fish.

The next morning, I hooked and dropped two flatties about the same size. Then I had to leave before I could manage another fish. The Karuah flatties have different headshakes to the Sydney ones, and they seem very adept at throwing hooks. Maybe if I had a softer rod, I might have been able to retain them. One thing to note is that all of the fish I caught at Karuah were hooked within 1m of the jetty or directly underneath it. Just goes to show that you need to stay vigilant until the lure is almost at the rod tip!

So a reasonable ending after a few lean sessions. Just goes to show the importance of local knowledge...there were a few fishless moments on this trip where I was starting to miss my familiar Sydney haunts!

Thanks for reading!

[Yowie]

That is a decent mixed bag, regardless of the sizes. Plenty of fish to keep you happy, and something for the plate.

Many people throw miles out from a wharf, however, fish will be waiting for scraps being dropped off the end of the wharf - mangled baits, burley, half a bag of prawns not wanted anymore.

A tackle shop with lots of goodies to buy - you might need a bank loan to buy whatever you like. 😂

[Blackfish]

Great write up LF of you and the families North Coast adventure. At least you out witted some of the local fish.

[Little_Flatty]

22 minutes ago, Yowie said:

A tackle shop with lots of goodies to buy - you might need a bank loan to buy whatever you like. 😂

My family intelligently time-boxed me to two twenty minute sessions! I had to mind-map the entire store for  my second visit for maximum efficiency 🤣

Still, I feel a bit guilty the amount I spent in store 

18 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

Great write up LF of you and the families North Coast adventure. At least you out witted some of the local fish.

It was certainly quite the challenge. Even more challenging was driving for hours past heaps of fishy looking territory without stopping!

[Hoods]

Thanks for the report. If you go into That tackle shop without a plan it will cost you a whole day!!

At least you had the best of the weather.

[Blackfish]

28 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

 

It was certainly quite the challenge. Even more challenging was driving for hours past heaps of fishy looking territory without stopping!

Bahaaaaaa.

Many years ago my wife and I used to drive up the coast (Before kids) and camp in National parks. Gee we found some great spots with good fishing. One time it was just after lot of rain and the small creek that I fished had just closed back up and the Flathead were all stacked up in a small area before going back up into the Lake. Lost count of the Flathead I caught on lures, all released. This came to an abrupt after I got careless and a fish drove the treble into my finger. We were a fair way from anywhere, so a bit of camp surgery and got it out. Bahhhaaa. 

Not long after that I started to crush all my barbs down on my lures, which I still do today.

[Green Hornet]

Great report Mike. It’s always nice to get away and fish new waters. Helps you resharpen your senses reading the water/structure. 
Those McGrath Attack lures were legendary back in their day. I still have a few in their original packaging tucked away and you’re 100% correct, sometimes everything old is new again and to fish they’ll outperform modern day presentations.

[Isaac Ct]

Brilliant report as usual LF, good mixture of fish.

Well done

[Rebel]

Top report. Super photos.

Good array of fish.

Nice holiday.

Well done.

[wazatherfisherman]

Great report Mike, enough fish to keep you interested and your 'eye in'.

They reckon that tackle shop is the largest in the world (certainly Australia's largest)- first time I went in there I swear I heard Angels dropping from the ceiling playing harps. Promised Derek if I win lotto I'm going to take him in there for a full day shopping- you need a full day to check everything out, it really is mind blowing for lovers of fishing/tackle

[dirvin21]

Sounds like a good trip Mike, can't beat some family time and few few fish

[Jiggy]

Arrgh that damn tackle store. Last time I was up that way I popped in for what should have been 10 minutes. Walked out more than an hour later with shiny stuff I wanted, but didn't need. Probably do the same next time I'm up that way too.

Cheers

Rob

[bessell1955]

What a great read.

[Pickles]

Great report Mike, some really good fish there and a wide variety- thanks for sharing.

[mrsswordfisherman]

7 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

My family intelligently time-boxed me to two twenty minute sessions! I had to mind-map the entire store for  my second visit for maximum efficiency 🤣

I have so much to say about your report. Best report I have read for sometime @Little_Flatty 

The quote above made me really “laugh out loud” in hysterics. 
Mind mapping the store 😂😂 I understand this activity. Second visit you can rush to hit the items you want 😂 and be out of the store quick as a thief! 
By the way I know that shop well and used to wonder why we stopped nearby.
 

Great read Mike and thanks 👏

[Little_Flatty]

8 hours ago, Blackfish said:

Bahaaaaaa.

Many years ago my wife and I used to drive up the coast (Before kids) and camp in National parks. Gee we found some great spots with good fishing. One time it was just after lot of rain and the small creek that I fished had just closed back up and the Flathead were all stacked up in a small area before going back up into the Lake. Lost count of the Flathead I caught on lures, all released. This came to an abrupt after I got careless and a fish drove the treble into my finger. We were a fair way from anywhere, so a bit of camp surgery and got it out. Bahhhaaa. 

Not long after that I started to crush all my barbs down on my lures, which I still do today.

The adventures we used to have before kids!

I've thought about the barbless thing too.

8 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Great report Mike. It’s always nice to get away and fish new waters. Helps you resharpen your senses reading the water/structure. 
Those McGrath Attack lures were legendary back in their day. I still have a few in their original packaging tucked away and you’re 100% correct, sometimes everything old is new again and to fish they’ll outperform modern day presentations.

Let's see how it goes. The Attack lures were quite a bit cheaper than I expected, I almost feel like there hasn't been a price rise in 20 years!

8 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Brilliant report as usual LF, good mixture of fish.

Well done

Thanks Isaac, seems like your holidays are a lot more full of fish. I must get down there one day!

6 hours ago, Rebel said:

Top report. Super photos.

Good array of fish.

Nice holiday.

Well done.

Thanks Rebel. The variety did keep me interested!

6 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Great report Mike, enough fish to keep you interested and your 'eye in'.

They reckon that tackle shop is the largest in the world (certainly Australia's largest)- first time I went in there I swear I heard Angels dropping from the ceiling playing harps. Promised Derek if I win lotto I'm going to take him in there for a full day shopping- you need a full day to check everything out, it really is mind blowing for lovers of fishing/tackle

Biggest in the world eh? Certainly the largest I have ever seen. I am old enough to have memories of the (now defunct) shop at Harbord and that was big in my kid eyes.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that lotto-winning shopping spree! I suspect you'd need to include lunch down the road as part of the day 🤣 There were some Primal RAW fly rods that I had my eye on, but I couldn't waste any more of my time there if I haven't caught a fish on fly yet  

6 hours ago, dirvin21 said:

Sounds like a good trip Mike, can't beat some family time and few few fish

Certainly was Dave, you sure live in an awesome part of the world. My wife and I were both commenting how we had condemned ourselves to capital-city-based work through our career choices. If you are in the medical (like yourself) or educational fields, or in a trade, you can pack up and move almost anywhere as your skills are guaranteed to be needed there! That's one dimension to career selection that I will be providing to the girls. Something I never thought about when I was young!

8 hours ago, Hoods said:

Thanks for the report. If you go into That tackle shop without a plan it will cost you a whole day!!

At least you had the best of the weather.

I am kind of glad that I got pulled out of there early. I could have ended up in emergency with severe hip pocket bruising! 🤣

5 hours ago, Jiggy said:

Arrgh that damn tackle store. Last time I was up that way I popped in for what should have been 10 minutes. Walked out more than an hour later with shiny stuff I wanted, but didn't need. Probably do the same next time I'm up that way too.

Cheers

Rob

Yep, time certainly goes fast there Rob! Thankfully I have enough shiny things for now, but I can never have enough lures and jigheads!

5 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

What a great read.

Thanks Bessell, I didn't realise how much I had written! I need to go on holidays more often 😎

5 hours ago, Pickles said:

Great report Mike, some really good fish there and a wide variety- thanks for sharing.

Thanks Bob, Been enjoying your Bass reports of late. Been braining them! I did buy myself some soft plastic frogs to have a go in my local waters this summer.

1 hour ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

I have so much to say about your report. Best report I have read for sometime @Little_Flatty 

The quote above made me really “laugh out loud” in hysterics. 
Mind mapping the store 😂😂 I understand this activity. Second visit you can rush to hit the items you want 😂 and be out of the store quick as a thief! 
By the way I know that shop well and used to wonder why we stopped nearby.
 

Great read Mike and thanks 👏

Thanks Donna. Out the door as quick as a thief is an apt description, but the problem is the feeling you get after you realised you missed something on your shopping list! 🤣

[FishingFables]

Congrats on such a mixed bag and in particular catching a mulloway on a lure!

[Bluebenbomb]

Well done @Little_Flatty. Hope you enjoyed the break up there. Look forward to seeing a report with the new lure!

[jenno64]

Great post Little Flatty!

you tell a good story and we all know how hard it is to get some serious fishing in on a family road trip! Nice captures too!

[Bennyg78]

 Nice sessions and report, I saw a recent video of guys catching heaps of flatties near Karuah boat ramp.