The entrance

[Aussie_fisher]

Hi guys, went to the entrance yesterday for a trip. Arrived at around 12pm, left at 9pm. Unfortunately the 9 hours I stayed weren't very productive. Made some friends with a few fishos there and got some pretty valuable information out of them. At the entrance the only time which will actually ever be productive is 2 hours before high tide until the high tide will peak. After that the slack water without any run in the tide is useless. However, the high tides that day were at 8am and 11pm. Which meant either I would have to fish from 6-8am, or night fish from 9pm-11pm. Neither of them were plausible options as I live 1hr 45 mins from central coast, and also can't drive as I'm too young so my dad had to drive me. And he was definitely not gonna agree to driving me at 1am and 4am. I did know the incoming tide is best, but as the times of the incoming tide weren't suiting me yesterday, I decided to go on the outgoing tide as for most places its usually also not a bad time. However the fisho I chatted to in the morning said though the outgoing tide is still better than slack water, its still pretty useless in most cases at the Entrance. In some places the outgoing tide is very productive, but the entrance unfortunately isn't one of them. And he was right. I fished during the outgoing tide and caught maybe 15 fish. But those 15 fish were all small bream or tarwhine all under 20cm. Some even being like 12cm. After that In the next few hours of slack water period caught absolutely nothing which was expected. I just was hoping the 2 hours of outgoing tide would fish well but apparently it's useless. The fisho I chatted to in the morning had shown me his catch. There were at least 20 either massive, or atleast legal sized fish in there. He had given me 2 giant whiting both reaching 40cm, 3 bream in the 26-28cm range and 1 37cm flathead. He told me he had fished on the incoming tide In the morning at 6, and told me its pointless to fish for the rest of the day and I might as well leave, and go back again at 9pm when the next high tide starts - unless I just wanted to catch tiny fish and keep throwing them back for the fun of it. I guess that's what I did. And 9pm when I started packing to go home I saw a few fishos coming in with night fishing gear and everything and the tide was starting to rise. I stayed 30 mins to watch what they were doing and had a chat to a few of them. They were pulling in whiting or decent sized bream every cast - and they told me exactly what the guy in the morning told me. You should come 2 hours before high tide or otherwise it's pointless. Unfortunately I hadn't come with proper prep for night fishing so I couldn't do it. The high tide which happens during day time  (like anytime between 6am - 4pm is usually very good for flathead, bream and sometimes whiting while the high tide in the night ( between 7pm-4am) is especially good for whiting as it brings them in through the channel. Next time will try and come on a day where the high tide is at a more suitable time for me like 1pm or something. Sorry for the long report. If you've had a similar or different experience with the tides there please let me know. Have a nice day and cheers.

[Rebel]

Top report. Fishing is about learning.

Well done

[slothparade]

Good report. With the tides guessing on the high the fish come in and on the low they leave. Fished all over that lake, pretty rubbish, though there are some spots on the other side, that can be reasonably productive on the bream, cast up against the rocks and snags. Use the lightest jig head possible. Wouldn't stay after dark though. Mullet worked well for me around there.

Good job though, at least you got something, most usually don't get much around there. 

[Koalaboi]

Hi,

I have been fishing The Entrance since I moved here in 1988. I am not sure that my experience tallies with what you have been told about the tides.

The runout is a great tide to fish especially for flathead and blackfish.

The run in is good too. I tend to think that as long as the water is moving (either flooding or ebbing), you can find a place where fish will congregate to take advantage of any feed that comes their way. For example prawns move on the runout so there will be plenty of fish waiting for the prawns to drift by.

Keep at it and fish all tides until you work things out. The time of the year, the wind, water temperature, how much rain has been around lately, the ocean swell (size and direction), sunny or cloudy etc are all factors which play a part in fishing The Entrance...it's not that simple as just fishing the top of the tide. After a while you will work out what fish to fish for (and where) under any combination of the criteria I just mentioned.

And then there's the baits you use! (live poddies, prawns and worms are the go and fresh weed or cabbage if targeting luderick).

Keep at it with an open mind but think about what you are doing and you'll work it out.

KB

[BaitDropper]

Great report AF,

     As you worked out, knowledge is a big percentage of success.

You've confirmed to your self, when the best productives times are to Catch.

Hey, this is what fishing is all about, I'm still learning after some 40 odd years...

Good luck with your future sessions..

Edited January 22, 2023 by BaitDropper

[Aussie_fisher]

@KoalaboiYes, of course tide is only a small percentage of what determines the feeding behaviour of the fish that day. Yesterday was a pretty good day though in terms that it wasn't too hot nor cold, not too windy, decently sunny but not too much and also it was summer. But I guess it really depends on the day and spots as well. Maybe that day the run out tide didn't produce that much because it wasn't just me, but the fishos fishing around me weren't catching anything other than small bream either. However I'm pretty sure it wasn't the day that was bad as both the times when the tide was rising the channel was producing well. I'm not experienced though and still learning of course. Still have a very long way to go before becoming a pro fisho. Probably there are certain spots where you should fish at low tide which produce well - maybe right at the mouth of the channel but I was fishing the drop offs a bit further up. Never targeted blackfish before but hoping to try sometime soon 😃 cheers

[jenno64]

Knowledge certainly is the key, whether it's local knowledge, your own developed knowledge and experience or better still a combination of both. I have a variety of spots that fish well or poorly on different tides or stages of the tide and sometimes conditions look perfect but the fish simply don't want to play....that's what brings you back and makes the next good session even better!

[fredflathead]

You had a good time better than computer games. I was told by a fisho at The Entrance with this piece of information Flathead high to low Whiting Low to high also I wade across the flats and fish the ribbon weed and drop off for Flathead. I use lures for whiting and flathead a Sugar Pen I have found to good; I stay in the caravan park for about 2 weeks so I can go anytime I like as I am retired, it is great that you got help from other fishos. 

[JustJames]

23 hours ago, Aussie_fisher said:

Unfortunately the 9 hours I stayed weren't very productive

It's a known fact that fish feed twice a day.

 

The first time is just before you arrive.

 

The second is just after you leave.

[bessell1955]

Great to see that you received some very good advice!

[blaxland]

Mate good point maximizing your chance. Ive been on a charter with one of the best for less than desired result. Most likely because we fished business hours in the hardest of times. Still took a wealth of knowledge with me after the guidance.