Currarong beach/Jervis Bay Rocks

[willpethh]

Hey all!

Heading down to stay at Currarong beach for a week in late Jan/early Feb and would love to see people’s experience with fishing the beach there, along with any help with rock fishing on the Beecroft Peninsula.

I’ve been wanting to catch bonito for a while but have never really attempted it, and I’ve done a fair bit of research about the outer tubes and it seems like the place for it.

I wouldn’t call myself a seasoned rock fisherman but I’ve done my fair deal of rock fishing to know what I’m doing, but would love to just hear general information about fishing there especially for bonito (open to other species however!)

As for Currarong beach, would just be looking for advice for general beach fishing as I’m not after anything specific there.

I’d be fishing with my 11ft 10-20kg sea bass rod along with a 5000 spin reel

[AlbertW]

For me personally halco twisties work great, the little 5 grams work a treat but they'll eat the bigger 30g models

[wazatherfisherman]

Hi Willpethh The tubes area is often absolutely packed with LB Game fishers at this time of year, many even stay there overnight to secure a spot. Add to this there are usually heaps of corks/balloons in the water with various live baits underneath them and it doesn't provide a healthy area to throw lures around until game season is over in a few months time. Another thing to consider is the area is often off-limits due to the Navy's bombing range being in use.

Currently, Mermaids Inlet on the northern side of Beecroft Peninsula is also closed due to safety concerns, which is a shame because it's larger area and usually far less fishers would have been a good alternative- especially for Bonito.

The beach at Currarong is a good fishing beach, with Whiting, Bream, Dart, Tailor, Salmon etc available. We've done well there a few times when rock fishing the Peninsula wasn't possible (due to the Tubes area closed and Mermaid's dangerous from the swell) and caught good mixed bags using live beach worms, which can be caught along the beach. NOTE no worming is allowed north of the small rock platform area known as Hammerhead- check NSW Fisheries for local closures.

Some big mud crabs would be active in Currarong Creek also but beware the mozzie's, they are thick and aggressive!

[Green Hornet]

Great information provided by @wazatherfisherman. If Mermaids is still closed when you’re down here, try anywhere between Wreck Point and Lobster Bay/Island for bonito. If the swell is down you can also give Little Beecroft, on the south side of Lobster, a go as well.

Another spot I’ve regularly caught bonito and kings is Penguin Head at Culburra. Park at the surf club and walk out to the end of the flat rock and fish the south side. Fishes best early or late in the day, coinciding with a lowish tide and is protected from the prevailing NE wind which is a bonus.

Small metals work and will also help you bag mack tuna and frigates, but if it’s bonito you want with a king or two thrown in you can’t go wrong with a 150-200mm shallow running minnow like something from the Rapala range or my personal favorite, a Nilsmaster Invincible.

While you’re down, take a walk out to The Tubes one day for a look. It’s prime time marlin season for the land based boys and interesting just to see how they go about it. As Waza says, the place will be packed to the gills and not worth throwing a line.

[noelm]

Literally dozens of options around that area, Bream are easy to catch around the boat ramp area, Whiting on the beaches and just wander around looking for deep ish water to spin/bait fish for Bonito, not too sure how many are around at the moment, but there’s nearly always “something” willing to take a lure there.