King chaser Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Hi all, I have recently picked up fishing after a good few years off and am looking for some local advice about the reefs, fish seasons and they way to fish for certain fish I was allowed to get a 510 Ocean spirit this year. I have been fishing out of Terrigal and Brisbane waters mostly. When I head out of Terrigal I have been fishing Foggies, Tuggerah reef and Terrigal/Forries tank. When I head out of Brisbane waters I fish Box head for yakka and then head out to west reef. I have been fishing for Kingfish, Mulloway/Jew and Snapper at these spots. I usually use live yakka / whole pilchards on a running rig with a fluorocarbon leader and fish 3 – 10 meters off the bottom. I have also tried jigging at these spots for kings and only been hit once with a short run before it got away. I have tried spinning at these reefs but barracuda type fish seem to be a plague proportions at the minute. At this point I’ve only been able to get a few decent snapper from these spots usually on pilchards. I’ve been fishing marks I usually find on the net, I have been getting on the marks and sounding around to find nearby structure on the bottom or school fish nearby the marks and remarking the spots for myself. In saying that other than a few good reds I haven’t been able to bring home any decent fish. My goal is to learn how to get Kingfish, mulloway and snapper from my local spots. At the spots that I listed I have been told the bonito come on around December and to hold on till then but also been told by local fishing shops that the kings, mulloway and snapper should be at these marks mostly all year round. Can anyone give us some info on these reefs re what is typically caught there and at what times of the year. Does anyone have any tips, tricks for fishing for these fish or spots to recommend for this young central coast local! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 (edited) Time on the water with a good sounder is the best advice I could give anyone. If you see fish and can't catch them drop down in line class untill you do. The species you mention can pretty much turn up in shallow water to way offshore, those who seem to be in the right place at the right time often simply put in more time out there. The days of catching good fish on bait in hevely fished areas is getting tough because fish soon wise up to some styles of fishing. Don't be afraid to pop a soft plastic over the side even if the rod just sits in the holder using the boat rocking action to twitch the lure. Pretty much all my better snapper fall to plastics these days and it's way more fun than big snapper leads and baited hooks catching rock cod and bakers etc. Anywher you get good schools of bait it's worth targeting kings. We often swim with big bait balls and just wait for kings to turn up rather than move on somewhere else. I know talk of spearing is a taboo subject but we've learnt far more about kings since my daughter took up spearing than years of rod and line fishing for them. Kings will often be there in huge schools swimming with the bait without showing any interest in feeding. Jews I've caught offshore have mostly been on wrecks and take to same offerings as snapper. Edited October 4, 2017 by JonD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King chaser Posted October 4, 2017 Author Share Posted October 4, 2017 8 hours ago, JonD said: Time on the water with a good sounder is the best advice I could give anyone. Thanks JonD, I’m slowly finding preferred spots on the reefs with the help from the sounder! The old man fished strictly anchored on his marks and didn’t move all day bashing the bottom with cubes of pillies. I found certainly one side of the reef may not be as good as the next side the very next day! 8 hours ago, JonD said: Jews I've caught offshore have mostly been on wrecks and take to same offerings as snapper. 8 hours ago, JonD said: Anywher you get good schools of bait it's worth targeting kings. We often swim with big bait balls and just wait for kings to turn up rather than move on somewhere else. I’ll certainly take your advice and find the school fish on the reef and drift on top of them. I’ve got a Lowrance ti-5 in the boat (Dont know how to interpret it all yet) and it marks a few wrecks so I’ll give them a shot for a Jew! thanks again for your help Jon I’ll keep at it and see how I go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest123456789 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) Fishing off Terrigal is like being in prison. You better find a gang to fall in with - we are all competing for an increasingly scarce resource. Tonnes of seafood is caught each week and transported to market or raffled off at local beer drinking venues. Edited October 5, 2017 by Guest123456789 Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 3 hours ago, flatheadluke said: Fishing off Terrigal is like being in prison. You better find a gang to fall in with - we are all competing for an increasingly scarce resource. Tonnes of seafood is caught each week and transported to market or raffled off at local beer drinking venues. Love your explanation think the same goes for most places these days unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 jon the local reefs get a caning from the numerous pros trapping from norah head terrigal and broken bay...Swansea is like a desert now that's why I try to go to port stephens...rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King chaser Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 On 05/10/2017 at 1:17 PM, flatheadluke said: Fishing off Terrigal is like being in prison. You better find a gang to fall in with - we are all competing for an increasingly scarce resource. Tonnes of seafood is caught each week and transported to market or raffled off at local beer drinking venues. I have found some helpful locals at terrigal boat ramp, not sure how much of it is a bum steer though! But I spose no one is willing to give up their local honey holes! On 05/10/2017 at 5:08 PM, rickmarlin62 said: jon the local reefs get a caning from the numerous pros trapping from norah head terrigal and broken bay...Swansea is like a desert now that's why I try to go to port stephens...rick Yes Rick I can’t help but notice 4 or 5 fish traps around the reefs I originally listed. Not sure if it is a good indicator wether to fish around them or not??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubina Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 http://www.ozpolitic.com/fish/map-gps-marks-fishing/Gosford-Terrigal-N-New-South-Wales-map-gps-marks-fishing.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyT Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 Yep used to fish of the CC a lot, catch more and bigger off Sydney these days, to be honest the structure is not as good off the CC in general - no equivalent of Longie or the peak or even the 12, some of the wider reefs fish really well but are very current dependant- unfishable a lot of the tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Lips Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 King chaser, I just came across your post when looking for advice on exactly the same areas. Ive been fishing the same spots and techniques as you over the last year and have struggled to find any sort of consistency. I'm just not finding the grounds I'm used to further south. I'd be interested if you've had any more luck over the last two years and even if you'd like to team up and head out one weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King chaser Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 On 10/5/2019 at 7:20 PM, Squid Lips said: King chaser, I just came across your post when looking for advice on exactly the same areas. Ive been fishing the same spots and techniques as you over the last year and have struggled to find any sort of consistency. I'm just not finding the grounds I'm used to further south. I'd be interested if you've had any more luck over the last two years and even if you'd like to team up and head out one weekend? Hey squid! Since that post I’ve had some cracker days and days with a big duck egg. In no way have I figured things out yet but good days seems to start with sounding out the spot and finding a show on the sounder. It key to be fishing off the reefs and drop offs in the area whilst also finding some bait or schools of fish in the immediacy area. understanding the seasons and what fish are around is a big one too for example in summer the Pelagics smash up the area and if you don’t find them move around till you do find them. Also live bait is the key. Whilst in winter the structure and gravel bottoms near reefs and drop offs have found me good reds. That also speaks for the way you fish, ie live baits in winter in those areas are pointless in my opinion whilst in summer it’s a must. I have been trying to go to areas I haven’t been and just sound out the area for a bit, I have found two good honey holes this way. In summary a whole bunch of trial and mostly error is starting to pay off for me. The sounder is the key. Always keen to share info and team up!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Lips Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 King chaser, It sounds like I'm on the right track then. I recently upgraded my sounder for a Carbon with 3D structure scan and the last few trips I've been scouting fairly heavily. I'd have to agree with you on the live bait/winter situation,I had zero luck on live yakkas since last season out at the FAD's. I can always bag out on flatties as a fallback, but pulling them up from 40m just isn't as much fun as a red or king. I've been thinking of heading out wider to The Farm to target some kingfish but would love another boat out there for backup. Let me know if your interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King chaser Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 Hey squid! Works got me tied down for a couple of weeks but certainly keen to team up! Not sure which mark you refer to as ‘the farm’ perhaps I know the same spot as a different name? Perhaps pm the spot? Always keen to team up, not to long before the kings come back in hopefully we can get on them this summer!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Lips Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 King, My mistake, I was getting The Farm mixed up with Texas. The Farm is further north, about 25 km out from Catherine Hill Bay. Heading out to Texas this Saturday (weather permitting) to drop some jigs/livies down. Fingers crossed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrone07 Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Good intell the kings are holding on Texas in good numbers, majority on the smaller size around that 75cm mark with some bigger hoodlums including some undtoppables in the mix. Have a look on your Navionics there is a few good pinnacles south of Texas, that is definitely worth a look, when it gets crowded you need to find other spots 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King chaser Posted October 14, 2019 Author Share Posted October 14, 2019 38 minutes ago, Squid Lips said: . Heading out to Texas this Saturday (weather permitting) to drop some jigs/livies down. Fingers crossed Good luck squid let us know how you go! 9 minutes ago, tyrone07 said: Good intell the kings are holding on Texas in good numbers, majority on the smaller size around that 75cm mark with some bigger hoodlums including some undtoppables in the mix. Have a look on your Navionics there is a few good pinnacles south of Texas, that is definitely worth a look, when it gets crowded you need to find other spots Cheers for the intel Tyrone, if I’m heading wide I generally make a day of checking out those couple southern peaks before heading out to Texas, in summer checking out the nearby fad on the way! The hope is the fish will be at one of those three spot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Lips Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 12 hours ago, tyrone07 said: Good intell the kings are holding on Texas in good numbers, majority on the smaller size around that 75cm mark with some bigger hoodlums including some undtoppables in the mix. Have a look on your Navionics there is a few good pinnacles south of Texas, that is definitely worth a look, when it gets crowded you need to find other spots Cheers for the heads up mate. How far south are the other pinnacles? Any chance you could PM a mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrone07 Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 2 hours ago, Squid Lips said: Cheers for the heads up mate. How far south are the other pinnacles? Any chance you could PM a mark? Hey mate I don’t have any marks sorry just go off depths on Navionics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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