Tuncurry is a great place

[Killer]

Arrived at Tuncurry for our annual 2 week stay in late October and the weather was hot and glorious.  A couple of days later, it turned windy and hotter and then the fires kicked in, a little bit to the south. 

I have been fishing Forster/Tuncurry for many years and some time back, opted to get a sleek fishing kayak.  It performed very well but the paddles hindered me significantly in the oyster racks, where we get most of our good fish. Bit the bullet a few years back and bought a Hobie Outback, which is ideally suited for fishing, being beamy, stable and with the rudder and peddle propulsion, leaves hands free to cast and fish. 

My friend Mark and I headed off for a few hours morning sessions on most days and caught heaps of flathead and bream on hard body and soft plastic lures.  The water was very clear this year, as the rains hadn’t been seen in a long time.  Didn’t seem to affect the fishing though and I landed and released well over 100 fish in the 2 weeks we were there.  Got two personal best flathead from the kayak, this year and they proved to be great sport and a real challenge to fit into the net and onto the kayak.  The first big girl was hooked as I trolled a soft plastic along one of the channels, on my way to a good spot further up the river. The water was gin clear and the bottom was sandy.  I thought the lure had snagged on something as the drag just clicked over as the kayak slowed in the tidal run. I turned around to wind the line in and free the lure if I could, but the line started to peel off faster and faster, towing me out into the centre of the channel and then back towards the oyster racks. After about 5 minutes, a big sandy coloured lizard came alongside.  With her head all the way into the net, more than half her length was still out. A few moments of anxiety as she flipped out of the net three times, before I managed to get her in and over the side.  Paddled ashore, snapped a photo and measured her before releasing her back where she came from. Length 85cm and 4.5kg. 

The fires were really close and surrounding the caravan park now, with one blaze started by flying embers, 300m across the bay and another right behind the cabins. With the strong winds, big clumps of glowing embers raced across the bay, setting off grass fires and racing north. The road was cut and one house burnt down only 2klms up the road. Also raced across the road just south of Forster, closing off the roads in both directions. The small caravan park a klm or so away was evacuated, but we were lucky.

What was left to do, but go out the next day and fish again. This time we went up to the shallows of the Wallamba River and it wasn’t long before I hooked “the bottom” again.  This fish towed me around in big circles for quarter of an hour, in less than 2m of water until she came alongside. Only took two attempts to get her into the net and by that time the rest of the gang had paddled over to see what I had caught. Big, dark flathead, coming in from over the mudflats and weighing in at just over 6kg, with a length of 93cm. She was really fat and presumably full of roe, so after a quick photo, she went back in and cruised away strongly into the murky water. 

Ended up the holiday, keeping about a dozen fish. Snapped my anchor pole in the fast current on the last day and lost a bunch of S.P’s to good fish and oyster snags.  Booked for 2020 and already looking forward to it.

[Welster]

What a top place to spend a couple of weeks.  Luckily the fires didn't wreck you holiday. 

[Blackfish]

Great write up Killer and some cracking fish there to.

Also  glad the fires didn’t wreck your holidays.

[seasponge]

Great report, great pics, great time!

[sydney south]

Great post.

Yes a great spot and a great spot to fish.

It is such a great spot, that I now have a house up in Tuncurry that we stay at and holiday rent with the aim at living there full time in the future. 

 

[Rebel]

Great adventure and great photos.

[mrsswordfisherman]

Very nice report @Killer