dlvbw Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Hey Raiders, Spent the weekend down at the lovely seaside town of Cuddmirrah just south of Jervis Bay. Plan was to target some big flatties with the family on St George's Basin. Prior to the trip we did the research including reading every report available and catching up on some good podcasts from Greg Reid and David Johnstone (local legends). We stocked up on the recommended plastics, hard bodies and soft vibes (at the local tackle store) and headed out for 3 long sessions over 4 days. Unfortunately after dragging and casting lures for many many hours we only ended up with a handful of decent fish with the biggest going 54cm. Interestingly not a lot of by-catch either which I found surprising given everything I had read (a few tiny tailor and minuscule snapper). We fished the edges and the depths, the dropoffs and the weed beds, morning and night per expert advice. Just wasn't to be on. On the plus side it is clearly a wonderful place to visit and fish. A beautiful part of the country. We will be back, but might try and coincide with the breeding seasons to try and create a little more action. This trip will go into the learning box for now...... Cheers D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Better luck next time mate ! I visited cuddmirrah over the Australia day long weekend this year. Beautiful place ! We fished the mouth of sussex inlet for some nice bream, whiting and trevally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 (edited) I just think its a tougher time of the year to fish inclosed waters/estuary Water temp is probably 3 to 5 degrees colder than optimum temp for prime activity. They would be there just way harder to catch right now imo. Edited June 9, 2020 by kingie chaser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Hornet Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 The Basin can be tricky in winter. If you really want flathead, find the bait in the deeper sections, fish smaller lures and fish them sloooow. Winter is the time to be chasing bream in there and luckily it produces both yellowfin and blacks. It generally fishes a lot better for flatties through the warmer months with higher water temps, starting around mid to late October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlvbw Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 Cheers guys! I knew it was going to be harder in winter but you always start with high expectations (possibly need to lower these but I was frothing pretty hard). Water temp 13-14 degrees. Great bit of water so we will be back for sure! We performed our first "at sea" rescue helping some kids in a tinny get home after their motor had broken down. Surely that is worth some fishing credit! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Signing Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Winter flathead fishing in rivers and the like can be really frustrating. Live poddies have always proven the difference for me when the water is cold as it is now. As others have said working your lures really slowly can help. Almost not working your soft plastics at all and rather just winding them slowly along the bottom can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlvbw Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 Yeah, I got a couple of really nice flatties in the Hawkesbury two weeks ago. Live yakkas did the damage. Happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 This time of year go deep & go slow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campr Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 The trick for me at StG B is to use your sounder to find the bait schools and fish around them with live baits. I have caught about 7 over 4kg using this method with the biggest 5.6 kg and 97cm. All released of corse. Ron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlvbw Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 Cheers Ron. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelm Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 A bit late in on this, my son fished the Basin on Saturday, got plenty of Flathead, including a 92cm model, and a lot of big Bream and a .....59cm Whiting! (everything released) he put some pictures on Facebook of the 92 Flatty I think. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 12 minutes ago, noelm said: A bit late in on this, my son fished the Basin on Saturday, got plenty of Flathead, including a 92cm model, and a lot of big Bream and a .....59cm Whiting! (everything released) he put some pictures on Facebook of the 92 Flatty I think. Wow, a 92cm flatty, would love to see that. What was he getting the flatty's on Noel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Hornet Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 49 minutes ago, noelm said: A bit late in on this, my son fished the Basin on Saturday, got plenty of Flathead, including a 92cm model, and a lot of big Bream and a .....59cm Whiting! (everything released) he put some pictures on Facebook of the 92 Flatty I think. I saw that pic of the flatty. Didn't realise it was your son, but a really nice fish. Just shows the fish are still there, you just have to work harder for them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the skipper Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Mate I have an onsite van at Cudmirrah for nearly 20 years and have fished alot in the basin for always getting a feed of lizards . I was down there over the long weekend and fished all around it for not one take. Water temp was down to 13 degrees a pretty dramatic drop and this will push them deeper. Plenty of bream around as is always the case down there. I sometimes prefer to fish the beach at Cudmirrah just north of where Swan Lake comes out there are several gutters that are good fun on some decent size salmon at times to 80cms. It is a great family location as you have got the beaches , inlet , the quays and the basin plenty to choose from. My PB flathead out of the basin is 82cms so far but there are much bigger around and you can sometime even see them lazing in the shallows but will not take a lureor bait. Anyway that is fishing ! Cheers The Skipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelm Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 9 hours ago, kingie chaser said: Wow, a 92cm flatty, would love to see that. What was he getting the flatty's on Noel? Not too sure, I will ask him, I didn't go, had other "stuff" to do, he got a 97 earlier on in the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelm Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 8 hours ago, Green Hornet said: I saw that pic of the flatty. Didn't realise it was your son, but a really nice fish. Just shows the fish are still there, you just have to work harder for them. My son was taking the movie, the guy releasing the fish was his mate "foggs" they fish there regularly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelm Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 On 6/16/2020 at 7:43 AM, kingie chaser said: Wow, a 92cm flatty, would love to see that. What was he getting the flatty's on Noel? I forgot to post 4lb line and Blade lure, I think he said a VX40 Blade. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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