Tight Lines And Warm Woollies

By Dan Trotter on July 22, 2015 in Other

With crisp mornings, cold currents and less than 10 hours of daylight each day, it can be tough to keep a proactive attitude towards fishing and long days doing what we avid anglers like doing best.

However, July can provide some really exciting fishing expeditions if you think a little outside of the box and are prepared to put in thoughtful planning around your outings.

Making sure everything is rigged and at the ready beforehand is as important as ever, as is fresh bait, tide times and a plan. During winter when many species of fish become less active in response to slower metabolisms resulting from the colder climate, you can try to identify the time of the month when they are likely to be at their most predatory by investigating the moon phase.

The lead-up to the full moon has always been my pick of days; working from five or six days out right up to the day of the full moon is optimum. During these days of the moon phase, many fishermen argue (myself included) that most winter target species are far more active.

Winter species around Sydney include bream, flathead, tailor, Australian salmon, yellowtail kingfish, snapper, yellowfin and bluefin tuna. Of course other species can also be targeted with great success such as whiting off the beaches, gemfish in the deep dark waters of the continental shelf, luderick and drummer off the rocks and John Dory in the deeper bays and structures of our harbour.

It is also worth considering packing your winter woollies, waders and trout gear and heading west for the freshwater impoundments to spin or fly-fish for salmanoids. The closest reliable, publicly accessible dam or impoundment is Thompson’s Creek Dam, which is located north-west of Katoomba and only 20 minutes drive from Lithgow. This water storage is home to some very impressive rainbow and brown trout and has proven itself as a great destination year after year. There are some restrictions around the style of fishing and access, so be sure to do your research before heading out. It gets properly cold out there at this time of year, so be prepared for the conditions and pick a decent weather window.

July is also a great time of year to jump on a plane and get the hell out of here, making one of the tropical north fishing hotspots your chosen destination. Hinchinbrook Channel, Cape York, the Northern Territory and north-west WA are all great locations to find warmer weather and great fishing. So if the winter blues are getting you down and a week doing what you love best sounds like the best medicine, pick a target species, a target destination and find a guide worth his salt and jump on that bandwagon.

As for the rest of us, there’s plenty of action locally to keep you fishing focused, well fed and eager, as long you can muster the willpower to get out on the water when the dawns are chilly and the daylight hours before and after work are brief.
Tight lines and warm woollies to you all!