Excellent Action For Salty Hearted Anglers

By Dan Trotter on August 26, 2014 in Other

Waking in the early morning, hours before the sun even thinks of sending its life-giving rays our way, my mind always races ahead to the fish and fishing that lie in wait along the coming day’s path.

August fishing always feels like the turning point for Sydney’s winter. The torpedo-shaped majestic tuna have turned up out wide, the yellowtail kings have made their presence felt in the dark hue of the deep waters and hard reef structures they call home at this time of year, and seasonally switched on snapper have been gorging themselves on sweet, tasty cuttlefish under the cover of darkness, leaving only hints of the night’s foraging for the dawn patrolling angler to consider.

Despite the cold mornings and short afternoons, fishing on winter days when the sea and weather are calm can produce some excellent action for salty hearted anglers. Catching fresh bait is often the best way to start a winter’s outing. Check the Eastern Suburbs’ public wharves for yellowtail scad and slimy mackerel. Using a fine berley, light line, a small hook and a bait offering should do the trick, or you can cast small squid jigs over the boulder-filled kelp country close to the harbour’s main entrance for a chance at some top-shelf tucker or fresh bait. You can keep your baits or dinner alive all day long with the help of a large volume saltwater pump.

My experience of winter fishing has shown that either pre-dawn or afternoons into evenings are best, so spend time on preparation, pick a day when the tides coincide and a gentle breeze blows, and be sure to wear warm clothes.

On the beaches close to home, winter whiting and ocean bream will be back in the corner gutters, but be sure to consider other beach users before getting down there with a worm-baited hook, a length of red tubing and surf casting outfit. Fish light lines, longshank hooks and as little sinker weight as possible, and select beach worms or pipis as your bait. Also active during the change of tide and light will be the salmon and tailor, which are often seen in large schools shadowing the backs of the waves. Try casting metal lures or lightly weighted whole pilchards in wash zones and gutters to connect with these classic Aussie sports fish. As always, if venturing onto the ocean rocks, never fish alone and never turn your back on the sea.

Back inside our magnificent harbour, all the usual suspects can still be encountered. Local knowledge reigns supreme at this time of year, so be prepared for some challenging outings and learn from your experience. To increase your chances of taking home a feed, use a tasty berley from an anchored boat to work wonders on a slow session. Identify and anchor up on a substantial structure on the edge of the tidal flow’s main influence, keep a consistent berley going, use lightly weighted floater or running sinker rigs for your cut baits, pin a live bait two-thirds of the way to the bottom and one on the surface, and you’re away for a relaxed afternoon with all estuary bases covered.

Wherever you go fishing, be mindful to never take home more than you can eat fresh, handle the fish you plan to release with care, and most of all, have fun.