The past week brought a soaking that drenched the Mid North Coast, but for us anglers, a sprinkle or two is part of the deal, and good for the waterways in the long run, some extended sunshine would be a welcome catch.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The forecast for the remainder of May continues to be a wet one.
The Hastings River has seen a fair amount of rain this past week, stirring up the estuary and causing the water to turn brown.
This temporary lack of clarity will shift most fishing action towards the lower reaches of the river, closer to the mouth, until things clear up.
The good news is that the bream fishing has been fantastic and is expected to stay strong for weeks to come.
Before the rainfall, anglers were having great success with soft vibe lures during the day.
Bait anglers have also been doing well, with mullet strips producing solid catches both day and night.
Like bream, flathead fishing in the lower Hastings has been excellent.
Lure anglers of all preferences have enjoyed success, while bait anglers have done well with whitebait and prawns.
The recent freshwater influx might not trigger a surge in mulloway activity, but some big fish (over 20 kilograms) have been caught around the coal wharf.
The rock fishing scene remains dominated by tailor, with some fantastic catches reported from most local ledges.
This hot streak extends to both Port Macquarie itself and surrounding areas like Plomer and further north.
For these impressive catches, garfish and large lures have proven to be the most effective baits.
While not quite as abundant as the tailor, drummer numbers are showing signs of improvement.
On the beaches, bream numbers also remain solid on most beaches. Evening sessions have been producing the better class of fish on either pilchards or slab baits.
North Beach and Lighthouse have also held some solid bream and the odd whiting, with worms and pipis seeing good results.
Venturing offshore offers a mixed bag of potential catches.
For those willing to explore a bit south, inshore reefs around the Lighthouse and nearby areas have seen occasional appearances of cobia, spanish mackerel, and even the odd tuna.
Closer to shore, trolling enthusiasts can target plentiful bonito and tailor.
The bottom fishing scene hasn't disappointed either, with some lucky anglers reeling in nice snapper and pearl perch.
Further south this week, Diamond Head ledges have seen a few nice catches of tailor, with some fish reaching up to two and a half kilograms.
For those looking for variety, most headlands offer the chance to catch bream and luderick, though the numbers may vary depending on the specific location.
On the beaches school mulloway have been active, with Dunbogan and around Lake Cathie worth a look.
Now the mullet have begun to travel and tailor numbers consistent, look for increased activity from the better models.
Lake Cathie is well and truly open, hopefully in a couple of weeks the water clears up and we see a late season of luderick fishing.
Offshore anglers, snapper reports have been promising this past week, with some terrific fish up to five kilos being caught.
Baits have been the more productive method lately, but lures are expected to become more effective as winter approaches.
In addition to snapper, there have been reports of some terrific pearl perch and even a few decent kingfish from the deeper reefs.
The Macleay River is showing promise for luderick enthusiasts! Numbers have picked up over the last week, with some nice catches reported from the break walls and other spots in the lower reaches.
If you can find some green weed, it's a great bait option, but weed flies and cabbage have also been proving successful.
The good news continues for bream fishermen, as consistent catches are coming from both the break walls and Back Creek.
Evening sessions seem to be the most productive for larger bream. Mullet strips are a top bait choice, but simply using mullet itself has also been effective.
