Away the last two weekends, hunting west of the Great Divide. And lemme tell you, it wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops:
Missed a lotta hot fishing! But luckily friends and clients were out on the water in big numbers, taking advantage of the great weather offshore over Easter. Simon Fleming at Broughton Island, north of Port Stephens on Easter Monday:
That is one helluva red! Jez Jones fished South West Rocks. First they turned up on the sounder:
Then they turned up on the hooks. How’s the big fellow on the right? Thanks, Jez:
Downrigger fan Tyla Fear scored this whopper:
Thanks Tyla! What a beast. Yep, I reckon downriggers are even more deadly on mackerel than they are on kingfish. But sad to stay we don’t make them in Australia any more because when we did they cost us $2000+ each. But we are still 100% Australian owned. James Braund downrigging mackerel too:
Excellent! Sounds like I'm big noting myself but they are so deadly on macks. Remember being at the Grassy Head grounds on a glassed out Saturday morning with maybe 20+ boats there. Everybody fishing pillies into a burley trail for spotties, or slow trolling slimeys for Spaniards and - getting nothing. I whacked a garfish on a Head Start and set it at ten metres off the downrigger. Two mackerel in ten minutes! true story. Glad it's working for you, Andy
Craig Marsay Finding some cracker Spaniards at Nambucca Heads:
Last but not least from the Easter mackerel bonanza, here’s Alex Swift fishing north of South West Rocks. The spotties are such a good size this year:
What a great start to the NSW mackerel season! And in some years, it lasts almost through to the June long weekend. If you’re within trailering distance, get to SWR or Coffs Harbour or Wooli and get into them before they head back north. But you know what? The biggest local fishing news from Sydney over Easter was the run of striped marlin – with two perfect weather days to get out after them. Check these two amazing pics and big thanks to Isaac Caruana. A lit up marlin about to be tagged:
And a fired up marlin coming in to the lure spread:
Zac and Pat on their FIRST EVER ATTEMPT at marlin fishing went 3-3-3 off Broken Bay. Out of Pat’s BarCrusher:
To add to all the fishing goodness, mahi were on fire. Josh Nicks went out from the Central Coast. So good, the way mahi grow so fast! These were probably 60s or under back in February:
Martin had a ball around the trap floats and FADs using our poppers. At $50 for four - including delivery - you’d be mad not to have a few on your next trip to the FADs:
Oscar Moore with a monster mahi from way offshore. DO NOT MISS THIS:
Hope you’ve enjoyed this update and that it’s fired you up for the coming weekend. Please send me a pic or report on how you go and good luck
Andrew Hestelow