Seasons greetings from the South Coast

It's almost that time when it all happens on the coast. We southerners have been waiting for months now; I know as our freezer has been off where last year I was in it more times then you could poke a stick at. The expected tuna run hasn't really happened as yet although last weekend saw a few yellowfin tuna up to 20kg. The water has changed with the temperature slowly rising. It's been sitting between 19.8 and 23 degrees C so it's only a matter of time before we should see things start to heat up.

Besides the odd yellowfin there have been a few nice kingfish around. Fishing for kings can be somewhat hit and miss this time of year with the current either screaming south or doing nothing; as they say "no run no fun".
Over the past few weeks the run has been on and off but when it's on the fish have been on fire with some nice fish up to 20kg being taken from around the Banks. Besides kingfish there have been some nice reds around with fish to 6kg caught. The best sessions have come from where there's been a knot or two of current. At the moment off the cliffs a dead whale laying up against the rocks is producing a slick that a seasoned shark fisherman would drool over.
There have been some nice reds taken near the whale carcass but believe me the stink is something that stains the inner lining of your nose for about a month so! Also off the stones at the moment there are some nice drummer and blackfish moving and a few nice kingfish around.

The river has provided some nice flathead and XL blackfish. There has been some really awesome rack fishing at the moment for the breamers with surface fishing only just starting to come into play as the water has been too cold of late.

The bass and EPs have been on fire with fishos travelling up for afternoon sessions releasing over 20 in an afternoon - they're not trophy fish but fun all the same.

The Basin what can we say - a few people have been travelling down there lately for their "freezer fill", which for me is really just an insult on what this area is all about. Ninety per cent of the people are releasing 90 per cent of their catch but there are always a few that take more than their fair share. I'm not against anyone taking a feed whatsoever but staying for a few weeks and taking home your bag limit of two or three species is not right. The professionals were taken out of there so we as recreational fiishos should enjoy it as well as look after the place for the future!
The Basin is still fishing ok as you'll see by the awesome flathead in pic below. The bream however have been a bit on the quite side, but the whiting have been on fire with poppers accounting for some big fish. Clear poppers have been best with the Rebels and Bushy's poppers working a treat.

Well that about wraps it up for now I wish you a safe and happy Christmas with heaps of fishing time over your break.

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