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Hard to imagine better, everything is firing.
  |  First Published: March 2011



The Northern Beaches area is really on fire at the moment for all kinds of fish in all spots – from the beautiful Narrabeen Lake to the deep sea out wide of Barrenjoey.

It’s hard to believe the fishing could get better than this.

Pittwater, Broken Bay and close reefs are firing with large kings, reds and plenty of mixed fish such as morwong, leatherjacket, squire, tailor, and the like.

For some really good fishing – and great fun – try East Reef, Reggies and Trawley reefs for all these species. There have been good-sized kingfish and snapper as well as excellent consistent bags of mixed fish.

Further up the peninsula, Long Reef and Dee Why are turning on some amazing catches with snapper up to 6kg taken regularly by the locals.

Large kingies have been plentiful, with one weighed in at the shop tipping the scales at 18.5kg. A local caught this huge king on fresh local squid at The Wall, off Long Reef.

For a great catch of snapper, try Long Reef Wide in about 300’. Local fishos Lindsay Reiny and Chris Leslie have had a ball with plenty of reds over 5kg. This has to be one of the best seasons for a while.

It’s great to see that a number of these quality fish are being returned to the water by responsible fishers who practising catch and release.

Wide out on the open grounds like Broken Bay Wide and the Fords, there is a lot of action with mahi mahi and kingfish, while the Twelve Mile Reef has been producing several small blue and black marlin.

A keen local young lady, Jess Barnier, recently caught a 75kg blue marlin on 10kg gear in a great effort. Jess and her husband, Ian, are also taking good kingfish close off Newport and Avalon trolling Halco Crazy Deep lures on light tackle.

HOT BEACHES

The beaches are fishing they best they have for a number of years. My good friend and former NSWFM reporter Colin Buckley reports that thumper whiting are being landed from Palm Beach, Whale Beach and Avalon. Some of these gold nuggets have been over 40cm long – that’s some whiting!

The jewfish have started to make an appearance, with several being taken on the Peninsula with North Narrabeen, the Dee Why Lagoon area and northern Curl Curl providing some really good fish.

We weighed one of 16.5kg, caught late at night by local Chris Hack on fresh squid strips at the lake entrance at North Narrabeen. It seems the best time to catch these jewfish at the moment is at night, on fresh mullet or squid baits.

We have also had reports of good catches of salmon during the day and into the evening around Avalon, Mona Vale and Collaroy beaches.

Narrabeen Lake is alive with a wide variety of fish. Chris Leslie has had a great time with the flathead and large tailor, especially in the Jamieson Park area, as well as around the boatshed.

The range of fish life in the lake this season is amazing.

Local lad Shawn Martin has been bringing up some nice bream from the Wimbledon Avenue area and along the Wakehurst Parkway.

The best bait to use in the lake at the moment appears to be fresh Hawkesbury prawns with bream, tailor and flounder eagerly taking them.

There are still a good number of quality prawns in the lake around Jamieson Park and the caravan park.

I always welcome your stories and photos – email --e-mail address hidden--

Facts

HOT SPOTS

Trawleys Reef: bream, morwong, tarwhine

Narrabeen Wrecks: kingfish, tailor

Long Reef Wide: snapper

Jamieson Park on Narrabeen Lake: flathead, prawns

Narrabeen Beach: jewfish, salmon, bream.

BAIT TIPS

The fresher and better the bait, the better the catch.

Fresh local squid for kingfish

Live wriggler worms for whiting

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