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Reefs remain productive
  |  First Published: April 2012



Super results across the whole of the Northern Beaches this month with some exciting and unusual catches recorded.

The outside reefs have been especially productive with spots such as Trawleys, Boultons and Reggies all working well for a variety of species.

Some unusual catches include spangled emperor, spotted mackerel and even pearl perch from the wider grounds, such as Esmeralda and Broken Bay Wide. All of these reefs have produced great snapper and tailor, with the deep reefs producing big kingfish, jewfish and healthy snapper up to 4kg.

The close reefs, Long Reef at The Wall or White Rock, have decent kingies and the odd good snapper.

Dee Why and Newport are also turning up some good mixed species including tarwhine, kingfish and bream. The trick is to use plenty of berley and be patient. WA pilchards and fresh squid are the baits to use.

The drifting grounds at Curl Curl, Dee Why and Narrabeen are producing quality flatties around 2kg as well as the odd morwong. Try drifting in close in about 13m using mullet strips or good blue pilchards.

On the light game front, several good catches of mahi mahi, mack tuna and large bonito have been taken around the FADs off Broken Bay, Long Reef and Broken Bay Wide grounds. Troll small skirted lures or Halco Laser Pro lures for the best results.

We have had reports of medium marlin and good-sized mako sharks being taken even wider, around the Twelve Mile and Browns Mountain. Some boats have reported makos up to 150kg – big and nasty but great sport to catch.

Night anglers are taking good jewfish, with several bagging fish well over 10kg. Places to try are East Reef, the Dee Why wreck or the wrecks off Narrabeen. Good fresh local squid seems to be the bait at the moment.

All the Peninsula beaches have been producing some great fishing, especially over the past two weeks. Some fantastic fish have been weighed in at Narrabeen Bait and Tackle.

Several jewfish tipped the scales over 10kg with one top specimen weighing in at 17.5kg. It was caught at North Narrabeen Beach at the Pines on a large fresh squid.

The best results seem to be after dark on the run-up tide with bream and whiting consistently being taken from Avalon, Narrabeen near the surf club and the northern end of Warriewood Beach. Use good live beachworms or nippers.

There are also plenty of salmon with one monster weighed in at the shop going 3kg. It was taken from the northern end of Newport Beach on a pilchard.

Night fishos should try Newport or Mona Vale beaches for some thumper bream and tarwhine. Several of the bream have been over a kilo.

Try fishing the Basin side of Mona Vale or the northern end of Newport and use live beachworms or very fresh Hawkesbury prawns.

LAKE HOT

Narrabeen Lake is still on fire with bream, long tom, jewfish, flounder and big flatties abundant.

Jewfish are becoming more regular in the lake, which is a great sign. One jewie bagged recently weighed more than 11kg.

The kids have been having a ball catching long tom in the lake with plenty of good-sized specimens landed from the Narrabeen Bridge area and from the Wakehurst Parkway fishing grounds. Use small soft plastics or prawns.

Flathead have been consistent around the caravan park and Jamieson Park and are taking frogmouth pilchards and fresh Hawkesbury prawns.

There are also plenty of whiting at the lake entrance and around the Wimbledon Reserve that are responding to fresh or live beachworms.

Facts

HOT SPOTS

Esmeralda Reef – kingfish and snapper

Newport Beach – salmon and jewfish

Narrabeen Beach – jewfish and bream

Narrabeen Lake, Ocean Street bridge – whiting and long tom

BEST BAITS

Live beachworms – whiting and bream

Fresh Hawkesbury squid – jewfish and kingfish

Fresh Hawkesbury prawns – bream and flathead

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