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Beaf up your gear for the bigguns
  |  First Published: March 2017



The Richmond River has been fishing well over last month. The freshwater has stirred up most of the species in the lower reaches of the river. The very long hot days and humid evenings have really got the surface fishing going gang-busters. If you want to chase bream, try the Pimlico Island flats.

If you’re after a feed of whiting, try the flats across from the town centre around the RSL club or the weed beds around North Creek. Make sure you have something rigged for a decent flatty, as you will come across some good fish and be able to sight cast to them in the shallows.

The mud crabs have been firing, with good catches reported along the mid sections of the river. Try baits such as mullet and luderick frames. The bigger tides seem to bring the best numbers on.

The rock walls along the town stretch and up Emigrant Creek are producing some good numbers of quality bream on light crankbaits. Rock crab in the Atomic Crank 38 is the standout. You will come across a few of our red friends, the mighty mangrove jack, so be prepared to either beef up your gear or go back to the tackle shop with your wallet. They say if you’re not losing lures, you’re not catching and having fun.

There are some good numbers of bream getting caught off the beaches. The dart and tailor have been a little quiet. Try the gutters around Boundary Creek along South Ballina for some big flathead. Blades, slugs and heavy soft plastics will do the trick if you can’t get fresh bait.

Offshore there have been some quality snapper on the 32s, as well as some good-size trag. The mahimahi have still been very consistent off the FADS and since mid-December, numbers of mackerel have not been as everyone would have liked. Mackerel have been all over the place. One day they’re at Black Head and the next at Riordans Reef.

The upper reaches of the river have been hit and miss for Aussie bass. The big influx of fresh from the Tatham Arm has dirtied up the junction at Coraki. Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and dark coloured loud crankbaits around the drains and creek mouths are your best bet for finding some good fish. The fish will start to get active again once the water starts to clear up.

Reads: 1926

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