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Beat the Summer rush
  |  First Published: November 2005



If clear skies, warm nights and fantastic fishing appeal to you, the Hastings Region is the place to be this month.

Port Macquarie has the best average temperature in all of Australia. November is my favourite time for relaxing, enjoying the beach, the surrounding hinterland and, above all, the fishing, before our Summer visitors converge on our town.

No matter what style of fishing takes your fancy, it’s on offer. From bass to the pelagic species, we have it all.

If you have a canoe it’s time to check it over and head west of Wauchope. Anywhere from Koree Island to Longflat should put you onto some great bass action.

Anyone heading off shore should check the weather reports as at this time of year storms can creep up and take you by surprise. Those that build up from the north can be especially mean.

Tuna and marlin should start to come on offer with the warm currents flowing in and mahi mahi should also be in good numbers. If you’re visiting Port and want to get some off shore action, check out Ocean Star Fishing Charters. I’m sure John will put you onto some good fish.

In the lower estuaries flathead and whiting will be in full cry and recent catches indicate we should have a bumper season. Some good whiting are already on offer in the newly dredged entrance to Lake Cathie.

Flathead have been in good numbers with a feed easy to catch. Please remember that this time of year a lot of big females are about, doing their bit to increase the population.

Make sure you take care with these magnificent fish and release them to maintain healthy numbers for years to come.

The weed soakers have continued to enjoy good luderick fishing with healthy numbers coming from the bend in the southern breakwall. One afternoon when I was walking with the family there was nearly an angler on each rock with all enjoying a healthy bite.

Good numbers of luderick should also be on offer in other areas with the northern bank of the Maria River mouth sure to produce some good bags.

Water temps during Spring have been unseasonably cool, reducing bream activity in the river, off the beaches and rocks. But salmon have been in good numbers, providing fun for those tackling them off the rocks and beaches.

Drummer have still been around and could be a prospect with Point Perpendicular worth a try.

BREAM PATCHY

Those chasing bream on lures have been doing it tough with no two days yielding similar results. One day you’ll find a few and the next outing it seems like the river has been dynamited.

With warmer weather this month these silver foxes start looking for an easy feed as the cicadas warm up their Summer song. A good surface lure strategically placed should produce some exciting results.

A welcome by-catch when chasing bream has been healthy Australian bass. Although the fish caught have not been huge it is great to see these fish making an appearance in the lower reaches of the Hastings River.

Local anglers Michael Styles and Wayne Towler enjoyed some good bass action on a recent ‘bream’ outing, a great sign for the months ahead.

Crabs and prawns will be on the menu this month with blue swimmers starting to move in the river. So get out the dillies and have a go at getting a feed.

Lake Cathie prawns should be coming on soon and are well worth a try. Personally, I’d rather visit the local co-op. If you’re buying a feed of prawns make sure you ask where they come from, as overseas prawns have been flooding our market.

• Bream activity will certainly be humming with the Sundowner BREAM Classic on November 12 and 13. All is set for a cracker tournament so make sure you come along and check out the weigh-ins each day at 1.30pm.

With a large field and the spectacular venue of the Town Green complemented by the Reef Science Tank, it is bound to be a great spectacle no keen angler should miss.

Steve Starling is returning for a second dash at the top prize, along with Leeann Payne and plenty of other competitors have been keen to enter.

Starlo’s partner from last year, Tyson Dethridge from Full Boar Boats, is returning with his own team. With more than $4000 in cash and prizes, competitors will converge on Port Macquarie from all over NSW and Queensland keen to perform to the best of their ability.

Anyone still interested in taking part can download an entry form from www.portmacquarieholidays.com or the BREAM website, they can all me 0401 191 554 and I’ll post one.

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