Paul Kneller is having a month off this issue so we have compiled a report from a few of the tackle stores and charter operators in the Clarence area and they’ve revealed some fantastic fishing options for anglers in July.

Brett Young, who is working at Big River Bait and Tackle says that Winter fishing on the Clarence can be some of the best fishing for the entire year. Currently Brett reports that the school jew are still pretty active in the lower reaches taking vibration baits and occasionally soft plastics, but he stresses the need for stealth with the water so clean he can spy his Shak’n’Bake on the bottom in 6m of water! But with the recent storm activity, Brett is expecting a bit more dirty water to enter the system and make fishing a little easier.

Along with the school jew, Brett says that the bream can still be caught, but most of the successful anglers are using ultra light line and fishing low light periods. The disappointing aspect at the moment has been the flatheads failure to turn up in June. Fishing over the full moon period, customers found it difficult to tempt many flathead, but by July Brett expects this to have all changed and the flathead to be around in good numbers and of good size.

Mick Leavey from Yamba Bait and Tackle has been trying to pick the days to get offshore between the bouts of big seas. When they have been able to get offshore, they have found snapper all over the close reefs and some anglers have reported good catches of these pink bandits from the rocks.

Further out tuna have been active for the sportfishers trolling small lures and casting to bust ups. The tuna have been a mix of bonito, which have been really thick at times and longtails and mac tuna. Most offshore anglers have been stocking up on the bonito and then heading to their reef marks and dropping fresh fillets down for tasty pearl perch. The pearlies have been good size too, with some up around the 50-60cm mark.

In closer the tailor have been everywhere. Rocky headlands, deeper beach gutters and the river mouths have all had rampaging schools of tailor destroying bait and giving anglers some exceptional fishing opportunities. Some of the bonito have been found with the tailor and these have made great bait for the tailor as strips baits. All this smaller predator action has heightened the chance of a good jewie or two if you’re keen on rock and beach fishing.

And of course the big news in early June was the Tornado that lashed the area. Just about everyone who fishes is looking forward to the dirty water they expect to come down stream from the wild storms. The dirty water should push the boat down stream, ball it up and present it on a platter for the predators. Keen mulloway fishers and tailor spinners are closely watching for the fresh and will be in the thick of it when it arrives.

So grab your kit and get out onto the water as it looks likely that July will bring some very exciting fishing to the Clarence region.

For all the latest info call in and see us at Big River Bait & Tackle, 16 River St, Maclean, phone 02 6645 1834. Country service with city prices.