Chasing flathead for a good feed

Flathead fishing is still fishing the best with good catches of sand flathead still coming from Tura Heads in depths of 30 to 50 meters, and also straight out off Long Point in 50 meters.

There are also odd gummy sharks and flying gurnard being caught while chasing the flathead.

Unfortunately, there are still oceanic toads nipping rigs off in the flathead grounds.

The reefs are still slow off Merimbula. With inshore water temperatures hovering around 17 degrees, hopefully they come to life soon.

We have not seen any bait fish like slimy mackerel around this year in shore like other years, maybe that is why the snapper are scarce!

If you are trying, there have been a few morwong and occasional small snapper being caught. I have heard that Eden's South Heads is giving anglers a few snapper to 50cm, so maybe it's worth heading a bit further south.

Salmon have been getting caught off the Merimbula Wharf, using live yellowtail for bait under a float and casting lures.

There are also salmon and tailor being caught on the beaches fishing in the gutters with pilchards for bait. Best beaches are Tura Beach, North Tura Beach and Tathra Beach.

Our lakes are still fishing very well. Merimbula Lake below the bridge has plenty of bream, trevally, blackfish, and some salmon in the channel. A little bit of burley and some pilchard pieces will catch you a feed.

In the top lake, trevally and tailor are being trolled up, with flathead and some legal pinky snapper being caught on baits such as nippers and pilchard pieces.

The freshwater scene at Lake Eucumbene is fishing well. Trout are being caught off the bank using power bait, worms, and mud eyes, and trolling the edges using Tassie devils with gold wings is also getting fish.

These fish are enjoying the cooler temperatures, but our bass fishing is not. The odd fish is still being caught at Brogo Dam and in the rivers, but the cooling temperatures will see them shut down very soon.

The marlin game fishing is all but over with the water temperature dropping to 19 degrees over the weekend.

Peter Haar tagged a marlin last Tuesday, but there was a lot of bait around then. On the weekend it was very patchy, and no fish caught. Now we wait in hope of a tuna season on the Far South Coast.

The Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club rooms are open every Friday night.

This Friday being the first of May, the club will have the species draw for trevally. Get your trevally pics to the club by 7pm to be in the draw.

The club opens at 6pm. All are welcome.