There are already over 200 entrants in the Winter School Holidays Junior Fishing Competition which will run until 4pm on Friday, July 14.
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The two children's fishing workshops were fully booked and an overwhelming success with juniors learning the basics of angling through lessons from our senior members, both in the clubhouse and off the Merimbula Lake shoreline.
So far we have had a good lot of entries for Australian salmon, trevally and tailor but no bream or dusky flathead. This gives our junior anglers a hint as to what species to target to be among the prize winners come the weekend.
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The prizes are based on a photograph of the fishes length based on a DPI bragmat so that the caught fish can be released alive.
This is a wonderful experience for our youngsters who learn to appreciate the benefits of catch and release which protects fish stocks for the future. The presentation and free sausage sizzle will be at Spencer Park on Sunday, July 16 at 12 noon.
Out from Green Cape, about 30 to 35 nautical miles offshore, commercial fishers are taking bluefin tuna. With improving weather conditions these fish may move in closer and be in range of our local gamefishers.
There are still some yellowfin about from surface and blue-eye and hapuku from deep dropping. In the meantime there are estimates of up to 40,000 whales making their way north for the mating season and we expect to see some spectacular sights between September to November, as they make their way back to the Antarctic.
Water temperatures near shore have dropped to around 15 degrees and this plus the cold winter weather, has certainly quieted down local angling.
Good snapper and morwong become active on a rising barometer, particularly off Lennards, Boyds Tower and Mowarry. Best results have come from using micro jigs at about 15 fathoms.
Good numbers of bait fish are about, try first the artificial reefs off Merimbula. Ocean flathead and gummy shark are available adjacent to the Pinnacles reef north of Barona headland out of Kianinny. Closer to Merimbula try the deeper waters off Tura Headland (23 fathoms) where there are a few really good size tiger flathead.
Large schools of Australian salmon continue to enter the Merimbula Lake channel and swarm up near Mitchies jetty. The salmon also frequent Bithrys the inlet to Wapengo Lake. Some really good fish may be taken on soft plastics, silver spinners and pilchard bait.
The salmon are accompanied by some big tailor, kingfish and the occasional mulloway.
With estuary water temperatures down below 15 degrees there is now some bream activity in the Merimbula channel, try off the Club's jetty in Spencer Park. Best results from pink to red soft plastics.
Tailor can be taken in the Merimbula Top Lake by casting and trolling silver lures. A few dusky flathead, bream and trevally can be taken from sand spit south of the Top Lake boat hire. Try low tide and cast metal vibes laced with an attractant out into the deep water.
The club will be open on Friday, July 14 from 6pm. Visitors are very welcome. Come and enjoy the club's ambience, friendship and lovely views. There is also the fishing report together with very competitive bar prices. Club stalwart Darragh Reynolds is your scheduled host.
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