Where they’re biting around Ballina, Lennox Head
NSW Fishing Monthly editor Tony Zann’s weekly fishing report …
Matt from Dave’s Bait shop says the mackerel have shown up in better numbers off Black Head, Lennox Point and on Riordans Reef. While the swell is too tough at the moment to cross the bar, there are sure to be plenty of anglers
out there once the sea levels out – whenever that is!
Live slimy mackerel are the gun bait for the spotted mackerel while the Spanish are fond of pike, garfish or live tailor. Good mahi mahi at the Ballina FAD at S 28° 54.430, E153° 41.189 in 70 metres near the 38-Fathom Mark 14km off the Richmond bar.
Matt says there have been plenty of flatties in the lower river, with live bait working well for the bigger females and soft plastics picking up plenty of eating-size school fish. Bream have been mooching around the rock walls on the rising tide and there have been plenty of good mangrove jacks up to 3kg around both marinas and along the usual rock walls.
Jewfish have been pretty quiet.
I can vouch for the flathead, bream and a few more species after a reasonable outing on the Richmond this morning (Feb 24). Although primarily chasing bream on soft plastics, we had a hard time getting away from the flathead, with fish of all sizes from 20cm to 70cm in deep water and shallow. The bream were also there and we also managed a small GT and a
real slab of an estuary perch. All are still swimming happily after being released in good condition.
Beaches have good flathead and whiting, especially on Seven Mile but it’s worth a try in any good gutter you see. Tailor have been a little sporadic but North Wall seems to be the pick of the spots with garfish on ganged hooks accounting for the better fish.
