Where to catch a fish over Easter
NSW Fishing Monthly editor Tony Zann looks at the fishing scene around Ballina and Evans Head over Easter …
Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina says there are still whiting and flathead around Pimlico and North Creek. Flatties still hanging on in the same spots.
Blackfish improving and weed is getting a little more plentiful, with some green weed now turning up. Try up around Wardell for some school jew. Mud crabs holding on in the creeks.
Tailor have improved greatly along the beaches and around the headlands and the odd school jew seems to be keeping them company. Some bream are also turning up in the surf to supplement the whiting and dart.
Not a lot of mackerel outside but still some marlin, wahoo and the odd Spanish mackerel. Some longtail tuna also working in pretty close.
At Evans Head clear water around 24 degrees has been right to the beach and this morning (Thurs) there were small schools of white pilchards being attacked by tailor, tuna and dolphins behind the break on Airforce Beach. They’re out of casting range on the low morning/evening tides and it’s a bit bright to chase them at high tide in the middle of the day, so it’s a waiting game at the moment. Some tailor, school jew and longtail tuna from the rocks.
The river has ample supplies of very cagey bream with some studs among them, along with some mostly small whiting and flathead.
Offshore, it’s been fairly quiet on the mackerel front with only a few medium Spaniards boated yesterday and no reports of spotties. Bottom fish in close have been few and far between on the bright moon but there have been plenty of longtail tuna snaffling live baits set for mackerel, with some hefty fish to 18kg or more peeling plenty of line – I got two yesterday on light tackle and I’m still sore.
Out wider the current has been raging but there has been the odd good hit on pearlies and reds.
Tony Zann t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au
