Tony Zann’s weekly fishing report
The entire Richmond River catchment is closed until further notice after catastrophic fish kills in early January.
Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina says they’ve been catching a few nice whiting and bream down around Patchs Beach, with some dart kicking around as well. A couple of chopper tailor are showing up in the surf and from the headlands with some better fish on dusk around those headlands north to Lennox Head.
Out wide there have been some good catches of pearl perch and snapper. There have been some stray mackerel around but you’ll have to search for clearer water. Not many mahi mahi on the FAD or the traps.
The Evans River is fishing OK upstream to the Iron Gates for whiting and flathead, with the usual quota of bream from the bridge downstream.
The beaches are looking good for the weekend with some reasonable catches of whiting, bream, flathead and the odd patch of tailor. The headlands have some school jew and patches of tailor and bream.
Offshore catches have remained centred on snapper and trag, although the cobia have come through from time to time. Talk of mackerel and unconfirmed sightings but no credible confirmation or carcases at the ramp.
Tony Zann t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au
