Tony Zann’s Easter fishing report
Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina says whiting and flathead are going quite well in the lower reaches with quite a few bream as well.
Mud crabs in North Creek, Emigrant Creek and the main river in good numbers.
The main go this week has been the tailor along the beaches and around the headlands with some decent bream along the beaches as well. Whiting and dart are also in worthwhile numbers from the beaches.
A smattering of spotted and Spanish mackerel around the headlands north of Ballina, like Black Head and Lennox, but nothing much down at Riordans. Pearl perch and snapper in good numbers on the wider grounds.
At Evans Head there have been some nice bream to about 40cm taken up the beach, which has some great holes and gutters all the way to Broadwater. Also a few whiting and the odd flathead and no doubt there’ll be some school jew snared this weekend as well on the evening tide.
The high morning tide means the 4WDs will have to stay put for a couple of hours around the peak because there won’t be much beach. Whatever you do, don’t drive over the dunes because some extreme greens would love to stop everyone driving the beaches and this would only provide them with ammunition for their case.
Haven’t heard of too many tailor around the headlands but you could do worse than try and there are also some bream about.
Offshore fishing has been OK leading up to the moon but the snapper will probably be slim pickings in the mornings now after a bright night. Hope for calm afternoons for reds and make sure your nav lights are working for the trip home. A few mackerel at times but they remain patchy at best.
Tony Zann t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au
