ROCKY Point is one of the best kept fishing secrets in Port Stephens. Accessible by both 4×4 and boat, this rocky outcrop and the surrounding beaches and bays have a fascinating history of fishing, lobstering and the mining of shell grit. Big Rocky, as the name suggests, is a big rocky outcrop just far enough […]
Up until the mid-1980s oysters were grown right throughout the Port.
CONTINUED expansion of the Australian colonies placed increased pressure on the building industry, which relied heavily on lime for mortar for stone buildings. It was well known that oyster shells could be burned to produce the lime – cheap and in ample supply. At first only the empty shells of eaten oysters were used but […]
John ‘Stinker’ Clarke showing the kind of fish you can catch in Port Stephens if you know where to look. Photo: Nico Lombardo.
JOHN “Stinker” Clarke has lived in Port Stephens for more than 50 years and can hardly remember a time when he wasn’t fishing. To him, it’s not just a hobby, but an entire way of life. Equipped with a lifetime of knowledge and local expertise, Stinker shared all his best tips in a talk at […]
KAYAK fishing is becoming increasingly popular and in the current fuel crisis it all makes good sense. I’m finding kayak fishers heading further to sea in the quest for snapper and kingfish. It is surprising for me in “Stinkpot” when I’m out bobbing around in front of the Fingal lighthouse to hear someone say “G’day […]
The ‘Karingal Kids’ in action.
AS the world continues to spin faster, it is becoming increasingly important that we find something that will slow it down. Something outdoors, surrounded by nature with no pressures. A recreation that exposes us to the beauty that surrounds us plus offers family engagement. We may even be rewarded with a contribution to the evening […]
EASTER is traditionally a time for the family to gather and to organize a seafood platter in the middle of the table. Fish are always a favourite; however, this year think about a tray of local crabs and oysters. The time is right as cracker muddies and blue swimmer crabs are tap dancing throughout the […]
Macquarie River champion Michael Reid with a cracker 60cm cod.
HAVING recently hosted a game fishing tournament in Port Stephens – involving big boats, big fish, marlin and sharks – I thought of how different it was to fishing in the bush, west of the Great Divide. We recently motored out of Fingal Bay, headed for the western town of Warren, where the plan was […]
Whiting to 40cms caught on Stockton Beach.
THERE is always debate over the best eating fish. Which fish performs best in the kitchen? To my mind it is hard to beat the tropical fish from the far north of the country – Coral Trout, Red Emperor, Mangrove Jack and others. Locally, my preference is for Snapper, Pearl Perch, flathead and whiting. All […]
MUD crabs, that rely on mangrove areas for protection and food, are pretty weird customers, with an extraordinary lifecycle. Few are aware that female mud crabs leave the estuary system for the open ocean where she releases up to five million fertilised eggs, in 20-40 metres depth of water offshore. The tiny beginnings of crabs […]
George Trinkler knows where all the snapper hide.
SO, you want to catch a snapper. There are many ways to do this, but I will tell you how I do it. The very first question to ask is: where do snapper gather? The best snapper fisher in the world will not catch a fish where they are not. Perfect underwater habitat for ‘reddies’ […]
