SHORTLY after finishing school at Nelson Bay High, Darren “Doddy” Dodd found work on the Nelson Bay waterfront. As a 16-year-old, Doddy started preparing seafood by opening oysters, cooking crabs and lobsters and filleting fish. It has been recognised, over the past 38 years, that Doddy has developed into a master of his craft of […]
Local champ Benny Doolan with an offshore monster snapper.
OFFSHORE fishing from Birubi north to Broughton Island is as good as it gets. Snapper is without doubt the most sought after fish because of its tenacious fighting qualities and outstanding performance in the kitchen. The offshore coastal stretch to Seal Rocks, including the islands, is dominated by reef – ideal habitat for snapper. Mulloway […]
OVER the coming weeks, if my Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) site is accurate, we are in for some rough weather accompanied by a bumpy sea. As the sea continues to settle the local headlands and rocky outcrops along our coastline, between Birubi and Tomaree, become a focus for those who chase a tenacious scrapper we […]
Broughton Island, a fishing paradise.
ONCE a little-known NSW island, Broughton has become a ‘must visit’ destination for fishermen, boaties and day trippers. Over recent years the island has changed socially, for the better, with an influx of families rather than a domination of fishermen. Bird watching, hiking, photography, snorkelling and of course fishing are all part of the island […]
A Greek hut on Broughton Island.
IT was early in the 1900s when two Greek merchant mariners were paid off on the docks in Melbourne and headed north searching for somewhere to start a new life, hopefully somewhere that reminded them of their homeland. Nick Catsicas and Spiro Spathos agreed that Nelson Bay and Broughton Island in particular was that special […]
“SILVERTAILS” were a fascinating species. They were made up of doctors, lawyers, school teachers and even wrestlers. Generally holidaymakers, “Silvertails” were those who, it seemed, always had an inner desire to be a fisherman, but fate had led them elsewhere in life. Their method of operation was to start talking to the fishermen and slowly […]
DID you hear what I heard? For the past 40 odd years I have been reporting fishing in and around Port Stephens. Something happened this week that, to my knowledge, has never happened before. Fishing around the deep water off Middle Island, Soldiers Point, John Latter hooked and landed a 58cm Mangrove Jack! So, what […]
Excited young members of Anna Bay Fishing Club gather at their monthly meeting.
Excited young members of Anna Bay Fishing Club gather at their monthly meeting. Girls champ Hanna Gentile. Boys champ Tyson Andrew. WHAT I enjoy most about this mad game that we call “fishing” is to see the increasing numbers of kids that are becoming involved. In an age where a crowbar is required to lever […]
Early promotion of Port Stephens’ tourism opportunities. Paddle wheeler SS Newcastle at the Nelson Bay wharf with holiday excursionists from Newcastle. I FIND it very interesting to trace the path of the local tourist industry from its very beginnings. It was inevitable that the wider audience would discover the incredible beauty of Port Stephens and […]
AROUND about this time of the year, big mud crabs start to crawl out of their underground burrows and lumber off in search of a feed. It is not well known that muddies bury into the mud and form a “hole” similar to that of a rabbit or wombat. Generally, among the extensive mangrove forests […]
