THE holidays are upon us and the good news for those who are hoping to catch a fish is that conditions are perfect. The beaches are alive with salmon, whiting and winter bream.
Mullet are travelling north on their annual breeding cycle in huge numbers accompanied by a few predatory sharks. Mostly Grey Nurses, the sharks are not as mean as they look.
It still would be a good idea to leave the water if a mullet school is approaching.
Beautifully conditioned the mullet are bright eyed and broad shouldered, but unfortunately for the recreational fisher mullet cannot be caught on a rod and reel.
It is too much for some when they see the thousands of fish swimming metres from the shore.
It has taken a while for visitors to discover that the netting of mullet each year is a sustainable practice.
Not so long ago holiday makers mainly from the south were stunned to witness tonnes of fish being hauled from the sea.
“There will be none left” was a regular response.
It must be confronting to some to see the huge amount of fish leaving the beach in trucks headed to the markets. Those of us who have been watching the “Mullet Run” for years are still amazed by the event.
It is pleasing to learn that the numbers of mullet that leave the estuaries and swim out into the open ocean at this time every year are as many as in past years.
There are factors that affect the numbers netted, the main one being the sea conditions.
If huge surf is pounding the beach the mullet schools will swim wider out to sea and only return to the shoreline when conditions settle.
Not surprisingly a strip of fresh mullet is excellent bait for bream and salmon off the beach, bream off the Nelson Bay Breakwall and snapper over all the outside reefs.
The boating public is in for a treat as the options both inside and outside the Heads are numerous.
Excellent launch sites at Soldiers Point, Little Beach, Lemon Tree Passage and Karuah give access to the huge expanse that is Port Stephens.
Take a trip up the Karuah River or along Tilligerry Creek.
Set a couple of crab traps and pick them up on the way back.
We do have a law regarding crabbing that does not apply to other systems; the witches hat method is banned along with traps with an entrance wider than 32 cm.
The reason being is to protect the large population of turtles that call Port Stephens home.
In the past, before the law changed, turtles were getting tangled in the crab traps and drowning.
Thankfully this issue has been resolved.
Enjoy your stay and come again.
By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE
