Gone fishing with Jonno

This week I hit the Shoalhaven River at daybreak to chase some Australian Bass on surface lures.  It wasn’t long before I was treated to some top surface action with bass and estuary perch smashing soft cicada lures.  I ended up catching a dozen fish, including a couple of estuary perch around the 40cm mark.  

Flathead are also on the chew in the Shoalhaven River, it’s an ideal time to fish for them using soft plastics lures.

Traditionally a lot of families go fishing over the Christmas holidays so here are some tips for some family fishing fun.

When taking kids fishing, especially the little tackers, keep it simple.  Kids are just happy catching a fish, it doesn’t have to be a record breaker. That said, nothing beats the smile on the dial of a kid when they catch a decent fish.

If you are fishing from a wharf or shore try fishing the last hour of the run-out tide or first part of the run-in tide.  Burley is a must, mix up some chook pellets, bread and tuna oil, this will get the fish around where you are casting a line.  Use around a 2-4kg spinning combo spooled up with 4kg mono line.  A size 1-2 long shank hook with a small split shot sinker about 30cm above it fished underneath a small cork float using small pieces of peeled prawn should see the kids catching some fish before long. 

One of my biggest tips is to fish with as light a sinker as possible, particularly in the rivers and lakes.  You only need enough weight to get the bait to the bottom. Fish early in the morning or late afternoon, these are times when fish are more actively feeding.

If you have a boat, one of the best way to get the youngsters amongst a few fish is to pump some yabbies for bait and drift alongside where the weed meets the sand or along channel edges.  Use a number 2 bait holder hook and a small ball sinker, you’ll be a big chance of catching luderick, bream, flathead, flounder or whiting.

In the Crookhaven River, Currambene Creek and Sussex Inlet try fishing the run-up tide for some garfish; these are great fun for kids to catch and top eating.  Anchor up where there is not much run in the tide and burley up with bread mixed with tuna oil.  I use a bucket with a lid with holes drilled through it tied off the back of the boat, this leaves a steady stream of burley into the water.

  I use a light spin outfit, rigged with a small longshank hook fished under a small foam float, some pencil floats work well also.  Use small pieces of peeled prawn and float it down the burley trail.  Watch for movement on the float, then lift up to hook the garfish.  The kids will have a great time catching garfish as they jump out of the water and are good fighters for their size.

If you want your kids to learn about fishing, the NSW Department of Primary Industries runs kids’ fishing workshops for children aged 8 to 14 years old in both freshwater and saltwater locations.   The cost is $40 and each child receives a rod, reel, tackle box, hooksafe, shirt, cap and goodie bag to take home with them.  Our next workshop is the local area is on January 10, 2017 at Greenwell Point. To register contact Fisheries Education Officer Stephen Thurstan, Ph: 02 4220 8484 or M: 0438 245 190.

Why not go catch your Christmas lunch and take the family prawning.  Prawning is a great night-time family activity and all you need is an underwater light and scoop net. McCallum’s Tackle World, Nowra have these on sale at the moment as a combo at the moment for $49. 

Head out to your local lake or St Georges Basin and wade around knee deep using the light to find the prawns scurrying around, dip your net underneath the prawn and lift it slowly to catch it.  Not only are they tasty, they are top live baits for estuary fishing, hook them through the back of the tail and use a light sinker.

Kids can get impatient or bored quickly. Forcing them to stay out by the water for hours might turn them off to fishing altogether. Plan on an hour trip, and if the kids are having fun and want to stay out longer, stay out and enjoy!

Merry Christmas to readers of ‘Gone Fishing With Jonno’ and wishing you tight lines for 2017, I hope you get the tick off some of your bucket lit fish in the new year.