WHAT a great time of the year, particularly for the kids who love nothing more than a fishing and crabbing excursion. The good news is that the Port is filling up with dusky flathead, summer whiting, trumpeter whiting and bream.
The "Crabometer" which resembles a large thermometer numbered 1 to 10 is currently, from all reports, sitting on 7.
Big blue swimmers are tap dancing through the channels from Lemon Tree to Taylors Beach with excellent reports coming in from Carrington, the entrance to the Karuah River and North Arm Cove.
The game plan is set your witch's hats to catch crabs before organising your crew to target flathead and whiting with plastics and worms for bait.
Check your traps every hour or so before returning the fishing.
The beaches are boiling with whiting from Stockton to Fingal Spit eager to attack a well presented worm tossed just behind the first line of breakers on a rising tide.
Visitors are invited to take part in a local survey to determine the availability of pipis on our beaches. Forms can be picked up at all bait and tackle outlets, Anna Bay Servo and Birubi Caravan Park.
Outside the heads, snapper are moving over all the close reefs from Fishermans Bay to Broughton Island. Plastics are proving to be incredibly effective while slimy fillets, big prawns, squid and pilchards are the top baits.
Those interested in local fishing history are invited to join me on "Stinker's Magical History Tour", a boat cruise on the Port and into the Myall River on 8th and 22nd January. We will have lunch together at Tea Gardens where I will give a presentation on the pioneering of fishing, boatbuilding and lighthouse keeping in Port Stephens. Contact 0408494262 for further information.
STINKER
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