The run of Blue Marlin continued up at Port this week and from what I hear further South too those boats lucky enough to get out during the week getting multiple strikes and hook ups. They were a little harder to locate during the week-end as they moved further South. 
I found some off the Newcastle canyons on Saturday managing two out of three. They weren’t big fish as Blues go being around 100 and 130 kgs. but they still performed the way only Blues will, that strike and first run electrifying. One good thing about the smaller ones is you generally get them to the boat alive to release for another day.
I can’t remember a season like this with so many Blue Marlin or such a hot current extending down the coast for so long and holding so many good sized Dollies, Wahoo in numbers not seen for years down here as well as the more than occasional Spearfish and even the odd Sailfish.
Up here the current has now eased. The temperature is still 25 to 27 degrees but has slowed to a point where the bait is starting to gather on the shelf. I had a look at Almark and marked what I thought were Kings down there but they didn’t take a jig but on dropping baits we managed a couple of Bar Cod as well as the ubiquitous ‘Jacket.
Whether it is too late or too warm for a late run of Striped Marlin is a matter for speculation but it would be good.
I hope to bring Ambition back to Sydney this week-end depending on the weather. Anyone wanting to come for a last day’s fishing up here on Saturday and/or the trip back on Sunday should give me a call or contact me through my web site.
March, April and even into mid-May is when the fishing off Sydney comes into its own. It is a period when in the past not necessarily the most of species but the largest were caught but the way it has been this year anything could happen.
Tight lines,
Ivan
moving South with the current as the week progressed and extending down to Sydney. Amongst the Blues there were quite a few Spearfish and some good sized Black Marlin along with Mahi Mahi and the occasional Wahoo. In short nothing much has changed since the week before.
Where they’ll be this week is anyone’s guess. The change in weather and the Southerly blowing this week could send that Southerly current anywhere but if it keeps moving South it will certainly liven up the Broken Bay tournament providing the weather plays ball.
It has been a series of ups and downs at Port Stephens for Ambition. Missing the first 3 weeks up there due to an engine failure and having to sit by the sidelines while the bite was running hot is not something I recommend either for the nerves or to appease frustration.
Lighthouse or the Gibber, lucky ones or those in the know manage reasonable numbers while the rest work hard just to get a bite.
Anyway back to reality, though the Kings still reign off Sydney being found in numbers schooling around the harbour with Salmon amongst them, mostly undersize but for those that know there are some good ones to be found – good bait being the sec
Offshore Sydney the fishing remains patchy, the water being relatively cool for this time of year. But the occasional Stripy is turning up and some large ones at that, Warren Night of ‘Midnight’ tagged one of 130kg. plus after first calling it a Blue, a common occurence. Big Dollies are ranging about, Warren’s daughter taking a 17 kg. specimen in 15 kg. line for a potential Women’s record.
Though the fishing off Sydney is hard going at present Port Stephens is starting to happen, I don’t have exact details yet but I have heard reports of multiple taggings but I don’t know if they were Stripes or the inshore Blacks which are increasing in numbers along the coast and apparently going off at South West Rocks which augers well for the Interclub and points South in the coming weeks.