Estuary Fishing in NSW (original) (raw)

Estuary fishing

With 30 recently declared Recreational Fishing Havens, fishing in NSW estuaries is more rewarding than ever. Estuaries offer some of the most exciting and safe fishing opportunities for the beginner or experienced angler. Try spinning with soft lures for dusky flathead along sand flats or drop-offs, fresh bait such as nippers and worms for bream and whiting or tackle mulloway along breakwaters and deep holes.

Some or all of the fish you catch may be subject to a legal length and/or bag limit.

Mulloway Argyrosomus japonicus or hololepidotus	Distribution -Mulloway are found in coastal waters from Rockhampton in Queensland to North West Cape, Western Australia (excluding Tasmania). Size �Maximum of approximately60kg and a length of 1.8m Characteristics �Mulloway are mostly silver with a blue/grey, green, or bronze coloured back. They possess a line of silver/white spots that follow the lateral line and sometimes have a black mark at the pectoral fin base. Confusing species �Teraglin. The end of the Mulloway�s caudal fin is convex (rounded), whereas the caudal fin of Teraglin is concave.
Mangrove Jack Lutjanus argentimaculatus Illustration by Roger Swainston. From the book Sea Fishes of Southern Australia by Barry Hutchins and Roger Swainston. Reproduced with permission of the publisher, Swainston Publishing.	Distribution - Mangrove jack inhabit coastal waters and rivers from Shark Bay in Western Australia through Torres Straight and Queensland, south to Lake Illawarra in NSW. They are occasionally found in more southern estuaries of NSW. Size - Reaches a maximum length of approximately 1.2 metres and 16 kg in weight. Characteristics - The colour of mangrove jack is quite distinctive, varying from bright reddish-brown to dark olive-brown. Fins have a pinkish hue, with the tail generally a darker shade. Each scale has a dark spot, which gives the appearance of cris-crossing lines on the body. Juveniles possess a blue line below the eye, which is also often evident on the adult. The mangrove jack is an extremely strong fighter and regularly finds shelter among submerged snags, making them a very challenging recreational species. Confusing species - Mangrove jack are often confused with red bass (Lutjanus bohar) on colour alone, however, they lack the deep pit before each eye that is characteristic of the red bass.
Bass Macquaria novemaculeata	Australian Bass Distribution -Bass are found in fresh and saltwater, in eastern draining rivers from the Mary River in Queensland to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria. Size �Maximum of 4kg and 65cm in length. Characteristics - Bass vary in colour from silver, green and bronze. The fish migrate downstream to the estuaries to breed between May and August. Females are much larger than males. Adult fish are general purpose carnivores. The bass has a back profile that is arched from above the eyes to the tail with only very slight tapering of the snout.They are sought after sport fish with bait, fly and artificial lure. Although considered excellent eating, the majority of fish are returned to the water unharmed. Confusing species -Confused with the Estuary Perch (Macquaria colonorum) which has a longer tapered snout with a concave profile.
Estuary Perch Macquaria colonorum	Distribution - The estuary perch is confined to coastal rivers and lakes of south eastern Australia from the Richmond River in NSW to the Murray River in SA. The species has been known to enter waters that are almost totally fresh. Size - Maximum weight of around 10kg and 75cm in length. Characteristics - The Estuary Perch looks similar to the Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata) but can be distinguished by a straight dorsal head profile, has white anterior pelvic fin rays and is less silvery overall. Juvenile fish can be found with a dark spot behind the eye. The overall colour of the estuary perch is grey with a silvery sheen on its sides with white colouring below. The fins are a slight brown colour and darker than the body. Confusing species - Looks very similar to Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata)
Yellowfin & Black Bream yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis	Yellowfin bream Distribution -Yellowfin bream are found along the NSW coast, as well as in Queensland and Victoria. Bream inhabit estuaries up to the brackish water limit (the change from salt to freshwater) and inshore rocky reef habitats near ocean beaches and rocky headlands. Size �Maximum weight of 4kg and a length of 60 cm. Characteristics -Yellowfin bream have a silver to olive-green body with yellowish pectoral, ventral and anal fins. They are opportunistic feeders with their diet including small crabs, prawns, molluscs, pipis and small fish. Confusing species - Black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) are found in NSW waters up to the Myall Lakes though are more common in Victoria and the south of the state. Yellowfin bream have a deeper body and a higher snout than black bream and have yellow ventral fins. Tarwhine have rounded, convex heads and a gold spot on each scale giving the fish a series of longitudinal bands. Tarwhine are found along the coast of New South Wales.
Flathead - dusky Platycephalus fuscus	Distribution -Dusky flathead are found in estuaries and coastal bays, from Cairns in Queensland to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria. They occur over sand, mud, gravel and seagrass and can inhabit estuarine waters up to the tidal limit. They are more commonly caught during the summer months. Size �Maximum 15kg and a length of 1.5m. Characteristics - Colour varies from sandy with brown spots and blotches to dark brown/black with white spots. They have a distinctive black spot on their caudal fins. Dark bars are often visible across the rear of the body. The preopercular spines on each side of the head are very sharp and should be avoided when handling the fish. Confusing species -Distinguished from other flathead by the black spot at the caudal end of the tail.
Hairtail Trichiurus lepturus	Distribution �Large schools are infrequently found in coastal bays and estuaries on Australia�s east and west coast. Recreational fishers in NSW have traditionally caught this fish in Cowan Creek in the Hawkesbury River system just north of Sydney, with catches also recorded in Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay. Size -Hairtail grow to a maximum length of 2.5m and approximately 5kg in weight. Characteristics -Has a silver, ribbon-like body that ends in a thin whip-like tail. Hairtail have large, slashing teeth that should be avoided. They lack both caudal and ventral fins. Hairtail can be caught all year round though they are more commonly taken during winter months. Confusing species -They are related to the southern frostfish, which have a distinct caudal fin. Anglers are unlikely to catch frostfish as it is a deepwater, offshore species.
Luderick Girella tricuspidata	Distribution �Generally restricted to shallow coastal waters and estuaries along the east coast, between southern Queensland (around Noosa Heads) and Tasmania. Luderick are often found in large schools around rocky outcrops and jetties. Size �Maximum of approximately 4kg and a length of 70cm. Characteristics �Luderick are generally dark green/brown in colour with a silvery-grey belly. They possess 8-12 dark, narrow vertical bands across the back. They are mainly herbivorous, feeding on seagrass and green algae, and sometimes molluscs, prawns and polychaete worms. Angling for Luderick has a 'cult-like' following. Long, flexible rods, very small hooks and pencil floats are commonly used, with green weed the preferred bait. Most luderick are caught in winter. Confusing species -Zebra fish (Girella zebra), however, they are rarely found in southern New South Wales and they possess wide stripes on the body (as wide as the gaps).
Tarwhine Rhabdosargus sarba	Distribution -Tarwhine are found from Townsville in Queensland, south through to Albany in Western Australia (excluding Tasmania). Size -3kg and a length of over 40cm (tarwhine up to 70cm have been caught in South Africa) Characteristics -Prominent golden lines on head and body, with a silver background colour. The head is more rounded and snout not as pointed as bream. Confusing species -Tarwhine are often confused with yellowfin and black bream, but tarwhine have more scale rows above the lateral line (6-7 v 4).
Whiting (all species) sand whiting Sillago ciliata	Distribution - Sand whiting, also known as summer whiting, silver whiting and blue-nose whiting, inhabit the inshore waters of eastern Australia including coastal beaches, sand bars, bays, coastal lakes, estuaries and rivers as far as the tidal limits. They typically form large schools across sand banks near river mouths and in the surf zone. Sand whiting generally favour sandy or muddy sand substrates in shallow water to about 6 metres depth. Size - Sand whiting can reach a maximum length of around 47 centimetres. Characteristics - Sand whiting are a member of the family Sillaginidae. They are silvery white in colour, with plain yellowish sides. Dark blotches are present at the base of the pectoral fins. In terms of shape, they are fairly elongate and only slightly compressed. The snout is relatively long and conical. Sand whiting feed on marine invertebrates, including crustaceans (yabbies, prawns and soldier crabs), polychaete worms and bivalve molluscs (pipis). Sand whiting use their conical snout to forage for benthic animals through sand and mud. This species is known to bury itself in soft sand and mud when alarmed. Confusing species - Sand whiting are similar in appearance to yellow-finned whiting (Sillago schomburgkii), however the dark blotches on the pectoral fin base in sand whiting are absent in yellow-finned whiting. Fishing Tips - Whiting are generally caught using rod-and-line and handlines from shore or by boat with live baits, such as worms, soldier crabs and yabbies (nippers). Fresh peeled prawns can also be used.