I'm fortunate to have visited and fished at many places around Australia. Everyone has their favourite place, a place where they feel most at home, most a part of. For me that place is Yamba. It has a bit of everything, a family connection, great fishing, great beaches, a relaxed atmosphere, a great climate and probably one of the best located pubs in Australia.
Photo is of Yamba Main Beach taken from below the lighthouse
The fishing is generally excellent. Bread and butter species such as whiting, bream, flathead and blue crabs are very common. In the river, those that target them can catch good jewfish, bass and even mangrove jacks. There is also a very healthy offshore fishery with snapper and pearl perch for the bottom fishos and tuna and both spottie and spanish mackeral for the surface fishos. I love fishing for many of these species, but for me Yamba will always make me think of the humble blackfish.
Centrepin reels are an excellent choice for Luderick fishing as I have described in another article. One of my favourite manufacturers of centrepin reels, and indeed a favourite of Luderick anglers down the years, were Grice & Young.
These reels, although not designed for Australian conditions, are very handy luderick reels. They're hard wearing with a tough construction, few moving parts, yet a very small amount of force is needed to turn the spool. Sadly these reels are no longer manufactured in their original form, however, Shakespeare until recently sold a reel made with similar tooling to the original factory in the UK and there are many originals available via EBAY. If you want to buy from EBAY, it pays to know what to look for.