Back in Yamba for Christmas, and even though the weather is a bit variable, it is as magnificent as ever. We fished for the first time today and tried Romiaka Creek for flathead. There was an early 1.9 metre tide that allows access to the shallow back creeks. Sadly the fish were nowhere to be found, we drifted over a lot of territory that usually produces, but no cigar. We'll give it a better try on the run out later in the week and keep covering territory until we find the fish. My son wasn't content with no fish for dinner so suggested I head out onto the rocks to get a feed of blackfish.
I headed out to Yamba Point with the tide running out and there was a messy sea and a stiff easterly breeze. Tried all of the rock shelves that face back onto Pippie Beach and for about 45 minutes couldn't get a down. Then I tried the last likely spot , basically the rip in the corner of the beach and where it empties out into deeper water. A tricky spot to fish, strewn with boulders and fast flowing current, BUT, the fish were there in numbers and first drift, I had my float stop on me and lost the bait, then the same again. Then I hooked a fish which I mucked about with too much and dropped, but subsequently landed 8 fish in around 12 casts. Must have been a school of them sitting in the hole feeding on bits of weed as it washed out from the beach.
So, nice fresh fish for dinner. All of the fish were solid ocean luderick around the 35 cm mark and all caught on sea lettuce. What did I learn? Well it pays to prospect, because of the weather I wasn't fishing my preferred spots, so I had to move until I found the fish. Also during summer when they aren't biting their heads off generally, you really need to pay attention to bait presentation and depth. The fish today were sitting right down on the sand at the edge of the rock shelf so you had to get the depth just right.
Another morning in paradise and then it absolutely poured this afternoon.