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Mid North Coast Beaches offer a wide mix of fish and shark species, many of which are available all year round. Many experienced anglers prefer to target certain species at a particular time of year when they are more prevalent. Fishing for a target species when it's in 'season' increases you're catch rate and chances of taking home a delicious meal!
Knowing what to go fishing for and when is not always easy, but that's where we can help! Below are some of the target species our clients love to fish for and when you're most likely to catch them;
SAND WHITING: Whiting are a crowd favourite on the beach, and for good reason!...They school in big numbers, fight well on light tackle and taste incredible on the plate!
Whiting can be caught all year round, however are more common during warm water months (December to June).
Whiting numbers on the beach improve during years of high rainfall, and on the contrary can fish poorly in drought periods.
Floods typically happen between February and April on the Mid North Coast, flushing large schools of Whiting from the rivers onto the beach. The few weeks following a flood is peak time to catch Whiting and bring home a good feed for the family!
SWALLOWTAIL DART: Unlike it's close tropical relative the Snubnose Dart / Permit, Swallowtail Dart are a far less popular species.
Dart are extremely hard fighting, school in large numbers and will willingly take a lure or bait. They are also a top table fish fresh or smoked if looked after.
For these reasons I think this is the most underrated species available on our beaches.
Dart are available all year round, however are in bigger numbers during the warm water months (December to June). Some of the biggest dart are caught during winter (over 40cm) usually as Tailor bycatch on metal lures.
TAILOR: Also known as Shad or Bluefish, Tailor have to be up there as one of the best fish to target in the surf. When a big school of Tailor moves into a gutter, they can be caught literally on every cast! They fight hard, jump like a Barramundi and test you're tackle!
A big 'Greenback' Tailor pound for pound is one of the hardest fighting fish on the beach that can easily bite through 100lb line, making them a real challenge to catch.
Tailor despite common beliefs are not just available during the cooler / Winter months.
We target Tailor 12 months of the year, with many of our bigger fish being caught in the Summer months.
Typically we get two runs of Tailor on the NSW Mid North Coast. The Summer run (January to April) is the best time to target big 'Greenbacks' (over 60cm) at night.
The Winter run (May-September) see's better numbers of school size fish (30-45cm) which can be caught consistently in both the day and night.
BREAM: A very familiar species for most coastal anglers, is the humble Yellowfin Bream.
Bream are caught all year round, mostly as bycatch when targeting other species.
During Winter, Bream school up in huge numbers along our beaches to spawn. Anglers refer to them as 'Sea Bream' at this time of year, and these spawning fish average between 30cm to 40cm! At this size they are well worth targeting on light tackle with both baits and lures.
A big Sea Bream caught off the beach eats incredibly well, very white and delicate flesh similar to Snapper.
MULLOWAY: A species very dear to my heart, and the fish that started my passion for surf fishing...the mighty Mulloway! (Also known as Jewfish or Kob).
Mulloway are widely considered the most elusive and difficult to catch species from the beach. This species unlike many others, does not have clear or consistent patterns. If you are extremely fortunate, a school of Mulloway can swim into a gutter at any time of the year.
Small Mulloway (Commonly referred to as schoolies or soapies), can be caught all year round mainly late afternoon and night. Numbers of small fish increases after widespread flooding when they are flushed out of rivers onto the beaches.
Large Mulloway spend most of their time offshore on reefs, however come close to shore for various reasons at certain times of the year that include;
Floods (Most Common from December to March)
Sea Mullet Run (April/May)
Tailor Run (May to August)
Annual Migration North (Sept to Nov)
Every angler serious about catching Mulloway from the Beach must be prepared to invest a huge amount of time. Fishing different tides, moons, conditions and times of the year is recommended in order to work out a pattern that works in you're area.
Not sure what rigs to use or where to start? Book an evening 4wd Surf Fishing Tour with us and we can kick-start your Mulloway fishing Journey now!
SHARKS: Sharks are the ultimate predator of the ocean, a fish that tests every anglers strength and endurance.
Various shark species can be caught from Mid North Coast beaches but the species our clients are most likely to catch include:
Bronze Whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus)
Dusky Whaler (Carcharhinus obscurus)
Australian Black Tip Shark (Carcharhinus tilstoni)
Whitespotted Guitarfish / Shovelnose (Rhynchobatus australiae)
Smooth Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna zygaena)
Most of the above Shark species can be caught all year round however activity and size of fish peaks during the warm water months (December to June).
*WARNING*
Shark fishing without experience, specialised tackle and safety equipment is dangerous for both the angler and sharks. We strongly reccomend contacting us for guidance or booking a tour first before attempting shark fishing.
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