Brent "Hammer" Hancock, from Tackle World Port Stephens, reports the yellowfin tuna bite has continued this week, but weather conditions are looking a little discouraging over the weekend.
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For the last two weeks we've seen lively tuna times our wide of the Shelf in waters up to 1200 fathoms deep, with anglers weighing fish up to 70kg, gorging on oceanic saury garfish.
"There were a few yellowfin caught again this week to the south, from The Carpark wide down to the Newcastle and Norah Head canyons.
"The guys on No Excuse weighed a couple, one fish was 40kg, the other 38kg.
"There's lot's of saury out there beyond the 1000 fathom mark during winter, and tuna love saury.
"You'll find them in between the water breaks.
"Getting tuna will all depend on the water and current.
"It's been great to see so many turn up in winter because it's been a long time between drinks."
Unfortunately, weather conditions may limit opportunities out wide this weekend.
Big nor-westerlies are forecast Friday and Saturday, swinging round to the west by Sunday, and that will be hard to fish this weekend.
"I don't think too many will get out," Hammer said.
"The swell will probably jack up Sunday but those 35kmh winds will make it tough any day.
"It looks like the better plan will be to lay low until Tuesday or Wednesday next week when things look like they'll be glamour again.
"I'd really recommend fishing the rocks this weekend.
"There's plenty of protected spots along the coast - Boulder bay, Boat Harbour - those sort of places.
"It's a really good time of year for drummer, luderick, bream and snapper."
Speaking of snapper, the two Shanes, Shane Scott and Shane Peters, had some good sessions over the weekend at Broughton, landing fish up to 7kg on plastics, mainly gulps.
Predators lurk
Been some impressive jew fish coming off local beaches and estuaries.
Tommy Mexon got a decent fish near Birubi and social media has been awash with big blokes manhandling big mulloway.
Brandt Archer fished Newcastle Harbour last Friday and reports plenty of little tailor about with big predators in pursuit.
"We got one small soapie to the side of the boat but it got off, and we got smoked by something much bigger a short while later," he said.
"I'm guessing it was a big jew that just ducked down into a bit of a hole and broke us off.
"We were fishing light, so we were no chance."
Picture this
Brandt couldn't back up for the the Saturday session with Fish of the Week winner Sean "Fitzy" Fitzgibbon but he figures it was worth it.
"I've been out in the field with work a bit, so my Mrs explained it would be in my interest to pass on the the Saturday after fishing Friday, but the boys did good in their secret spot near Warners Bay," he explained.
"Plenty of bream responding to Z-Man lures and Gulps."
Brandt is satisfied that mate Fitzy is in the paper this week.
"He was just rubbing it in my face that he had gone fishing and I had missed out, and he'd been giving me heaps about being Fish of the Week a couple of weeks ago too, so I sent the pic in and I hope it shuts him up for a while," Brandt joked.
If you want to hang a bit of light-hearted banter on your fishing bud, email to fishing@theherald.com.au.
Carro call-out
Anglers are urged to get down to Carrington boatramp this Saturday morning at 9am to meet with representatives of the RMS who will be presenting some information on planned work near the ramp.
"They are building a sandstone wall to cover up some asbestos showing up on the foreshore and the point will be to talk about that," concerned angler George Sewell said.
"But it will also be an opportunity to bring up the subject of Carrington boatramp, and what they are doing about it. Or not doing about it.
"We've asked them to move some rocks that are impeding people from landing their boat. And in the future we would like to see a pontoon put there.
"It was supposed to happen years ago. Newcastle Council had the funding but didn't apply for it when the opportunity came and now responsibility for the ramp has been passed onto the RMS."
There is a feeling that the authorities would prefer if anglers used Stockton boatramp, but Mr Sewell says that's impractical for anglers to drive that far.
"Carrington is an Important part of Newcastle boating because it is the only ramp easily accessible for boaters who live on the Newcastle side of the harbour," he said.
"The Stockton boatramp is too far to travel for a lot of guys, and it's also too steep. If everyone used it overcrowding would be an issue."