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Just returned from seven days kayak fishing Bemm River and its surrounds, great company and an even better campsite. The angling was tougher than expected with the inlet well over nominal water levels. Apparently in November 2011 there were massive periods of inclement weather resulting in the mouth shutting/filling. Water clarity was murky at best and those 90cm weed beds were well over 2m deep.
I witnessed some pretty cool stuff with some apex fish absolutely smashing the smaller residents, hooking and losing a few in the process. I also caught a couple of cracking Bream and some decent E.P's but other species didn't want to play lure ball. Chasing mainly Tailor proved difficult compared to last year's rewards but the ones I did land weren't kept for the table. Most had bite marks almost clean through and as savage as it seems I'm not quite sure they were bigger specimens of the same genus.
The bite marks seemed too elongated when compared to a typical Tailors mouth shape and there were numerous Shark carcasses at the local boat ramp, along with what I suspect were small Jewfish. No boils, no schooling, no large amount of bite offs or results, just serious frenetic fleeing from the basin proper right down to the mouth (Which they will apparently open shortly). One I had on peeled line sideways with dramatic speed before simply getting bored and biting me off.
Armed with Bream lures it started to get expensive so I gave up trying to tempt one and concentrated in the channel for Flathead and fringes for Estuary Perch. Fishing for a family feed I kept a few E.P's for the first time and they presented well on a plate, in fact I think I have found a new favourite table fish (Will never rival Flathead though, IMO). All in all a great trip and without the competitive rigours of a Hobie round (Bemm River now home of 2012 Grand Final).
Complete print media article in the works, stay tuned...
