
Estuary fishing basics
Share
ESTUARIES are fantastic places to catch fish. Whether you’re new to fishing or a seasoned angler, estuaries often carry an abundance of fish and provide opportunities for a variety of species in practically any weather and style of boat.
Before we go any further, what exactly is an estuary? Without going into scientific terms, an estuary is the sheltered and often shallow waterway at the lower end of a river system. It could be a large bay, or the lower part of a river before it enters the ocean.
For the purpose of this article, let’s just focus on these calm water saltwater sections.
Some of the most popular fishing estuaries up and down the East Coast of Australia include the Gold Coast Broadwater and nearby canals, many of the rivers on the North Coast of NSW, Sydney Harbour, Pittwater, Botany Bay and the largest saltwater lake in the Southern hemisphere, Lake Macquarie. Further south and Victoria has some productive estuaries including Port Phillip Bay and Westernport.
There are too many estuaries to name, but rest assured, most are productive fishing locations!
Tactics
If you’re new to fishing estuaries, I’d suggest using bait. Sure, it’s tempting to go into a tackle shop and buy some of these flashy lures you see on the wall. However, it’s best to learn the basics first and it’s also a great way to teach kids the fundamentals of fishing.
My advice is to visit a tackle shop and ask for a basic kit.
You will need a light rod and reel. Spin rods are best and aim for something around the 3-5kg size and about 7 foot long. This could depend on your location and the species available. Again, it’s best to ask your local shop for the best advice in your area.
While you’re there, grab some hooks, sinkers and swivels and learn some basic rigs and knots.
Don’t overcomplicate things at this point. Learn a knot or two and stick to a rig that works.
Sometimes a frozen prawn on a small hook with a small running ball sinker is all you need.
Keep in mind you will want a natural presentation. You don’t want your bait anchored down with heavy sinkers and thick fishing line. Fish light and keep it as natural as possible. If there’s current, let it drift and work like a real prawn. Of course, if the current is too strong, I’d suggest a heavier sinker.
Another bonus with light gear is you can feel every bite. Kids love this aspect of bait fishing and even adults will get a kick with the constant attention to a bait.
Baits include prawns, pilchards, squid and even chicken gut. These are typically frozen and can be purchased in tackle shops and marinas. If you manage it, the fresher the better. Live bait works better than anything. Catching your own prawns, nippers or worms along the shallow flats is a deadly technique and fun in itself.
Species
Basic bait fishing will work on a number of popular species. The most popular and prolific would be bream and that’s closely followed by flathead. These are great targets on bait. Whiting are another popular species and there are several varieties depending on where you live. There are sand whiting in NSW and Queensland and King George whiting in the south. Both have similar feeding habits and require similar techniques. Both also taste delicious!
Other species include tailor, salmon, small snapper and more. As I mentioned above, the species change depending on your location.
Gold Coast fishos even have the chance of mangrove jack, and in more recent years, the odd barra has turned up in the Broadwater and canals around the city.
Lures
Once you have used bait for a while, it’s worthwhile trying some lures. There are many stories and videos centred around this and I suggest going back and reading them for more info.
In basic terms, you should be looking at what species you’re intending to catch and target your approach based on that. You may need more gear, more specialised tackle, and of course, lures that are designed and suited to your target species.
A good start is soft plastics. They’re easy to use and can catch all of the species mentioned above. You can even use scents to attract fish. Many of the same principles apply when it comes to offering a natural presentation and going as light as possible so you can feel the fish bite.
Other lures include hard bodies, metal lures, top water lures, and many, many more!
Time of day
It’s best fishing around dawn and dusk, especially in the more popular areas such as the Gold Coast, Pittwater and Sydney Harbour.
That said, it’s not essential and if you can only fish during business hours, you can still catch fish. Try and find areas away from other boats. Fishing mid week is a also a great way of avoiding crowds and catching more fish!
Find the spot
So you’re in the boat and unsure where to stop and drop anchor or drift for a fish?
Most boats have fishfinders installed and these are very useful. See if you can find schools of fish or even schools of bait. Again, it says to do some further reading or watching on this subject.
Fish love structure and they love to eat. Just like humans. We need food and shelter and that goes for any animal or fish.
Find a drop-off, the area between shallow and deep water. Find rock bars, snags, oyster racks, big rocks, or anything else where a fish can find shelter. Now see if there is bait present. Sometimes it appears as a round cloud on the fishfinder. If all of these things come together you have found your spot.
It pays to just experiment. The more you drift around or cruise around the estuary, the more subtle signs of fish you will find. Like a puzzle, it will slow come together and you will begin to catch fish.
Boats and estuary fishing
Boats are by far the best way to reach fish. Fishing shore based is effective, but the ability to move around an estuary and choose your exact location put you at an enormous advantage. If the fishermen’s biting at one end of the estuary, simply move and find a new spot.
There are few fundamentals to remember. Try and be quiet. If you’re approaching a school of fish, keep your distance. If you’re dropping an anchor, do it slightly up current or up wind and drift back on your spot.
Another factor is to keep the boat clean and organised. The best fishos I know are well prepared and organised. Their boats are spotless and they know where everything is onboard. It really does help!
Join the club
Boats are without a doubt the best way to successfully target fish. That said, boat ownership isn’t for everyone. Most of us are now living in built-up cities and parking space is limited or non-existent. Sure, there are storage options, but they can be over complicated and expensive.
Some of us also don’t like the maintenance and cleaning of a boat after you use it. Then there’s towing. A big boat means you’ll need a big car and not everyone has access to one of those.
There is another option and it’s a good one! Freedom Boat Club is a smart way of enjoying all the benefits of boating and having full access to a fishing boat without the problems listed above.
Freedom Boat Club gives you access on the water while taking all the hassle away and just letting you enjoy the best parts of boating.
I’ve been onboard several Freedom boats at The Spit in Sydney and can vouch for the convenience and simplicity of the process. You literally park, jump on the boat, and go fishing. Another advantage is the choice of boats. Sure, we love fishing, but sometimes your family wants a relaxing day cruising out on the water, simply book a different boat better suited to this style of boating.
Freedom handles the storage, the servicing, repairs, registration, the cleaning and everything else involved in getting the boats ready. It has over 30 boats in Australia in 12 different styles from cruising and enjoying the sun to fishing and an action packed day Wakeboard and tubing. The boats are kept to the highest standard and renewed every 3 years to remain reliable and clean for your adventures.
It offers unlimited Usage (subject to weather and vessel availability). Using an online reservation system and a rolling booking method you can use the boats on planned trips or last minute bookings. You can have four standing bookings at any one time up to six months in advance.
Freedom Boat Club is growing its locations across Australia. Choose from eight locations for your home club. These include Lake Macquarie, Brisbane, two on the Gold Coast at Sanctuary Cove, Main Beach and 5 in Sydney (Bobbin Head, Pittwater, The Spit and Mosman Bay). Globally, there’s also over 410 locations across the US, Canada, and Europe with reciprocal rights at all of these locations as you travel the world and enjoy over 6000 boats.
Safety gear and equipment checks are a daily practise to ensure you remain safe on the water.
Freedom allows you to spend less time queuing at the boat ramp and will have your boat at the end of the jetty, polished up and full of fuel waiting for you to go fishing.
Fishing World
Scott Thomas