Fishing club's monster raffle a roaring success

First prize went to Shane Mayberry of Tura Beach, winning the Hobie passport kayak. Second prize was won by Simon Hogg of Victoria, winning a Merida mountain bike. Third prize was won by Aldren Roferos, who was still in town and able to visit the club to claim his prize of a 40-litre Engel fridge/freezer. Fourth prize was won by Kaye Ralph from Victoria, with a Weber Baby Q premium barbecue.

On the fishing scene, outside inshore, the flatty fishing is still producing 40-55cm sand and tiger flathead fishing in depths of 40-55 metres most recently.

There are also a few gummy sharks and flying gurnard being caught in among the flathead. Smaller fish can be found anywhere from 30 metres. You need to fish early mornings, before the winds get up too strong, as there is a steady current running to the north which makes holding the bottom a little harder. Best areas are off the pub at Tathra, Tura Headland, off Long Point and wider at the Pinnacles.

The reefs were fishing really well on Saturday, with plenty of snapper being caught. Fish from 30cm to 50cm being caught off the Merimbula reefs. Lures were a standout for the snapper, with fresh slimy fillets coming in a close second. Sunday was a different story, with snapper very hard to find, but morwong, nannygai and pike were caught.

Our lakes are also fishing very well, with dusky flathead coming on the chew. Also bream, trevally and whiting. All systems are fishing well, Tathra, Merimbula and Pambula. There are still some small kingfish (not legal size) being caught around the Merimbula bridge at the top of the rising tide. Best baits are nippers and tuna strips for bream and trevally, squirt worms for whiting and soft plastics and swim baits for the flathead. Blackfish are still being caught at the wharf in the early mornings.

Salmon and tailor can be found on most beaches, but the entrance of the river at Tathra, Dolphin Cove and North Tura beaches are fishing best. The beaches are shallow, so pilchard baits in the gutters on a rising tide should catch a fish. Spinning on the rocky headlands is also producing good numbers of salmon.

There haven't been any reports from the trout areas this week. Brogo dam is still fishing well on the warmer afternoons and evenings, where good bass are being caught up to 40cm in length. Best lures are 80mm squidgee spinner baits and surface lures on dusk and into the evening.

The game fishing is starting to come to life down our way with the water on the shelf sitting around 22 degrees. Good bait in 80 fathoms and a few marlin seen and caught from Bermagui down to Tathra.