Broomes Head - Fishing the Sandon River

[MulletMusketeer]

Thursday

The weather was improving but the swell was still up, so fishing the rocks out in front of Broomes Head did not look like a good prospect. I decided to go and have a look at the Sandon River, just 15 minutes drive to the south. This is small river system with a tidal estuary that has patches of mangroves, sandbanks and weed beds. There are also various submerged structures left over from the long abandoned oyster leases. It is very shallow so there is hardly any boat traffic.

I arrived just on dawn and put on a small Gulp 3â€Minnow soft plastic lure in the Pearl Watermelon colour. It was nearly full moon and the tide was a fairly high one. High tide would be around 8.00 am. The water was running in fast, so I used a 1/6th ounce, size 1 jighead, which sinks fairly quickly. I waded out into about 70cm of water and started to cast around on the sand flats and in between the weed beds. I started at a small bay, by some broken oyster racks, about 1 km from the mouth of the river, on the north shore. The water was crystal clear and schools of good size mullet and whitebait were everywhere. After a few casts I caught an undersized flathead.

I carried on towards the river mouth and as I reached a stretch of Mangrove lined shore, I came upon a large school of Luderick sitting around the Mangrove roots. They weren’t interested in the soft plastic lures, but just beyond them I caught a better size, 44 cm flathead. After a couple of hours, and one more undersize flathead, I gave up. This is a beautiful, pristine river and in calmer conditions, the river mouth would also offer superb rock fishing. I will definitely be back.

If you wish to follow my fishing exploits you can also read my blog at http://landangler.wordpress.com

[ryanyoung]

Nice mate, got any pics?

Ryan.

[mattza13]

gotta love the Sandon. i spend alot of time there each year. Next time you should take a boat as there is a large esturine system associated with it with plenty to do. Also it may only be shallow but the bar is realitvly simple and the southern headland held some decent kingies last christmas.

[maxi]

very very special place with many secrets to unlock. bloody finicky also . hahaaa !!!