Aal

Hi All,
   I'm looking to get out to Iluka mid March and hopefully for a few days in mid April. Just wondering if anyone has any advice for me for fishing around that time? What should I be targeting?
   How should I be fishing the rock wall? Last time I was there all I was catching were those small annoying eastern kelpfish. I would have thought there would be plenty of bream, or maybe it was just that day.
   I see a lot of articles online of people going for LBG, (macks, longtail tuna), but as always I'm sure it is a lot harder than they make it out to be.
   Any other place between Iluka and Brisbane is also an option if anyone has any other recommendations.
   Have a kayak and a range of gear so can target almost anything. 
 

hey Hamish, thanks for the detailed write up mate. I got to spend 3-4 days in brunswick couple of years back now, and it is such an awesome place. 

Hi All,
   I'm looking to get out to Iluka mid March and hopefully for a few days in mid April. Just wondering if anyone has any advice for me for fishing around that time? What should I be targeting?
   How should I be fishing the rock wall? Last time I was there all I was catching were those small annoying eastern kelpfish. I would have thought there would be plenty of bream, or maybe it was just that day.
   I see a lot of articles online of people going for LBG, (macks, longtail tuna), but as always I'm sure it is a lot harder than they make it out to be.
   Any other place between Iluka and Brisbane is also an option if anyone has any other recommendations.
   Have a kayak and a range of gear so can target almost anything. 
 

i personally don't use any bait from servo, likely been there for so long, it is useless imo
go to local fish shop and buy fresh stuff, my local IGA always has less than month old pillies, and also pump your own yabbies if you can

i personally don't use any bait from servo, likely been there for so long, it is useless imo
go to local fish shop and buy fresh stuff, my local IGA always has less than month old pillies, and also pump your own yabbies if you can

Hi All, 
 Just came back from  a week at Iluka and I had an awesome time. The fishing wasn't the best as the conditions were really tough. Big winds on the beaches and a good sweep made them basically unfishable for the most part. The river was really clear, which was beautiful to see, but meant the fishing was pretty quite. The flatties/whiting haven't shown up in numbers just yet and the bream/tailor were mostly gone, so was basically right in between seasons. You always hear of a few people catching that 95cm flatty etc, but those are the locals with boats etc who have been in the area for years and know exactly where to go and when. Also ran into a guy just plucking out blackfish, what seemed like at will. He reckons it takes about a couple of years to get proficient at it.
 That being said, I still did manage to catch bit more than a dozen or so bream and a flattie. All which tasted pretty good pan fried. Most of the bream were caught up at Browns rocks. The flattie was in the Iluka bay, I must have just luckily dropped a bait right on its head. The highlight would have been the 46-47cm, 1.4kg bream that i caught though, smashed my PB by a long shot and was an awesome fight, went for 2-3 good runs on my light gear. 
  The place wasn't that crowded either, so it was very comfortable.
  Looking forward going back there in the summer for some whiting and maybe next winter to chase that dream jewie.
 

Hi All, 
 Just came back from  a week at Iluka and I had an awesome time. The fishing wasn't the best as the conditions were really tough. Big winds on the beaches and a good sweep made them basically unfishable for the most part. The river was really clear, which was beautiful to see, but meant the fishing was pretty quite. The flatties/whiting haven't shown up in numbers just yet and the bream/tailor were mostly gone, so was basically right in between seasons. You always hear of a few people catching that 95cm flatty etc, but those are the locals with boats etc who have been in the area for years and know exactly where to go and when. Also ran into a guy just plucking out blackfish, what seemed like at will. He reckons it takes about a couple of years to get proficient at it.
 That being said, I still did manage to catch bit more than a dozen or so bream and a flattie. All which tasted pretty good pan fried. Most of the bream were caught up at Browns rocks. The flattie was in the Iluka bay, I must have just luckily dropped a bait right on its head. The highlight would have been the 46-47cm, 1.4kg bream that i caught though, smashed my PB by a long shot and was an awesome fight, went for 2-3 good runs on my light gear. 
  The place wasn't that crowded either, so it was very comfortable.
  Looking forward going back there in the summer for some whiting and maybe next winter to chase that dream jewie.
 

Hi All, 
 Just came back from  a week at Iluka and I had an awesome time. The fishing wasn't the best as the conditions were really tough. Big winds on the beaches and a good sweep made them basically unfishable for the most part. The river was really clear, which was beautiful to see, but meant the fishing was pretty quite. The flatties/whiting haven't shown up in numbers just yet and the bream/tailor were mostly gone, so was basically right in between seasons. You always hear of a few people catching that 95cm flatty etc, but those are the locals with boats etc who have been in the area for years and know exactly where to go and when. Also ran into a guy just plucking out blackfish, what seemed like at will. He reckons it takes about a couple of years to get proficient at it.
 That being said, I still did manage to catch bit more than a dozen or so bream and a flattie. All which tasted pretty good pan fried. Most of the bream were caught up at Browns rocks. The flattie was in the Iluka bay, I must have just luckily dropped a bait right on its head. The highlight would have been the 46-47cm, 1.4kg bream that i caught though, smashed my PB by a long shot and was an awesome fight, went for 2-3 good runs on my light gear. 
  The place wasn't that crowded either, so it was very comfortable.
  Looking forward going back there in the summer for some whiting and maybe next winter to chase that dream jewie.
 

Hi All, 
 Just came back from  a week at Iluka and I had an awesome time. The fishing wasn't the best as the conditions were really tough. Big winds on the beaches and a good sweep made them basically unfishable for the most part. The river was really clear, which was beautiful to see, but meant the fishing was pretty quite. The flatties/whiting haven't shown up in numbers just yet and the bream/tailor were mostly gone, so was basically right in between seasons. You always hear of a few people catching that 95cm flatty etc, but those are the locals with boats etc who have been in the area for years and know exactly where to go and when. Also ran into a guy just plucking out blackfish, what seemed like at will. He reckons it takes about a couple of years to get proficient at it.
 That being said, I still did manage to catch bit more than a dozen or so bream and a flattie. All which tasted pretty good pan fried. Most of the bream were caught up at Browns rocks. The flattie was in the Iluka bay, I must have just luckily dropped a bait right on its head. The highlight would have been the 46-47cm, 1.4kg bream that i caught though, smashed my PB by a long shot and was an awesome fight, went for 2-3 good runs on my light gear. 
  The place wasn't that crowded either, so it was very comfortable.
  Looking forward going back there in the summer for some whiting and maybe next winter to chase that dream jewie.
 

thanks for the help, will let you all know how i go.

thanks for the help, will let you all know how i go.

@Cmaltby hey mate, any advice for fishing the river? From Brisbane and was thinking of heading up there for a few days in September. Not sure what would be good to target round that time.

thanks mate, looks like it is worth while then. I will be land based. (although might look to see if there is a tinnie hire). Any common spots you could recommenced for me to start off with? I've read online that apparently end of Goodwood Island Road is good for flatties? and that there are yabbies around there? 
I know nets are not allowed in NSW, can I buy a bait trap at the bait shop or anything for livies?

I have some time off end of September and looking for a trip. I was wondering if you guys have any advice for Iluka around that time? Kind of in between seasons so not sure what one would target?