Jewies, Murray cod and more for NSW anglers

WELCOME to a new year of fishing.

I am extremely excited because the new year gives us a chance to take last year’s experiences and use that knowledge to give us a better understanding and hopefully land a lot of new PBs. One of the main things I learnt from a young age is to keep a fishing diary. It helps so much, especially when trying to figure out fish patterns and timing, especially if you’re anything like me.

One day I could be fishing for bream and next day mulloway (jewies) and then Murray cod. Without a diary it can be impossible to remember it all. Plus, I can transfer that knowledge year after year to adapt and update the diary with new techniques that worked or didn’t. I will write down the successful (or not) lures, baits, colours, times, tides, moon phase and more because the more we know, the greater our chances to be able to land a new PB or species we have been hunting for. So if you haven’t got a fishing diary, I really recommend giving it a go.

This year has started as a cracker. I pulled the diary out and focused on targeting jewies. They are tricky fish for most to crack the code on, especially when it comes to successful lures, live bait and locations. Once you land a jewfish it gets much easier to repeat the process, hence a diary really helps. Our local waterways are firing on all cylinders and producing awesome jewie catches that will continue for a while yet. My mate Scotty and I are focusing on using live bait in our local waterway in Newcastle NSW, mainly because the jewies here are a bit more susceptible to livies over lures.

I’m not saying you can’t catch them on a lure but I’ve found over the years of fishing here that larger jewies are more likely to take livies. Scotty has been racking up an average of three jewies a trip, with most landed on a run-in tide. Jewfish and bass will be our main focus for the next two or so months, with both on absolute fire. The surface and subsurface bite is on for bass, especially when the sun goes down. It makes for an unforgettable night. And the brute size and pulling power of jewies is just unreal. You can’t ask for a better way to start a fishing season in my opinion.

One of the best products I got my hands on in late-2018 was Hell Yeah Chatterbaits. I’m so impressed I’m declaring them my all-time favourite chatterbaits. They come in three sizes to suit chasing everything from Murray cod right down to finesse fishing for bass. These chatterbaits come in a range of colours rigged with either Keitech plastics, Hammer plastics or Entice Bungee Baits. Best of all, they run weedless Owner hooks, allowing the lure to be fished in heavy coverage and structure. When fishing with these lures, your confidence level skyrockets because not worrying that you’re going to get snagged every cast allows you to focus more on hooking fish.

These chatterbaits are already gaining a huge following and scoring amazing catches. They are a hit and the new year is looking so good for Hell Yeah Chatterbaits. You can follow them on Facebook or Instagram to see what all the fuss is about @Hell Yeah Chatterbaits and #HellYeahChatterbaits.

I have also been trying out a Murasame Bream X 7’7”, 2-6lb Ultra-Light Spin two-piece rod. I have been working very closely with fellow Viva Fishing pro staff fisho Jason Taylor. There is so much potential for this rod and product testing has showed it to be fantastic on the boat and flats. It’s a casting demon too, with plenty of finesse as well as power.

This rod is being developed with input from our New Zealand mate Malcolm Bell to adapt and suit his trout fishing exploits where he needs to cast ultra-light baits great distances while handling heavier plastics and hard-bodies. We are so excited and can’t wait to announce the launch date but a little bit more testing is needed, so I will keep you updated.

This year is shaping up to be so exciting and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings our way. I hope you all had a fantastic festive season and I’ll speak to you again next month, hopefully with more great fish to show you. You can follow our adventures on Facebook @2 Mates Fishin or Instagram #Caino2MF.

Until next time, tight lines.