September was a great fishing month on the rocky headlands of the Bundjalung National Park at Iluka. The winds were often from the north or north west with an occasional south westerly/easterly change for a day or two. The westerly element helped to flatten the swell during the early morning fishing sessions. Through the day the wind built up to a stronger and stronger northerly. This would often dirty the water up and make fishing in the afternoons more challenging.

During the transition through our short spring to summer the fishing can be difficult. There were plenty of flathead, tailor and flounder in the river but the bream fishing was the stand out, both in the Clarence River and off the headlands. As the weather warmed up, the local snake population was also on the move looking for mating opportunities. Apparently, lying in the middle of the road is a favourite pastime for horny pythons.

The mulloway/jewfish were everywhere, especially 40 to 60 cm fish. I am concluding through experience that light and tide changes are a big factor in their decision to feed. Early starts and first light fishing produced the best fish for me. Over the month I caught 12 legal sized keeper mulloway, between 70cm and 86cm and perhaps 40-50 smaller fish. I also missed plenty of fish after heavy runs and pulled hooks. I kept a few of the bigger fish I landed for supper but returned 90% of my catch to the water.

I was generally fishing with the lighter of my two rock fishing rods – the Daiwa Saltist X MH962 matched with my Daiwa Saltist 10000 size reel. I was running 40lb braid and usually a 40 or 50lb fluorocarbon leader down to a 10 gram to 20 gram jighead and a big GULP soft plastic. I am not sure that colour is important but a higher contrast between two colours seems to work well. I think this is the secret to the success of the Nuclear Chicken and Lime Tiger colours that I like to fish with. I like to use the 6 inch Squid Vicious pattern GULP soft plastic out on the headlands.

The biggest fish I landed came three days and four days after the full moon, respectively. However I tangled with a couple of fish I couldn’t stop just a few days after the new moon at the beginning of the month.

Another great month of fishing in Iluka.