Leave the bait at home

Cheryl Kneller of Big river Bait and Tackle in Maclean says leave the bait at home.

The Delauney family get ready to move fishing spots in their boat near Oyster Channel bridge. Photo: ADAM HOURIGAN/The Daily Examiner

IF Cheryl Kneller had one tip for anglers trying their luck in the dirty water currently in the Clarence River and estuaries it would be to leave the bait at home.

It’s not that she doesn’t think it is worth fishing, it’s that she believes lures and soft plastics are a better option in the murky conditions.
Ms Kneller, the co-owner of Big River Bait and Tackle in Maclean, said the river was fishing quite well for flathead, bream and small jewfish from the mouth to about Lawrence, but those fishing with bait in the dirtier water could be kept busy with catfish.
She said that to do well, however, those using traditional fishing methods needed to change their tactics and think about lures and soft plastics.
“If you are not a fair weather fairy you should do okay,” she said.
She said those fishing in the river should look for bottom structures and reefs.
“They’re all producing pretty good fish,” she said.
She said she hadn’t heard a lot about activity offshore, but did have one person come into the store who got a good bag of pearl perch and snapper off Wooli.
She said however that offshore fishermen would need to keep an eye on swells and a forecast southerly change.

Originally published as Leave the bait at home