December Article- Summer is here

Summer has finally arrived, and the Reggies Fishing & Hunting Supplies crew wasted no time pointing the boat south toward Narooma to kick the season off properly. With warm water pushing down the coast and fish on the chew, the plan was locked in fish hard, fish light, and keep it strictly lure based.

Lure trays were stacked with the Reggies favourites: the Snapper Stopper, Jewie Jammer, Bream Basher, Vibing C**T, Cranky C**T, and the ever-reliable Drunk Driver Stickbait a lineup built for covering every part of the water column.

Offshore, the reefs were alive. Snapper were holding deep on structure, and the Snapper Stopper paired with the Vibing C**T proved deadly when worked slowly through the strike zone. A patient lift-and-drop retrieve saw quality reds consistently finding their way to the net. When the current lines started to form, the Drunk Driver Stickbait came into its own, drawing explosive strikes from kingfish that were more than happy to punish a fast-moving surface presentation.

Back inside the estuary, things shifted to a more finesse approach. The Bream Basher and Cranky C**T were standouts around oyster racks and rock walls, producing solid bream on light gear. Precise casts and subtle retrieves made all the difference, especially in clear summer water where presentation is everything.

As the tide pushed across the flats, it was time to work the Jewie Jammer. Slow-rolled along the sand and hopped through drains, it accounted for a stack of flathead sitting in ambush, with that unmistakable “thump” bite keeping the crew locked in all session.

One of the unexpected highlights came fishing deeper edges and reefy structure, where a few juvenile blue groper showed serious interest in the Vibing C**T on the drop. While not the target species, they were a welcome surprise and handled carefully before release.

What stood out across the entire trip was how well each lure fit its role. Whether it was the Snapper Stopper getting down deep, the Drunk Driver Stickbait creating surface chaos, or the Bream Basher locking in estuary bites, the Reggies range covered every scenario Narooma threw at the crew.

It’s exactly what summer fishing should be long drifts, constant casting, and fish caught through working lures, not waiting around. If this trip is anything to go by, the season ahead is shaping up to be an absolute cracker.

— The Reggies FHS Crew