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Australian Bonito Fishing — Newcastle & Lake Macquarie Guide

Peak season right now

Pocket rockets off the breakwalls. Incredible speed, great bait. Better eating than most people think IF handled correctly. Brain-spike, bleed, ice immediately. Remove the large bloodline (about half the fillet). Excellent as sashimi or seared rare. Also one of the best cut baits for kingfish and mulloway - keep a few for bait.

Sight Hunter: Pelagic sight hunter - needs clean ocean water to spot baitfish schools

Where to Catch Australian Bonito

Newcastle

Stockton Breakwall (End)
Dec-Apr (when ocean temps hit 20°C+)
Nobbys Breakwall (End)
Dec-Apr (when ocean temps hit 20°C+)

Tackle & Setup

Rod & Reel

Rod 7-9ft medium spin, 6-10kg, fast action (fairly rigid for casting metals)

Reel 3000-4000 size spin reel with fast retrieve ratio

Mainline 15-20lb braid (PE 1.0-1.5)

Why Need casting distance to reach schools from rocks/breakwalls. Fast retrieve ratio essential - bonito want SPEED.

Leader

Material Fluorocarbon

Strength 20-30lb (10-15kg)

Length 1-1.5m

Why Fluoro handles their abrasive mouths. No wire needed but they will fray light leader.

Lure Recommendations

Name	Colour	Size	Note
Halco Twisty	Chrome, Blue/Silver	20g, 30g, 40g	BCF stocks. The classic bonito lure. Cast far, wind FAST.
Metal slug/jig	Pilchard pattern, Silver	18-40g	Any casting jig works. Speed is more important than brand.
Nomad Madscad	Silver Green Mackerel	95mm	Sinking stickbait for when they're feeding sub-surface.

Using Australian Bonito as Bait

Bonito strips are among the finest cut baits available

Kingfish Cut strips behind skirts or Sea Witches, trolled along structure. Cut to resemble 4-8 inch flying fish profiles.

Mulloway Large fillets (15cm x 6cm) fished on running sinker rig on the bottom at night.

Handling Must be bled and iced IMMEDIATELY to maintain quality for bait use.

How to Catch Australian Bonito

Technique

Basic

Scan for bust-ups (birds diving, surface splashing). Cast metals into the school and wind as fast as humanly possible. If you think you're winding fast enough, wind faster.

Advanced

At dawn, try topwater stickbaits walked across the surface. As sun rises, switch to sub-surface metals and jigs. Fish the current lines where fast water meets slow off breakwalls.

Retrieve

MAXIMUM SPEED. Bonito are one of the fastest fish in the sea. Slow retrieves get ignored.

Presentation

Match lure size to the baitfish present. 20-40g metals cover most situations.

Pro Tips

They arrive when ocean temps hit 20°C+ (typically December) and stay through to April/May
Nobbys and Stockton breakwalls are the prime land-based spots
Dawn is prime - schools push in close to structure chasing bait in the wash
Watch for "bust-ups" with birds - bonito smash bait on the surface
Incredible fighters for their size - expect screaming runs and blistering speed
Bleed immediately by cutting gills, ice well - flesh goes grey fast without proper handling
As sashimi they're fantastic IF brain-spiked and bled instantly. Remove the large bloodline.
Keep some for cut bait - bonito strips are deadly for kingfish and mulloway

Best Time to Fish

Best Time of Day

Dawn (5-8am)

Best Tide

Strong tidal flow

Peak Season

December, January, February, March, April

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Size & Bag Limits

None

Min Size

Bag Limit

NSW DPI full regulations →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I catch Australian Bonito in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie?

The best spots for Australian Bonito include Stockton Breakwall (End), Nobbys Breakwall (End). Peak season runs December to April. At Stockton Breakwall (End): Dec-Apr (when ocean temps hit 20°C+). Key spots: Nobbys Breakwall, Stockton Breakwall, Merewether rock platforms, Bar Beach headland.

What is the best time to catch Australian Bonito?

Australian Bonito fish best at Dawn (5-8am). Best tide: Strong tidal flow. Peak season: December, January, February, March, April.

What bait and lures work best for Australian Bonito?

Top lures: Halco Twisty, Metal slug/jig, Nomad Madscad. Use a 7-9ft medium spin, 6-10kg, fast action (fairly rigid for casting metals).

See which spots are firing right now for Australian Bonito and more.

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