Last week 5000 Australian Bass were released into the Tod Reservoir for the first time these were just fingerlings and in 18-24 months these will be at a catchable size and in 3-4 years some of these will be at trophy fish size for Bass. There will be another 10000 later in the year or this time next year.
There will be plenty of other work happening at the Tod Reservoir and this will be a real asset for the Lower EP and when the wind is blowing like it has been for most of this summer this will be a welcome safe area to fish for all. A big thanks to Rec Fish SA and Premier Malinauskas for making this happen, a decade of hard work has gone into this.
The wind has certainly been a big problem all summer with only a day here and there where it has been good but it is looking better this week with even a good day coming up on Sunday for change.
Here’s what has been biting.
Elliston
Reports have dried up from Elliston as the wind has taken its toll on many fishers and further up the coast towards Ceduna, it’s the same story, the wind has just been blowing too much. Most reports are land based reports and most are very good. Shark fishing between Elliston and Streaky Bay has been very good, there’s plenty of surf beaches and rocky headlands where the wind is at your back and plenty of Bronze Whaler Sharks have been reported, with big and small sharks are there.
There are a few Salmon also at these areas, big Snook too and we have even heard of some decent sized Kingfish swimming past fishers on deep water rock ledges.
Off the jetties between Elliston and Smoky Bay there’s been Squid, Tommies, Whiting, Garfish and big Snook which have been caught on Jackson G-Control lures and the Daiwa Double Clutch lures. Once you get to Streaky Bay there’s Crabs here and also Smoky and Ceduna.
Coffin Bay
In the bays, most of the usual are all there, sometimes they bite well and sometimes it’s slow, but you can expect Snook, Garfish, Tommies, Whiting and a few Flathead, should be starting to show up. Boat fishers and land-based fishers should all be able to get in on the action. Even with the wind there were quite a few reports for Whiting out of Farm Beach, there haven’t been many bad ones, and most boats had Whiting quotas within the hour and decent sized fish with most around 36-37cm and probably the best sized eating fish. The Z-Man worms continue to be very popular for the Whiting as do the Vexed Micro Meat jigs. There are also plenty of Garfish there, Tommies, Snook, Salmon Trout and some Squid, there are a few Gummy Sharks there also and Bronze Whaler Sharks and further north from Coles Point to Point Drummond there’s no shortage of School Sharks.
Offshore reports have been limited with really only one day a week where you can safely get out there and not every area is firing and you will have work for your fish. But we have heard of Kingfish, Samsons, Tuna, Sharks, Nannygai and Blue Morwong, there are some decent fish out there and if the wind drops out enough I’m sure the fish you will work out where they are.
Salmon continue at Gunyah and Almonta beaches with some decent reports of Salmon to 3kg, they are schooled up but are closely followed by Bronze Whaler Sharks and always seem to be on the move.
Port Lincoln
The last couple of weeks has seen an improvement for the Squid with some fishers catching their 6 Squid off of the jetties and a few rock areas around town. Garfish and Snook are also good from the jetties and rock areas around town. The main wharf has a few Salmon and some big Tommies and the odd Whiting.
Boat fishers can find Blue Crabs from a number of areas around the bays with the Proper a good starting area to try. Whiting are a bit scarce but try late in the day they will be around. Garfish and Snook are excellent and not hard to find, use a bit of Tuna oil and bran for the Gars and Snook can easily be caught by trolling lures like the Daiwa Double Clutchs around.
Further down the coast there hasn’t been to many reports due to the wind but the areas down south should be loaded with Whiting. Thistle Island has been excellent recently with plenty of fish there and bag limits caught very quickly. Offshore news has also been limited due to the wind but there are some good Tuna around the 15-18kg mark at Low Rocks, Neptunes and the Cabbage Patch. The best lures have been the Green Buku Skirts and the Halco Laser Pros in the Dirty Harry and Napalm colored lures. There are Kingfish around in these areas also taken on JT jigs and some big Nannygai on the reefs.
On the Sleaford coast once again there are some big schools of Salmon. They are being chased by Bronze Whalers and often well out of casting range and you will need good casting lures like the Jackson Metal Effects and the Arma Nuggets or Flash Harry to be able to reach out to the fish.
Tumby Bay
Only had a few reports from the Group, big Whiting again have been on the bite out there with fish 50cm plus reported, most other fish are in the 40cm range. Like most other good Whiting areas, it doesn’t take too long to catch a quota. There are better reports of Squid from here suggesting an improvement and there is Snook and good numbers of Garfish.
There are some Yellowfin Whiting along the beaches at Tumby with only a few reports of a enough fish to keep lure casters happy. Most have been caught on poppers due to the wind and larger poppers like the Jackson R.A Pop have been one of the better ones in windy conditions.
Port Neill and Arno Bay
Starting with Yellowfin, there’s been some decent numbers again this week caught off of the beaches, lures and baits have all been working. The Vexed 10gram Bottom Worm Jigs are excellent for this area. Squid reports have been average but Whiting, Snook and Garfish are good for boat fishers.
This weeks photos are courtesy of:
Shane Hodgens; Bronze Whaler caught off the Sleaford coast which was tagged and released.
Kuta Bates: A decent Samson fish caught out wide from Coffin Bay.
Charlie Hodgens: Salmon from the Lincoln National Park.
Ziggy Waters – Tuna caught weighing around the 12kg mark
TW Port Lincoln Team
