Winter is here and hasn’t it let us know with some very wintery weather to start with. The long weekend is also almost here and the weather looks like it will be clearing up by Friday and conditions look really good for fishing. The fishing has been really good when you can get out there with some good catches reported.
Salmon and Flathead catches have been excellent and Whiting are improving on the eastern side now as spawning season is starting to finish up. Offshore fishing has also been great with big Nannygai, Blue Morwong Sharks and then many are waiting for the big Tuna to arrive, hopefully they won’t be too far away.
The Elliston Salmon comp has also started and it should be a good.
Here’s what has been biting over the last week.
Elliston
Salmon are going to the main target here most fishers in the Elliston and looking to visit Elliston. Salmon can be found at all 4 main beaches in the area from Sheringa to Mt Camel. Light winds and low swell are the key to being successful. There are monster Flathead here also on the more sheltered beaches and rock areas close to Elliston. Many 60cm plus and when the wind is blowing too hard for Salmon in the surf you can chase Flathead in the calmer areas.
Big squid are also a bonus off of the jetty and Tommies as well. Flathead, Salmon, Whiting and Squid can also be caught the further west you head towards Ceduna.
Coffin Bay
More big Flathead caught this week with one of the best going 69cm that we know of, soft plastics are the go with the Daiwa Bait Junkie 5inch Jerk Shad in creaming soda, Arma Paddle Tails and Jackson Bone Baits are just some of the best plastics are cleaning up on the Flathead. There are many areas worth trying including Frenchman’s, Little Douglas, Dutton Bay and between Point Sir Isaacs back to Longnose and there are also many other areas some right in close to Coffin Bay, you just have to have a line in the water.
Whiting are going well with good Whiting fishing right in close to town and out to Farm Beach. Gummy Sharks are also keeping fishers busy late in the afternoons and into the night with plenty there to be caught.
Farm Beach Whiting are in their prime right now with some good-sized fish going over 40cm trying Z-Man plastic worms have been working well on the Whiting in the shallow areas at Farm Beach.
Offshore fishing has been great for big Nannygai with some rippers out there once you get past Sir Isaacs. School sharks also are in good numbers and most crews heading out usually catch one or two. Blue Morwong also are on the cards and there are also still reports of small Tuna lingering around Rocky Island.
For Salmon, Convention Beach and Greenly still sound like the best areas but they should also be at Gunyah and Almonta beaches also.
Port Lincoln
Whiting fishing is starting to improve now with better catches reported this week, just about all reports are boat reports for Whiting and in the bays the North Shore and the Proper are the places to be. There will still be Whiting in Spalding Cove and also at Boston Island, there is still some good sized Snook around and also a few big Crabs still hanging around.
Further down the coast Whiting have improved at Thistle and Taylors, there are some good Whiting here in the high 40cm mark. Vexed Micro Meat jigs have been outstanding on the Whiting in these areas, the brighter the colour the better for the Whiting. A good sign here is the amount of Squid that have showed up chasing up hooked Whiting and just swimming around the boat. Hopefully we have good numbers of Squid around again soon. There are also some big Gummy Sharks on these Whiting grounds around the 20kg mark.
Offshore there are some big Nannygai on the reefs and some good sized Blue Morwong, School Sharks and there should be some Samson fish also on the reefs. Vexed Bottom jigs have been the way to go and the Buku Flutter Bombs also work very well. No news on the Tuna but hopefully they won’t be too far away.
For Salmon, Sleaford is once again very good for and there are schools of fish all along the coast here, you just have to have good weather conditions to have a good trip. With the wild weather this week beach conditions would have changed something to be mindful of and there is most likely lots of rock exposed on the beaches.
Tumby Bay
Some nice Flathead have been pulled in from the beaches south of Tumby Bay this week and there’s sure to be plenty more out to catch. Boat fishers are able find plenty of Garfish around in close and Whiting and Snook also from the inshore grounds. No news from the Group this week but there are sure to be plenty heading out there for the long weekend. The fishing should be much better with the bulk of the Whiting finishing up spawning. Snook, Garfish and some big Trevally should also be on the bite there.
Port Neill and Arno Bay
Not a lot of news from this area this week but there should also be an improvement here on the Whiting front like most other areas. Garfish are good and also Snook for boat fishers. Jetty fishers should also be able to catch some nice Garfish off of the Port Neill jetty and there are small Salmon from the beaches south of Port Neill. Yellowfin Whiting can be caught within Cowell Harbour now and the numbers should only grow over winter.
TW Port Lincoln Team
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Charlie & Shane Hodgens: Decent Flathead caught from Elliston. |
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Charlie Hodgens: Nannygai caught offshore. |
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Rick Elliott: Whiting & Flathead caught from Port Lincoln. |
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Sophie Sullivan: First time fishing and Sophie has loved every minute of it and caught her 1st Tommie and a Porcupine fish. |
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