Before the weekend there was a plenty of fishers that headed out before the new bag limit changes came into place. Plenty of fish were caught and even after the new limits came into place after the weekend there still plenty of fishers out on the water.
Many fishers are now starting to look at other available fish and Gummy and School Sharks are high on the list of fishers wanting to target other fish and also Nannygai and Kingfish which are in good numbers right now.
There has also been a lot of interest in land-based fishing as many fishers look to reduce boat time on the water as some areas are now too costly to go to by boat for 5 Whiting. One thing we all have to remember is that there will be added pressure on these different fish species now and that these fish will have to be shared much more equitably between recreational fishers and commercial fishers. We just can’t cut bag limits any more if it applies to one sector as it just doesn’t work.
Here’s what has been biting over the last week.
Elliston
There’s still good schools of Salmon from many of the beaches in the area. Locks Well and Sheringa beaches are the best from what we have heard and good sized fish are available. Smaller fish like Tommies, Whiting, Mullet and Flathead can all be caught in the shallower beaches in the area. Talia beach also has Bronze Whalers and Gummy Sharks available mostly at night.
Further west past Ceduna, beach fishers after Mulloway have reported mostly plenty of Salmon, Tailor and Bronze Whaler Sharks. Mulloway have been slower but are there.
In Streaky, Venus, Smoky and Ceduna you can easily catch a good feed of Whiting, Garfish, Salmon Trout, Snook and Squid, there is plenty on the bite in these areas.
Coffin Bay
Plenty of good reports from this area with good fishing here. Starting in the local bays around town there’s all the usual fish available here including Whiting, Garfish, Salmon Trout, Tommies, Snook and the odd Flathead and all of these species can be caught either land based or by boat. There’s also been some good Gummy Sharks caught here at night around Coffin Bay. The Eagle Rays aren’t yet in extreme numbers so you won’t lose to many hooks.
Farm Beach also has been good for Whiting with good numbers reported out there an there has been good numbers caught on the Z-Man plastic worms and the Vexed micro meat jigs. With the new bag limits now is good time to try something different for Whiting and challenge yourself catching Whiting on lures, you might just be surprised just how good they work. There’s also Garfish, Snook, Flathead, Tommies and Salmon Trout. Gummies and School Sharks are also worth a crack in the deeper water and there should also be some decent sized Bronze Whalers around now if your after something a bit bigger.
Offshore Nannygai and Blue Morwong have been caught and some nice sized fish have been caught on the Vexed bottom meat jigs. Snapper can be a problem and where there is one there are usually a heap more, so don’t waste your time on those areas, catching and releasing these fish, could potentially end up with dead fish.
For Salmon give all the main beaches a crack we haven’t heard of much but there should be some around.
Port Lincoln
Off the jetties there’s been some good Garfish, Squid, Snook and some big Whiting. Louth Bay, North Shields and the town jetty had the best reports, keep an eye out for Kingfish they shouldn’t be too far away. Other good land based reports have come from numerous rock areas around town for Garfish where there are some really big ones getting caught.
Boat fishers loaded up on Whiting before the restrictions came into place on the weekend with fish caught throughout the bays and also down the Passage where the fishing has been much better. There’s also Squid, Snook, Tommies and Garfish for the boat fishers.
Offshore has seen Nannygai, Blue Morwong, Samson fish and Sharks, only a few were able to get out there but the fishing is said to be quite good.
For Salmon the Sleaford coast was loaded with Salmon schools, it looked like an oil slick spread out along the beaches but these were giant Salmon schools with dozens of big Bronze Whaler Sharks feeding up on Salmon. You will need good casting lures like the Arma Nuggets, Flash Harry metal lures or the Daiwa Over There stick baits to reach the schools, sometimes they are just out that little bit further.
Tumby Bay
The fishing sounds pretty good both in close and also out at the group. At the Group there’s whiting, garfish, trevally, snook and squid that can be caught around the Islands. Small Bronze Whaler sharks and also Gummy Sharks can be caught there. In closer for the boat fishers have a crack at the whiting good numbers have been caught, garfish are getting much better and most are as big as they come, snook, tommies and squid also are all available.
Port Neill and Arno Bay
The fishing has been improving weekly with all the key fish species being reported. Whiting, Garfish, Snook and Tommies can all be caught by the boat fishers and those fishing from the shore mostly from the jetties. There are also some Flathead off of the beaches and Yellowfin Whiting should start to show up off of the beaches around Arno Bay and Port Neill. Bronze Whaler Sharks are also active in the area and there are some decent sized ones around for those after something a bit bigger.
TW Port Lincoln Team