Warmer waters bring northern species Down South | Fishing & Diving
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Tim Matthews celebrates a good day out with a couple of catches.
A harlequin fish for Jean Schmidt collected off the coast this month.
Brad Staker with a pink snapper caught recently off the coast.
Peter Stonehouse is stoked with this baldchin groper.
A recent increase in water temperature has brought with it captures of species usually found further to the north of the state.
Several Spanish Mackerel have been caught around the capes area in the last week and bottom fishers have reported captures of Baldchin Groper.
One Spanish Mackerel was even caught off the Busselton Jetty. Time to break out the trolling lures and try to get amongst them.
The bottom scene has been inconsistent with some bagging out and others left wanting, however some big Dhufish have been landed in the last couple of weeks.
Plenty of Pinkies have been reported as well.
The waters off Augusta and Hamelin Bay have been fishing the best. Yellowtail Kingfish have been in numbers around their usual haunts.
These are premier sportfish which can be targeted using a wide variety of methods.
Trolling minnow lures around reefy areas is an effective way of targeting them and you might even pick up a Mackie as well.
The area of the Blackwood around Alexandra Bridge has been fishing well for Black Bream, including some fish of a respectable size.
They have been falling to both baits and lures with small hard bodied lures such as Ecogear SX-40’s having been stand outs.
Yellowfin Whiting have been thick inside the estuary at Augusta and on the flats around Geographe Bay.
Bait fishing with prawns and worms works very well for this species however an exciting and addictive method of catching Whiting is to chase them with small surface lures.
Imitating a fleeing prawn, these small lures elicit surprisingly aggressive strikes from the humble whiting. If you’d like to give this method a go, come in and see us for more information.
The shore fishing appears to have quietened down a little, although there have still been some decent sized Mulloway landed.
Some Tailor have been showing up as well, including some larger models. There have been plenty of Herring around in the usual places.
Crayfish have been in closer to shore with the warmer water and both divers and those putting out pots have been getting good numbers.
Those collecting Abalone have been getting a few as well. Spearos have reported some nice shallow water catches of demersals, particularly in those harder to reach locations.
The marron season has come to a close and from all reports those who put the effort in came away with some good hauls. This fishery will be closed until January next year.
We are now stocked up on River 2 Sea Ultimate Squid soft plastics. These extremely realistic squid imitations have been in hot demand around the country and have been selling fast. Get in quick if you’d like to give them a run.
Until next month,
Steele Hawken
Down South Camping and Outdoors
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Margaret River Mail
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