Jamie Coates
A MISERABLE weekend of weather across the South East was not enough to keep the keen anglers away.
Those who do not mind a bit of rain found some reasonable fish right across the board.
Despite all the boats offshore over the weekend, there were only a handful of barrels caught I have heard about.
The hot area still seems to be that 18-40m zone and if you can find the bait fish, generally the predators are not far behind.
Live baiting has become more popular this season as we start seeing more boats fishing in the same area.
Jigging up the live baits on bait jigs, pitching them into a bait ball and hanging on for dear life is my kind of fun.
However, the trollers are still finding fish too.
The weapons of choice have been mixed between manufacturers but the style is all similar – 8-10 inch, bullet or smoker heads and spreader bars.
The school fish are in no shortage of supply, with most boats finding countless numbers over the weekend.
Jamie Widdison took the young boys out on the weekend and between the three lads they managed to land 12 school tuna and even had a crack at a much bigger fish that just was no to be.
There is not a lot of bottom fishing news from the past week but that is largely due to the weather being only just good enough to troll.
We will see some better weather soon, and I am sure the bottom bouncers are all looking forward to that.
The salmon news from this week has all been from the Beachport and Canunda areas.
Fish to a kilo and a bit from the salmon hole have been fairly common, with the odd one nudging 2kg or better.
Flicking lures is the pick of ways to get into them – you can cover a bit more ground that way.
The baitos are still finding their fair share too – pilchards or squid strips are a good way to go and a simple paternoster is the pick of rigs.
The fishing at Carpenter Rocks has been hard going.
Between weed, clear water and a big mob of seals who have moved in down there, things are tough.
There has been the odd fish caught by the bait fishos in the eastern end of Redrock Bay towards the Yacht but they are not big numbers.
Nene Valley has seen a few fish this week and much like Beachport, they are predominately that 1-1.5kg average sized fish.
I am sure there is the odd bigger fish out there with them but you have to fish through the smaller ones.
A few anglers have targeted the mullet in the shallows this week and had good success.
In the corner of Bucks Bay, Pelican Point and Blackfellows Caves have been productive but any sheltered bay with a bit of weed and sandy bottom should produce a feed.
Get the burley in the water and you should not struggle too much.
Garfishos, much like the mullet anglers, have been finding some good numbers this week.
The usual hunts such as Petrefied Forest, Cape Douglas and Livingstons – when the weather allows – have all been fairly reliable.
The size has been a talking point here in the shop more so than numbers.
When the fish are bigger-than-average size, you do not need 20 of them.
There have been a few locals heading down to the Valley Lake chasing carp.
They are not really good for too much but are a great fight and really put in.
The flat grassed area to the left of the boat ramp is a good spot to fish and sweet corn or bread is a simple and easy bait to use.
Fish in the lake can get up to 10kg or more but most recently have been anywhere from 500g through to 4-5kg, so great fun.
If you do get a few, chuck them in the bins up there, or take them home and dig a hole in the veggie garden and bury them.
They make a very good fertiliser to get ready for the upcoming spring veggie season.
The Glenelg River can be a frustrating place.
Just when you think the bigger mulloway have turned up and they will be a bit easier to catch, they completely go missing for most anglers.
There was a handful of reasonable fish caught late last week and earlier this week.
Anglers in the know were thinking it was the start of the big run but for most over the weekend, that was not the case.
There have been on or two caught I know about and they have been spread out but with a bit of rain forecast and the weather looking like it will settle nicely towards the back end of the week, things look pretty good for this coming weekend.
The bream and perch have not slowed down at all.
They have been in excellent numbers right along, so if you are chasing those, you should do well.
Light winds, easing seas and good tides this weekend are all a big thumbs up.
Those who have been waiting for a break in the weather will no doubt hit the water this weekend.
Let’s hope they have got it right.
Until next week, safe fishing.
