Jamie Coates
THE sunny South East lived up to its name over the weekend.
Days started foggy and fresh, but once the sun was up, plenty of anglers made the most of the good conditions.
There has been plenty of offshore activity this week, with tuna still the biggest talking point.
Boats from as far as New South Wales have converged on Port MacDonnell to try their luck on the big tuna which are still in decent numbers off the bay.
Fish to 120kg were boated this week on both lures and live baits in that 20-35 metre zone.
There have been countless school fish caught in the same areas and even out wider.
Bottom anglers made the most of the good weather and went about soaking a few baits and from what I have heard, there was plenty to catch.
Out wide over the shelf hapuka have been in good numbers and the size has also been excellent.
In a little closer the shark fishing has been great anywhere from 55 through to 150 metres plus.
There have been a few snapper caught out there too in the mix of other things, which is good to see this time of year.
Those sticking closer along the coast have found nice shark.
School shark have made up the bulk of the news, but I have heard of the odd gummy thrown in too.
Average size has been pretty decent for most, with schoolies anywhere from 12-15kg, up to 20kg plus.
Like usual, there is no secret to catching sharks in the shallows.
Find some nice rubbly bottom, with ledges, drop-offs, weed beds and sandy holes also good.
Keep a constant burley trail going and use fresh baits – that is it.
Garfish numbers have continued to impress.
Nice fish have come from the Cape Douglas and Hutt Bay areas, Pelican Point and Livingstons Bay.
The size is still fabulous and the numbers improve each day.
Waders and boaties are both feeding the families, so there is no benefit to one or the other.
I have only heard reports of the odd stray mullet or salmon trout, so while the gar are thick make the most of it.
Surf fishos have had a tough time with the weed of late.
Floating and on the beach, it has been an issue for most.
Piccininni and Browns Bay have been weedy, but the bottom of the tide has cleaned up enough for an hour or two worth of fishing before it starts to push back in again.
Through Canunda has been the cleanest area of all, with the weed situation usually pretty good thanks to the deeper water.
The fishing has been pretty good through there too.
Salmon have been in good numbers and decent size, while sharks of an evening have been slow, but still about.
I have even heard of a couple of mulloway in the last two weeks – they have been undersize, but still a positive sign.
A few crews have been talking Coorong the last couple of weeks, but the main complaint up there again has been the weed.
If you can find a place away from the weed, you will find plenty of shark and salmon – even the odd mulloway if you are lucky.
The Glenelg River is still hot and cold, but the fish are there.
A few nice fish were boated over the weekend, with reports from the bottom of the estuary, through to the higher reaches around Hutchessons Landing.
Lure trollers have started to find the odd fish now on their hardbodies and swimbaits.
As the water get a bit dirtier over the next month or so, the fish will start to pick up.
Bream and estuary perch have been good again.
Those using lures or bait have shared the success and it does not seem to matter if you are fishing the sand flats of the estuary or the deeper rock walls and snags of the upper stretches.
Gun fly angler Gordon Jeffrey has been boating a few nice bream and perch on his own custom tied flies down in Nelson and kept a couple for the table, while releasing the rest.
The forecast for the weekend ahead looks like it should be fishable at this stage, but keep an eye on the wind and swell if you are heading offshore.
Until next week, safe fishing.
