Metropolitan 30/05/08

Hi Folks, it's been a little while since the last report and the local fishing has been matched by the variable weather we've had of late. Tales of good King George Whiting catches have come and gone; then come again! The local Salmon Trout have frustrated those chasing them from rock-wall to rock-wall, while simultaneously managing to make life very difficult for those trying to catch a Bream or two. Things have slowed considerably on the Snapper front as the water begins to cool more, meanwhile the local Mulloway continue to promise excitement for those anglers willing to put in the hard yards!

Well the cold nights tell us that winter is here, however we have still had plenty of calm days, more like the weather we'd expect in late March-April. This is preventing the local whiting from really turning it on, as they usually do following stormy, windy weather. Despite this, those putting in regular efforts have found the local winter Whiting to be obliging in the late afternoons. The Goannas have produced the biggest, most reliable catches, while those fishing just off St. Kilda have had to move around in order to make bag limits on fish sized between 35-40cm. Elsewhere; fish have been boated from Seacliff and further north right along the metro coast.
Local charters have managed to put customers on to some full bags of KGs near the Norma Wreck, Grange Tyre and other manmade reefs. The reef fish have averaged 31-36cm, still much better than the 29 to 30s that have been plaguing the areas all summer! Cockles continue to be the first go to bait although they are getting even harder to come by. At Salisbury, we've managed to secure a few more at a decent price so you can bag a few whiting and still get change from $10, however the season ends next week so supply will not last forever! Once again I suggest starting to use alternative baits like Squid, Worms and Gulp. Integrating these baits into your repertoire now will soften the blow come mid spring (when cockles will probably be rare and pricy) and you will find whiting have a varied diet and will take a range of offerings. Well enough about whiting, and on to a fish which pulls a little harder!

Salmon schools have been a bit patchy during the past week or so and this to can be attributed to the calm weather, which is not forcing them to school up tightly for safety. That said; good fish to 1.5kgs have been landed by anglers trolling around Outer Harbour and Middle Beach. Others also trolling and casting hard and soft plastic minnows have managed decent fish out from O'sullies and around to the cliffs at Hallett Cove. Most reports indicate that fishing this area is still patchy, but when its calm and the Salmon are quiet, Squid and Snook make up for the lull in action.
For landbased anglers, the rock-wall at St. Kilda has been fairly reliable for Salmon trout with peak fishing times varying between early morning and late afternoon. Many anglers have told me of their frustration at being able to see schools cruise by, with no hits on their baits or lures. Others have managed to pull decent catches using Softplastic minnows like Berkley Dropshots or Squidgy Flickbaits. Using this style of lure is most effective because it allows you to target all depths of the water column and also to cover a lot of ground with the moving bait. Once schools are located, a decent feed (or fun) can often be quickly amassed. The O'sullivans, Outer Harbour and North Haven walls also offer similar opportunities as does the southern edges of Westlakes. For those of you for who winter fishing means donning the waders and heading for your local beach, South Port and Christies beach have produced some worthwhile Salmon Trout and also Mullet and Tommies.

Tommy schools have recently arrived in a big way, but most of the fish are small. They have bordered on being a pest in the Port River where their numbers are huge. Most anglers are just happy to see them back around after being scarce for the past few years. Tommies, or Australian Herring as they are officially called, don't (for the most part) spawn in SA. Recruitment comes from the big breeders which reside in West Australia and the Great Australian Bight. The eggs and juveniles then drift east with water currents to grow up here and then (mostly) swim back! Seeing these small staple fish return is only a good thing. Recently I've managed to pull some decent sized Tommies landbased, by using Smith Towadii Poppers. The smaller fish usually fail to hook up and the bigger ones crash through the school to nail the lure. It's amazing that fishing this way in recent weeks has resulted in good Bream and Salmon Trout as bycatch (Bream, Poppers, May????), and of course the sessions end with a few Tommies for the Smoker too!

For those of you more interested in using Tommies for bait, rather than fishing for them per se, Mulloway continue to provide the chance of a big battle in local waters. Action in Westlakes has slowed a bit on the lure fishing front, though Yakkers should be able to target fish by Dropshotting plastics or down rigging hard bodies. Live baiters have reported baits being stolen, but I've only heard 2 reliable tales of legal fish in the past couple of weeks. Across the road anglers in the Port River have landed small fish around the wharves, while a few bigger fish have been landed up by the Jervois Bridge. Further down, the area around Snapper Point has continued to produce the biggest fish, but anglers who have this area nutted out keep their cards very close indeed. Fishers targeting this area with Gulp down deep have also reported catches of Jewies and Flathead to 2kgs.

Big bream have also been caught when fishing down deep here recently, though apparently they were not biting so well during the SABT Classic last weekend!
More than 20 teams took part, attempting to weigh in 5 live legal fish for each of the 2 days of the competition. Conditions were very tough, with fish spread out, and often holding down deep. Only 35 fish were landed for the entire competition, which makes the winning bag of 7 fish for Team G Loomis a clear standout! Local Bream guru and Down-Deep Expert, Shaun Ossitt and team mate Matt Smith put in a very convincing performance, effectively having the comp won, 3 and half hours after it started! Well done boys! From all accounts the event was still a huge success with a great environment, facilities and of course PRIZES!!! All teams in the top 10 received a prize pack worth around $300, with much more on offer for the top places. The next SABT event is in December, while September will see the holding of the South Australian leg of the ABT tournaments so competitors have some time to sharpen up their techniques!
All Bream fishers, whether your preferred method is bait, lure or fly, can expect to find legal bream a bit harder to nab as the water continues to cool. For those planning to have a flick, try twitching a suspending lure, or working down deep with a lipless crankbait. More and more lipless lures are becoming available to anglers and this winter should provide a good testing ground. The louder ‘rattler' lippies are still taking their fair share of fish; however recent attentions have turned toward ‘silent' vibes such as the Ecogear VXs and Damiki Vaults. These lures are fast becoming proven winners, when the going is tough! Also worth checking out are the lipless Minnow style lures like Smith Shirasu's or Daiwa Lazy's. These thin profiled lures mimic baitfish and can be fished deep, some anglers are having success on them locally, although many are yet to try ‘em. If you fancy a flick with something new this winter drop in and check out our expanded range of Bream lures!

Finally for those less lure obsessed, Westlakes has yielded decent Bream to bait fisho's, especially where deep water can be found close to shore. The odd Trevally and whiting are also on the cards and make things a bit more interesting! Mullet can be pulled from the lake, but a better option is to fish the beaches parallel. Tennyson and Semaphore have morning mullet for those willing to rise when it's still dark and get the burley happening for sunup! Salmon and Tommies often accompany the mullet and there is always the chance of a just legal flathead!

So get out there and brave the cold mornings and evenings; there are plenty of good fish to be caught. Looking at the forecast for the coming week indications point to good stable fishing weather, so there should be ample chance to wet a line. Also, remember much of the local fishery is just waiting for a blow to stir the water up and really turn things on! So, if we have a storm, make every possible effort to fish once waters have cleared and you should be rewarded for your efforts! Finally a reminder that IFISH is back on channel 10 at 12pm on Sundays; this Sunday it will be on so don't miss it! After this week it will take a break (for the Red Bull Air Race) and return on the 22nd of June. Check out ifishtv.com.au for upcoming dates and Foxtel screening times! As always we're keen to hear how your trips go so drop in, drop us a line or send us some pics of your latest catch. Until next time, from the boys at Salisbury Tackle World, tight lines and good fishing!

This Report Provided By Salisbury Dive & Tackleworld