Des

Thanks Adrian. Always very interesting to be aware of the many different factors effecting fish behaviour. As you would be aware I do all my fishing wading shallow water sand flats casting lures. I very rarely use bait these days. I have always felt there were parallels and similarities to wading for trout. Something that requires a far bigger effort that I am prepared to give here in S.A. Regardless I like eating Yellow Fin Whiting and Flathead too much !!! I am waiting for the upper gulf waters to get back over 13c before I get back into it. And if the bloodworms are running

So you have an imposed closed and open season for trout? With drivers I am referring to natural seasonal triggers and stimuluses that get the fish firing. assuming they go dormant in winter. So things like a certain temperature ... which may also coincide with the natural availability of food. A hatch of a particular insect. Natural stimuli, triggers, drivers of fish behaviour.

What do you regard as your regular season? And what are the drivers for it? I am hanging out for things to warm up in the gulf and on the sand flats A very cold winter spell currently that will delay things. At 11C and possibly cooler in spots one of the coldest spells https://oceancurrent.aodn.org.au/product.php

Picture perfect there! Absolutely beautiful shots Adrian.

Those Eastern states Dusky Flathead can be prolific at times. All those coastal rivers and lakes along with better water temperatures really suits them fine. Our Southern Blue Spots are a lot tougher gig. You sure are enjoying your move, with all aspects of your fishing. Cheers, Des

CLOUDY BUT FINE !!! I felt tentative on the second day of my recent 2 day fishing trip when it was overcast and heavy with cloud. We have just come out of the Yellow Fin Whiting Lure season where we enjoy the best fishing on sunny days. Yellow Fin Whiting Lure fishing is always better in sunshine. I can’t nail any precise reason for it, but I assume it is about the YFW seeing their prey easily and then chasing it down in those conditions. Interesting that we never hear of successful Lure caught YFW at night. However plenty of good YFW are regularly caught at night on bait. On t

The best I have taken is an 81cm “Southern Blue Spotted Flathead”. Back in the day when I was not as aware of the breeding aspects. The Eastern States Dusky Flathead is a bigger species. So 81cm for a Blue Spot is in the upper end of its size range.

Mark, It is always the Food stupid! ... the saying borrowed from political campaigns ! I am sure you will get my drift So it is all about the best conditions for the baitfish. Always follow the baitfish. The falling Tide is best. The baitfish retreat and congregate in weedy areas. Flathead follow and also congregate. I don't get as many on the incoming tide. Too Windy. Little baitfish need protection and head out deeper or into sheltered deeper channels. Too Cold. Deeper water is warmer than the chilly shallows for the sensitive baitfish. And this also applies with

Always so picturesque in your part of the world. Catching fish is a bonus

For the Yellow Fin Whiting Lure fanatics it is time for the withdrawal symptoms to start setting in, as the water temperatures start dropping. Fortunately there is some pain relief, in chasing a few Flathead on lures. Autumn brings a transition for the sandflats lure fisherman. YFW surface lure fishing drops off. Flathead lure fishing picks up. The “Southern Blue Spotted Flathead” becomes more prolific on the sandflats of the Northern SA Gulfs. . And it is the large accumulation of SEAGRASS WRACKS at this time of the year, along with the change in temperature, that starts i

Hi Mark OSP Bent Minnows 76mm or similar: Assist Hooks Size 4: https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/atomic-trick-bitz-assist-hooks-no-skirt Single Hooks Size 4: https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/bkk-imp-inline-single-hooks OSP Bent Minnows 106mm or similar: Size 1: https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/atomic-trick-bitz-assist-hooks-no-skirt Single Hooks Size 2: https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/bkk-imp-inline-single-hooks Rapala Shadow XRap SXR12 120mm or Atomic HARDZ SLIM TWITCHER 110mm Size 1: https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/atomic-trick-bit

The sandflats north of Adelaide, at the top of both the SA gulfs, hold some unique terrain and ecosystems. At low tide, these sandflats can drain out for over 2 kilometres. The tidal movements are, over 3 meters in St Vincents Gulf and upto 4 metres in the upper Spencers Gulf. The water temperature ranges from 11C to 25C. Typical of shallow, protected water bodies, it is a highly productive ecosystem holding a lot of fish and marine life. It is home, for two of my favourite fishing targets, the “Southern Blue Spotted Flathead” -Platycephalus speculator and the “Yellow Fin Whiting” -Sil

Good to know there are a few about the metro beaches. Try keeping your bait moving. YFW love a moving bait. So cast and slow retrieve. Or alternatively walk out to the sand bank in upto waist deep water. Then slowly walk along the sandbank trolling your bait some distance behind you. You will have them, chasing, tapping and soon striking your bait. Good Luck

I never bothered targeting them But I would see people on my evening walk. More often on warmer days. Not sure if the fishers were cooling off by the river or the Carp are more active then Good Luck

STOCK DEPLETION of Yellow Fin Whiting ~ A Summary of Conversations. . I have engaged in a few recent conversations with many longtime Yellow Fin Whiting fishermen since my previous post: “A Threatened Species” … https://www.facebook.com/groups/1383810555282311/posts/3589648064698538/ They are experienced, talented fishers, with well established records, detailed in their many fishing reports in past fishing forums. Stretching back well before the days of Facebook fishing groups. They have all been unanimous in their observations of a steep decline in YFW catches.