Have a healthy respect for cray
WITH good weather upon us, quite a few ventured forth and welcomed the opening of the cray season, with many good fish caught.
Of course, we are all aware of the closure or the continued closure of southern and eastern regions, but for those who are prepared to travel, good cray can be caught.
Many are saying that it’s a conspiracy, but it’s not.
Rest assured the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and the Health Department take human safety very seriously, and the toxic bloom that affects the algae that in turn is consumed by shellfish can kill humans and has done so.
The zones that remain closed are: Central East Zone; Maria Island Zone; Lower East Coast Zone; and Storm Bay Bruny Zone (including the area west to Whale Head).
Sampling of crayfish and other shellfish is taking place, and an announcement will be made when areas are safe to reopen.
Central Zone, Maria Island Zone and Lower East Zone: With higher readings in these zones, it is planned to sample rock lobster about December 1. However, even if the bloom in this area abates quickly now, depuration from rock lobster takes some time, and with very high PST levels already recorded a significant reduction in PST is needed.
Testing is ongoing weekly CARL HYLAND or every two weeks depending on the area and PST levels.
More information may be obtained at http:// dpipwe.tas.gov.au/seafishing-aquaculture/ sustainable-fisheriesmanagement/biotoxinfishery-events IN other scalefish news, the Margate jetty is a real hot spot, with squid, Australian salmon, warehou and skate all being caught.
The best baits are squid and bluebait.
Soft plastics, spun into the water and allowed to sink to the bottom, are accounting for some good-sized sand flathead.
In the East, Georges Bay is a hot zone for big silver trevally.
A few kingfish are also starting to show their heads offshore.
I’d certainly be trying places such as St Helens Point and Grants Point because some large salmon and trevally have been landed there recently.
Beach action has been good, with some nice salmon and flathead being caught at Swimcart Beach, which is a proven surf fishing zone.
Northern rivers are fishing well, with good sand flathead being caught around the Pilot Station area, but the standout species are calamari squid and King George whiting.
I bang on about whiting, but some of the specimens taken in waters as shallow as two metres are among the largest caught in Australia. In fact, 50cm fish are not uncommon, and they go like freight trains when hooked.
The Rubicon River at the mouth adjacent to Port Sorell is also a hot spot for this species.
One should be fishing in sandy patches located among weed. Good baits are pippis or sandworms, but most prefer squid “candles’’, which are the major tentacles on squid.
One must also remember that whiting predominantly feed on squid eggs, which are stuck in clusters to ribbon weed by the squid until they “hatch’’.