The jig is up for local squid

HOW good is the internet for fishers? I viewed a post the other day, where a younger angler wanted some advice on how to capture a species of fish from the East Coast.

Such was the response, it left everyone scratching their heads. However, types of bait, names and brands of lures, and even what type of line would best be suited were offered by helpful anglers. I will follow up the outcome and see if any of the suggestions worked.

Being an older angler, I had to learn – usually by mistakes – what works and what doesn’t. I mean, the internet wasn’t available back then and we relied on our friendly general store or mates to supply us with information.

Now, if you have a large trout looming in front of you and it won’t take anything, you just hop on your phone, post your problem and you can usually get a response within minutes. Nothing wrong with that, but it does take the fun out of it.

Another problem that has arisen from publishing information is the chance your area can become a “hotspot”. Not so much for you, but every person out there who is looking for a location to go to try to catch the big one. Now without stating the obvious, there is no good rushing to the spot where the big one was caught; it most likely has been removed or relocated and your chances of catching that same big fish are fairly remote.

While you may get some gear from sponsors or a great number of “likes” in the short term, it means that you are also giving away your secret spot.

There is one good thing about modern technology – you can now edit out your

backgrounds, so you can have that trophy shot but no background, or you can substitute your own, which is a great way to throw followers off the scent, so to speak.

Many good locations have now become spots that are unfishable, not only because of the amount of people fishing there, but the popularity means the whole world now knows about it.

Our secluded, private spots are rapidly becoming no more. The internet is certainly a wonderful tool but be careful what and where you post.

Notable captures last week included mako sharks out of Eaglehawk Neck, plus a couple of blue sharks and makos off Bridport.

There were quite a few good snapper captures reported as well, with a nice specimen caught off Bicheno.

Australian salmon are huge off Eddystone Point at the moment.

According to a reliable source, one such specimen was allegedly 59cm long with a vivid green back. Perhaps it was a West Australian salmon, which visit us regularly in large schools. Anyway, it took a large silver slice and the next fish, which was even bigger, and after deciding he liked the lure that much, the big fish kept it.

Bream fishing is popular with anglers using all manner of bait, lures and even flies in the Swan River. But I still reckon the best bait are the local pretty fish. Anything that looks like the small fish in size or shape will get the job done.

Great Oyster Bay is a hotspot for calamari squid at this time and I am told vivid smaller orange jigs are favoured by the cephalopods. There is also good squid fishing to be had along the rocks off Seascape Drive at Tam O’Shanter Bay.

Good luck out there and don’t forget that if you catch something you were impressed with, send your fish pics to readerspics@fishtas.com