It’s down to the wire

ANGLERS fishing Bull Bay in the South tell of some good captures of sand flathead and vast amounts of undersize couta.

The couta are being found at just about every location, so if you value your lure intended for salmon or other species, a wire trace would be the order of the day.

The small couta are excellent bait for gummy or snapper and will keep well if frozen. Trumpeter Bay could be worth a visit if chasing gummies or perhaps King flathead, which are already CARL HYLAND on the move.

Sea trout and bream are about, following whitebait and laying in ambush along grass verges in the Derwent.

The same applies in the Swan River where good captures of Australian salmon are occurring and while not large the average size of 42cm is enough to keep local anglers happy.

Bream anglers are not forgotten with quite a few being taken at haunts along the Swan River, and I’m told that the large deep holes are where they are laying up.

Shallow waters in the area shouldn’t be overlooked either with quite a number being taken on a white clouser fly recently.

In the North, the Tamar is still fishing well particularly for land-based anglers at Low Head who have been taking big snook on spun silver slices.

In the mix are huge Australian salmon and around the corner off East Beach, calamari squid are on the move and can be taken with just about any jig.

King George Whiting are at Kelso, She Oak Point and in the Rubicon River. I’d be trying east of Low Head as well particularly grass beds where squid are likely laying or have laid eggs.

Tasman Bridge anglers fared well during the last week with captures of bream, jackass morwong and a few unwanted species such as toad fish being on the catch list. I’ve noticed that toadies have a love for soft plastics and will often bite the tails from your lures before you even know they are there.

Offshore at Eddystone striped tuna are popping up, so too around Mussleroe Bay where here the lobster season also seems to be progressing well. Along the Eastern shores, albacore are present and so too are striped tuna still in great numbers.

In news from Parks and Wildlife, they have advised that the road to Nineteen Lagoons is now open.

Lake Augusta Rd is now open to regular traffic for day use only. Lakes and tracks north of Lake Augusta Rd are open to visitors and fishers for day use only.

Pillans Track remains closed and overnight camping within the 19 Lagoons area is not permitted at this stage.

Lakes and tracks south of Lake Augusta Rd from Thousand Lakes Lodge through to the Pine River remain closed due to continuing firefighting operations.

Please drive to the conditions and be aware that firefighters are still actively using Lake Augusta Rd for firefighting operations.