Springing to the hunt

WCARL HYLAND hat’s biting where is a question I and many others get asked at any time of the year — but particularly around heading into Spring.

Many anglers are just leaving hibernation and Show week in the North is usually when those aforementioned anglers start to think about fishing.

Now, unless you have been living in a cave, you would have missed some great fish shots in this very column of late.

Many have been doing it for some time, and with great success. I saw, for example, some awesome fish pics last week of a number of huge fish caught in the wild at the Tyenna River — with all of the fish caught being released.

These were not caught adjacent to any fish farms, but were truly wild trout.

Another river that is fishing well is the Meander in the North with a lot of the piscatorial activity taking place of an early evening and into the night.

For after-dark, when a lot of the big fish move, try Fishcake lures — particularly the black with red dots. Artificial wattle grubs also seem to be performing well.

Woods Lake is the standout water in the Highlands, but don’t write off Arthurs Lake either. Some great fish are starting to show in the many of the shallow weeded areas of the lake.

Lures with green and black patterns on their back seem to be working well — as are the lures that feature purple heads and sometimes clear bellies.

Fly anglers tell of some success also, particularly of an early evening with caddis moth type flies being popular — and in some instances Muddler minnows being the standout fly.

Lake Leake seems to be quiet, yet those who fish it regularly tell of some great captures from here.

Ashley type lures in green black are a good choice for this water and also other nearby waters like Lake Dulverton at Oatlands.

In the saltwater, the calamari action is hotting up. One angler I spoke with last week told of great success near Shear Reef in the Tamar River mouth a couple of weeks ago.

The area around 2 Mile Reef would also be good when the Northern zone re-opens — because for those who don’t know, there is a North Coast closure. All squid species and southern calamari are included in this closure.

Commercially purchased bait can be used. Squid or squid parts taken prior to the closure, or outside the closure area may not be possessed in the closure area.

You cannot possess a squid jig attached to a fishing line during the closure.

This runs until the end of October — and the same applies to the East Coast, with an established long-term season closure that has existed in upper south East Coast waters including Great Oyster Bay and Mercury Passage.

All squid species and southern calamari — including frozen bait — are included in the East Coast closure.

When the season reopens, why not consider reducing the amount of squid you take from now on? The species is considered to be depleting. If nothing is done, and catch rates continue along past trends, then the seasons might close altogether to protect stocks. That’s food for thought!