Anglers do well despite conditions not always favourable
THE rock and surf fishing has been a bit tricky. When conditions line up the action has been wild, but the sea has been difficult to predict.
The North Coast has seen a lot of good action with both edibles and inedibles. Unfortunately, this past weekend saw lots of weed in the water from the recent rains and big seas. This makes fishing very difficult. However, a good number of edibles were caught while scratching, and some decent inedibles were landed by those looking for that bigger fish.
Pink prawn has been the most successful bait for the scratching fish and has accounted for a number of species. The bigger inedibles have shown a preference for mackerel and redeye combination baits. The beachfront saw plenty of angling action this past week. The blue rays have kept most of the anglers looking for more of a fight happy. Targeting these fish on ultralight tackle is immense fun. Scaling down your tackle also allows you to hone your fish fighting skills.
There have also been very good numbers of edibles along the beachfront. The shad have been the mainstay species, but some decent stumpies have been taken as well.
The blue rays have fancied a sardine bait. Rig this on a 6/0 circle hook and you are in with a good chance.
Make sure to make your bait juicy and tasty for these fish as they love a nice smelly bait. For the stumpies, chokka and prawn are your normal baits, but sealice and octopus legs are the best for the bigger specimens.
The South Coast has been a bit quiet lately. The guys who enjoy scratching have done well along most of the South Coast from Trafalgar all the way to Toti. Look for the gullies and ledges that offer some calmer water close to the churning white water. Fish these areas with prawn and chokka baits for a chance at most rockfish species.
There have been some very good kob caught lately and this is definitely the time to actively target these amazing hunters. Sliding or throwing live baits is a great way to pursue them. Mullet, karanteen and shad are all fantastic baits to use. Look for the deeper water along the banks for the ideal kob ambush spot.
The offshore fishing has been difficult with the bigger seas and heavy winds. The South Coast has seen plenty of tuna action for the gamefish hunters. The most successful method for these roaming predators has been to troll a spread of lipped lures. Try to get lures that run at the same speed, but different depths. This will allow you to target fish at different levels in the water column and will greatly reduce the risk of tangles when turning.
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