WA
Salmon are slow running AUGUSTA
Anthony Gillam
Two schools, two measly schools is all that we have seen of the great salmon run of 2023 so far. They are around, just slowly making their way up the coast with
There are plenty of prizes to be won and anyone can enter, all you need to do is catch a salmon and log it on the Salmon Slam 2023 app. The Hardy Inlet is still producing plenty of whiting, both yellowfin and King George and they are of a pretty good size, which is
legal size to keep with the odd larger fish thrown in. It means that if you want to practice your technique for soft plastic or lure fishing for them you can actually watch the fish as they interact with each other and your lure of choice. This is an excellent way to see what works best. If you want to try bait then whole river prawns always work well. They also love black mussels, cockles and oysters and equipped with a strong set of dentures they don’t mind crunching a bit of shell to get to the meat. Try a variety of things to see what they like best.
A nice tarwhine taken on a bait of mulie pieces off the rocks.
Perfect specimens of salmon prepped and ready for the hot smoker. a few getting around to Denmark but not many heading further along yet. Plenty of the locals have been doing the early morning reccy to their various favourite salmon spot searching for a black mass of hundreds if not thousands of salmon vividly contrasting against the white sands of the shallows as they push along the coast feeding on anything small enough to fit in their mouth. Unfortunately, most have come home without even sighting a single fish. Only a couple of schools and a few small groups are all that have arrived so far. Experience tells us that although the schools are yet to arrive, they will, and all indications are that the Cape currents are pushing cooler water up the coast creating the perfect conditions to have a massive run. As mentioned in previous articles when it comes to salmon large metal slice lures, plugs and poppers are all extremely successful when they are on the bite. It is just a matter of getting a school within casting distance. Target in front of the direction the school is travelling and they will smash your lure. If using bait then the same concept applies but you can let it sit on the bottom and wait for them to find it or wind it along like a live fish. Recfishwest is again hosting the Salmon Slam competition, which is the biggest land-based fishing competition in Australia and spans from March to May.
a bonus. Most have been found on the East Augusta side, around The Sticks and towards Molloy Island. Blue swimmer crabs continue to be prevalent and with the average size of 17cm across the carapace means there is plenty of meat in each crab. West Bay, East Augusta and towards Alexandra Bridge seem to hold the most. Spleen and chicken necks in a bait pot are best bet to avoid stingrays and can last several trips if managed correctly. Black bream have obviously been breeding extremely well in the Blackwood River as there are huge numbers right throughout the system and they are not difficult to locate. I have found that the fish around the jetties are generally around the
Blackwood River black bream spend lots of time in the saltwater making them delicious to eat. If you want to try boat fishing but don’t own a boat then come and see the friendly staff at Augusta Xtreme Boat Hire who can sort you out all manner of water craft for the experienced operator or novice. Part of Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports, you can drop in to the shop in the main street or visit Emma who will be working at our moorings near the Old Town Jetty. No skippers ticket is required to operate most of out boats and basic instructions will soon get you underway. Fishing out in the bays remained off limits
The crabs are big and full of meat at the moment so you only need a couple for a feed.
South Coast
to demersal fishing for the month, however, everyone counted down the days to the next open period starting at Easter with signs that big numbers of pink snapper and dhufish were there to be caught. The weather reports for the next few weeks are for ideal fishing conditions so there are plenty of larger boats planning on hitting the continental shelf for some deep water fishing. Due to the prohibited demersal period fishing in Flinders Bay has revolved around yellow tail kingfish, samson fish and whiting. Sand whiting numbers are great and there are reports of very large King George whiting haunting the same areas. The King George have been mainly caught by anchoring up and berleying when you pick a couple up while on the drift. Squid is by far the bait of choice but they also have shown a liking for mulie pieces. Don’t be afraid to up-size hooks and baits as fish in the 60cm range have a pretty big mouth. The demersals should be prevalent throughout all the reef areas after a break from being targeted. Use your sounder to find a lump that looks likely and drop a soft plastic or bait down. Just remember that there has been a raft of rule changes, make sure you are
familiar with the new size and bag limits in this area. There are also a number of sanctuary areas and restricted use areas in the Ngari Capes Marine Park so ensure you are fishing in an authorised area by downloading and using the maps feature on the Recfishwest app for smart phones. Beach fishing revolves around salmon and herring at this time of the year which attracts a large number of people trying to capture a big fish from the shore. Remember, the beaches are big, the schools will travel from one end of a beach to the other and provide everyone the chance for a catch. Don’t crowd people who are fishing, find your own spot and respect those who have a fish on. Have fun fishing and avoid spoiling what could be someone’s first or only chance at getting one of these iconic fish by trying
rock fishing spots in Augusta so why not take a minimum of gear for a session and go for a walk along the coast trying spots wherever it takes your fancy. Berley them up to bring them around and keep them interested. Find a spot at the rock-walls at the marina, off the granite at Ringbolt Bay, Skippy Rock or Elephant Rock and give it a go. Try using lures or soft plastics if the salmon or herring schools are in, they will hit most things thrown at them this time of the year. • Rock fishing is dangerous at times and careful consideration of where and when you fish must be done. Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor
A decent lure caught 7kg salmon caught by Gavin Gillam, one of several caught. to muscle in on the action. Rock fishing is great during autumn just avoid it if the swells are up or it has been raining. Plenty of bread and butter species, tarwhine and whiting are on the bite so give it a go. There is plenty of
Sports at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta -the local tackle shop, boat hire and font of all local fishing knowledge. Look for the big green sign on the roof, it’s right next to the BP Service Station in the centre of town. MAY 2023 97
