Metro

The fish hard to find, but are worth the effort

Heavy rains have continued, which means our piscatorial friends are a little harder to find at the moment. However, keep two things in mind: One, the benefits of this rain down the track outweigh any challenges they produce now; and two, the challenge to find these fish is one of the reasons we love fishing. SWAN RIVER

The ever-present bream David Beale is happy with his Rottnest snapper.

Jazz Charters deckhand, Max Sampson, with a Rottnest snapper caught on a ZMan soft plastic.

of the Swan River have been pushed to the lower reaches of the system by the rain. Until the river settles your best option to catch a few bream will be around the bridge pylons and the marinas of the lower Swan. Mussels are a bream’s favourite meal at this time of the year and you will find them fossicking for them in these areas. Lightly weighted baits fished around likely looking spots will be the way to go, and for lure anglers small vibe lures will be the most productive.

Other options in the Swan will be a little harder to find. Flathead are still about in smaller numbers. Most fish will be found in the deeper water through the winter months.

Mulloway numbers/ captures have really dropped away, with any reported captures coming from the harbour area and the lower reaches. Our friends the mulloway have once again become the silver ghosts of the river.

Crabs are still an option during these cooler months. The key to them is to find deeper water (areas like Mosman Park and Blackwall Reach) and to use oily baits like mullet or tuna heads. BEACHES AND ROCK WALLS

Tailor will be the main target for beach anglers in August. The northern beaches such as Floreat, Scarborough and Cottesloe will be some of the best options this month. Fishing from our beaches at this time of the year can be frustrating as they can be weeded out, making them very hard to fish. If and when you find a fishable piece of water the key is to place a berley bag into the shore wash and use either fresh oily baits or 90-120mm stick baits or poppers. If there are fish in the area, the berley should drag them to you, and a

fun session on the tailor could be had.

The storms that come with the rain have a twofold effect. Dirty water attracts snapper and schools of herring closer to the shore, making them more accessible for rock wall anglers. Woodmans Point, Coogee Marina and North and South Moles rock walls are great locations to try and get your pink snapper fix. Fresh mullet, octopus and fresh herring will be your best bait options.

Herring numbers are good at this time of the year. They are good fun to catch (they can keep the kids amused for hours) and can provide a nice meal or fresh bait for snapper. South Beach and the Fremantle Sailing Club areas are good places to start. As always, remember berley will improve your herring captures threefold.

Your other rock wall targets are squid and King George whiting. Both species prefer clean water, so it is best to target them when there has been some settled weather. Both species can be caught in similar locations, with the Fremantle Sailing Club rock walls and North and South Mole being good

places to start.

INSHORE FISHING

Like the rock walls, your fishing targets in our inshore waters will depend on water clarity. Squid are hold a squid or three.

The inshore reefs will continue to hold good numbers of silver trevally. Anchoring and using berley trail over broken ground in 5-15m of water will soon get the skippy in your area excited. Drifting lightly weighted baits or small soft plastics down the berley trail is a very effective method to catch a few. Keep in mind that samsonfish like to hang with the schools of trevally,

so have a heavier outfit handy if they turn up.

King George whiting captures should continue to be consistent throughout August. Broken ground in

Jason Webb with a nice Fremantle mulloway. Ayaz caught this huge squid in 8m of water out from Fremantle.

Dylan Simmons with a shallow water samsonfish caught on a soft plastic.