It’s salmon time, baby

AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

They took their time, that is for sure and it has certainly been one of the most drawn out salmon seasons, but eventually the schools arrived. At first there was the occasional

Laser pro redhead lures with shallow and extra deep diver was the easiest way to locate the individuals that had split off from the main schools. Once you located one the others soon followed with aggressive hits from all directions.

The surface schools on the other hand made it state. As there are so many schools yet to come through, this looks like playing out as the longest salmon run for a very long time.

The action in the Blackwood River and Hardy Inlet continues to be well worthwhile putting a dinghy in or having a fish off the jetties. There continues to be plenty of whiting and herring around especially near the main channels and sandbars and up into the Deadwater. The occasional tailor also makes an appearance so it pays to have a bit heavier leader just in case you get bite offs.

Black bream on the

Plenty of dhufish were located between 12-40m with fish in the 80cm range reasonably frequent. Most people using soft plastics did well, however, there are currently lots of wrasse about which quickly chop the tails off. If this starts happening Vexed Bottom Meat jigs are the go. Load one up with a small squid, fish fillet or octopus tentacle and get ready for the action.

The best way to start a decent school that would make its way from the deeper waters and skirt along the beaches, then they became more frequent, in numbers that made it worthwhile spending a few hours of your day at the beach or off your favourite rock hopping spot.

It was boaties that most benefited from the salmon run though as many schools stayed out wide in the 30-40m depths where the water was cooler. The schools were not hard to locate as the sea birds were a dead giveaway for the surface feeding schools. Trolling a spread of Halco simple as you just needed to idle up to the periphery and drop anything with a hook in it near them and you could watch as half a dozen fish would barge in to take off with it. With many fish in the 80cm+ range there was a flurry of action bringing them in close enough to net after multiple blistering runs in all directions.

In regards to vibes, the River2Sea Baby Vibes are an absolute killer with either the darker colours or baitfish colours that give off a bit of flash doing the damage. If you are in the mood for sitting back on the riverbank and chilling out, a small ball sinker running down to a baitholder or shiner hook laced with a fresh strip of mullet will usually fool these cunning fish. Call into the store to get the latest info on where they are biting!

• The crew at Whiteys Tackle and Camping in Treendale are always more than happy to share their knowledge of the southwest and fishing techniques so don’t be shy, come on in and say hi, show off your catch and ask any questions you may have.

At this stage there are fish all the way along the coast from Albany to Fremantle which means there is still the chance for people to get in on the action from wherever they are in the southern half of the other hand seem to have contracted back up towards Molloy Island and Alexandra Bridge. Trolling a small hard bodied lure around 4-5 knots brings the best results. They are taking river prawns and soft plastic grubs with motor oil being a favourite colour. The crabs remain around and although numbers are dwindling the average size is

Breaksea cod are a welcome addition to the demersal bag and can be caught all year round off the rocks in Augusta.

17cm across the carapace and they are full of meat. West Bay seems to be the best place to locate them easily. Chicken necks and spleen in a bait pot are the best baits to avoid the stingrays.

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.

The latest demersal fishing closure has ended giving us the opportunity to go and catch a dhufish or pink snapper for a couple of months. With the weather being a bit average out on the oceans, that meant only a few days good enough to venture out. That being said, the results were pretty spectacular for those lucky enough to get out on the water.

Don’t forget that there are a number of sanctuary areas and restricted use areas in the Ngari Capes Marine Park so ensure you are fishing in an authorised some great fun. The marina rock-wall and rocks in the area heading around to and including Skippy Rock have been pretty hot for all the usual species as has Elephant Rock and Knobbies Point. The latter two also showing shark and samson fish on occasion so take some heavier gear.

• 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 area by downloading and using the maps feature on the Recfishwest app for smart phones. Fishing in these zones can attract serious fines regardless of your excuse.

Rock fishing has been pretty good for the last month as the herring and skippy have been huge lately. Throw in the odd salmon to the mix and it makes for when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor 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.