Scratching that itch

MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

Most anglers will be wondering where the year has gone, as we approach the halfway mark in 2023 and continue to look target species. Rock fishing from areas through town to Dawesville is very viable at this time of the year, as these areas are easily influenced by the tides, free of large clumping seaweed and are also less impacted by the will work well if you are fishing for some of your smaller species like herring, whiting or trevally and anglers are often surprised by unexpected by-catch like a late season salmon or samson fish which are patrolling nearby looking for an easy feed.

If anglers are chasing some of the larger species like samson or pink snapper from the ocean side rocks, you will generally want to soak larger baits like whole whiting, herring or mullet fillets and a good berley trail will entice fish further into commitment. Though a few fish will get caught during the day at these locations, a great rule of for ways to satisfy our fishing itch. Whether it be offshore, river or out on one of the local freshwater dams, there is generally something available for every type of angler, although it may take some persistence and searching to find the

Bayer from Tackleworld Mandurah gets out once and a while – evidently showing that she has skills with this beautiful dhufish.

Other offshore options are the ever-present yellowtail kingfish on the southwest side of Rottnest, and some big Samsonfish inhabit this area as well. It is also worth your while heading out a little deeper (50m) as some XO dhufish have been caught recently.

Trolling for tuna also remains an option (yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna). It has been an excellent season for them so far.

Like always, if the weather plays the game, deep drop fishing in the 300-500m zone is option well worth considering. Our deep drop species are ever present and are considered abundant fresh water that pushes down from the hills. Depending on your bait as well as setup, species like your herring, whiting, silver trevally and snapper are all likely catches when opting to fish from the stones in Mandurah. Smaller cubed baits like prawn or squid thumb is to spend your time focusing around first or last light. These times are quite often peak feeding times, but are more importantly times where the fish feel a sense of security in the low light conditions and roam to hunt as a result rather than defensively sitting tight up on structure to keep themselves safe. make sure you are fishing relatively light weighted rigs, if unweighted is unachievable or too difficult to maintain. some of the best eating fish in the ocean.

So, that is another month’s fishing broken down for you. I think it is time for me to go and dust off my beach fishing gear (and a few warm clothes) and head off for some beach mulloway fishing. I hope you have the opportunity to do the same, and I will catch you next month.

The river fishing is consistent during June, as our brackish loving species benefit from the water rejuvenation provided by the runoff coming from further upstream. Species like bream, mulloway, whiting and grunter tend to find a sense of security in the discoloured water where they cannot fall victim to prey like birds, dolphins and larger specimen that pass through our waters. Your main viable targets throughout both of the local systems will be bream or mulloway and anglers are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a landbased location as fish are well spread throughout.

If fishing from a boat or kayak, you are further blessed as your potential location choices are endless when it comes to catching fish. When picking spots to fish during June, you will generally want to avoid heading too far upstream as larger quantities of non residential fish may find it hard to acclimate to the freshwater following a good flush and upstream locations are also less effected by the tide which brings salt in.

Boat fishing anglers will find that there is plenty to go after dependent on the species targeted, with some great opportunity to get on to a few pelagic and demersal fish during June. Though boat size will be a limiting factor to what you can catch, many fish will present in shallow and deeper waters alike. Most anglers will go out in search of iconic demersal species like pink snapper or dhufish which can be caught as far out as you are willing to travel, though they are also very present in water depths right down to a couple of metres. Especially when fishing shallow from the boat, it can be important to

Aside from the main mentioned species, pelagic species like samson fish, kingfish and tuna schools are a likely occurrence when either fishing their likely structures or keeping a keen eye out on the sounder or bird action. Tuna schools are a great option for a feed, as plucking a couple out can be quite easy and are also fun when approaching the fish correctly. Anglers will find great success in trolling with plenty of line out, as this will allow you to reduce the presence of the boat and position your smaller skirts, metals or bibbed divers right into the middle of feeding schools at the same time. Though many prefer to troll for these fish, another great option is to equip a casting rod with a suited metal slice or stick bait and manually casting to fish from a distance. Though it can be hard to place your lure in the ideal spot without proper boat placement, when you get it right it is very rewarding and feeling the fish strike on your lure is unparalleled.

Despite what type of adventure you wish to take on whilst fishing during these winter months, it is especially important to keep safety are the forefront of your mind and planning. Common sense prevails when it comes to knowing your limits, as nature can be rewarding yet disastrous in the form of slippery rocks, large swells, heavy winds and their potential to change a situation in the blink of an eye. So, to keep yourself as well as potential fishing friends safe, be sure to plan accordingly and enjoy yourself in the process of being aware.