Welcome to Greg James’ fishing column, featuring tips, ideas and recipes for fishing Yorke Peninsula. Contact Greg at greg@gregjamesfishing.com.au.
Port Broughton: A slow and incoming tide of 1.8 metres had to be factored into planning for fishing trips at the end of the first week of the school holidays. Large King George whiting are off many drops from Kanaka through to Wood Point and even Port Davis, with fish up to 55 centimetres. The jetty has a few mullet.
Wallaroo: Point Riley continues with a steady run of salmon trout, mullet and snapper (which remain on the no-take list). Small numbers of mid-week boat crews enjoyed calm if not cool late afternoon conditions before the weekend’s strong winds to run out for KG whiting, a few garfish, snook and the seemingly ever-present snapper. The jetty has been busy but there is not much here really in the fishing department, while black bream and mullet can be caught from the marina breakwall.
Port Hughes/Moonta Bay: Big boats have been running out in the good conditions to pick up some nice whiting in amongst everything else at the Steamer Channel and West Light. The jetties have the odd garfish and tommy ruff (Australian herring).
Point Turton: Crews fishing on the drift in Hardwicke Bay and around the shallow reefs north of Mindlacowie reported whiting and garfish last week as they made the most of the end of the KG whiting spatial closure. There are small numbers of nice sized salmon trout and mullet just out from the jetty/boat ramp and along the shoreline to The Pines.
Marion/Stenhouse Bays: Much calmer conditions prevailed last week as crews launched for small tuna, KG whiting and red nannygai. Large snook and salmon up to 2 kilograms are in Sturt Bay and off the back of the Pondalowie Bay southern rock shelf. The jetties have tommies and mullet in the sand.
Edithburgh/Stansbury: KG whiting can now be caught here if you can get a line past the snapper! Big whiting are well offshore with smaller but legal fish around Sultana Point and Coobowie. Local shore and jetty-based fishing has tommies, mullet and salmon trout - but please remember the Edithburgh jetty closes in July for repairs and maintenance.
Ardrossan/Port Vincent: I read during the week of continuing repair work to the Port Vincent jetty. Jetties are not an inexpensive maritime asset and do require substantial and costly work to maintain their condition - the plan to perhaps preserve the old timbers is a great one! Snook, scattered KG whiting and salmon to 1 kilo have been the main catches reported in the past week.
Tight lines and see you soon!