Mount Gambier

Craig's Fishing Report 22 February 2012 

Tuna numbers have been good right up until Sunday. The schools that were out of Port MacDonnell, quickly moved down toward the Victorian border and beyond. This is not unusual so early in the season.  Over the next several weeks the schools will get bigger, closer together and spread right along the coast.  It may be hit and miss for a week or three but don’t stress out were in for a good season!

Those brave enough or should I say crazy enough to fish the 400 to 500 metre line, by that I mean 500 metres deep, the fishing has been excellent. Lance, Tim Walkom and Dennis Heinekie have boated blue eye trevalla and hapuku to 15kg out off Port MacDonnell on virtually every outing over the last few weeks.  Hapuku have been quite scarce over the last several years but recently the numbers have improved.  The switched on anglers only take a handful of fish at a time off their favourite marks.  This way they are not over fished.  You can understand why GPS marks are guarded with such passion.

Quite a few mackerel have been caught off the Port Mac jetty this week.  Small soft plastics and small pieces of pilchard cast around the lights at night have accounted for some impressive catches.  Still a few squid and tommies mixed in with them as well.

Whiting and garfish catches have been excellent from Port Mac through to Cape Banks. Redrock Bay, Gerloff and Livingstons have all been hot spots.

Geoff Curry fished Green Point last Friday for 17 lovely snapper to 4kg and was bitten off a couple of times.  Several gill sharks have been a bit of a nuisance but there are still plenty of school shark cruising around also.

Not a lot of mulloway news this week along the surf but the boaties are still catching their fair share out of Danger point.  No big fish that I know of but quite a few up to 12 to 14lbs.

The Glenelg River is still fishing well for mulloway from Taylors straight through to the bridge.  Plenty of estuary perch action from the Wilson’s Hall and higher with many fish up to 45cm.  Bream catches have been spread right along the river.

With such a magnificent forecast, the hardest decision will be where to wet a line.

Have a safe weekend and.......... 

I’ll catch you next week

Craig