Karratha

EXMOUTH

Barry

Taylor This month’s report has been supplied by Paul Bourne The fishing has been steady as the autumn transition period sets in. The blue marlin are starting to slow down, while the inshore blacks and sailfish are starting to pick up. You can catch them in around 30-40m of water in behind the reef only half a kilometre out. If you haven’t tried this style of fishing before, I recommend that you troll a spread of lures such as Richter Soft Grassies or Bonze Rambos.

The sportfishing has been reliable too, with the usual catches of giant trevally and spangled emperor. The spangos have been biting particularly well in response to the turtle hatchings. The most productive lures for them lately have been Nomad Mad Scads and Strada Tempest 110s. Or you can just bait fish for them with a dropper rig baited with fish strips or mulies.

The mackerel have been around too, taking trolled divers such as Strada Tracka 160s.

We are still seeing plenty of whiting and mullet along the beaches. There have also been quite a few mangrove jacks taken in the marina over the past month or so. The jacks will start to wind down in the marina as the water cools, but you’ll still get bream. The bream can be caught on peeled prawn baits along the rock walls, and you

Josh Cheong with a quality jack from the marina. Image courtesy of @cooperrwatsonn.

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and suffer barotrauma.

Bluebone catches have been widely reported near shore throughout the Karratha region, with the majority coming from the Burrup Peninsula area. All these species – blueline emperor, chinaman, coral trout and bluebone – can be expected to be caught throughout April in the same areas nearshore and further out, with other species such as Spanish flag, darktail snapper, spangled emperor, goldspotted and black-spotted cod as well.

I always get really excited as April approaches because this is the start of our blue swimmer crab season in Karratha. These delicacies have been caught during March, but the average size has been smaller (although still legal). Once the water temperature drops in Nickol Bay and around Cleaverville and Cossack is when they really move in, and the pesky small sharks tend to move out into deeper water and generally leave the drop nets alone. I’m looking forward to bringing you many photos of local crab catches in the next issue. Cooper Watson with a beautifully marked trout. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh.

can increase your chances by throwing in a few berley pellets first, and/or the shells of your peeled prawns.

When it comes to bottom fishing, there have been good gold-band snapper taken around the 100m mark, plus the usual island fishing for rankin cod, trout and so forth.

APRIL FISHING

At the time of writing, GameX hasn’t finished yet, but we’ll be able to report on the results in the next

issue. Looking ahead, the Australian Junior Billfish Tournament will be running from 22-24 April, during the school holidays. It’s always great to see kids out there having a go at game fishing.

As we start to move into the cooler month, the Spanish mackerel will get thicker. They are a popular target for out-of-town visitors during the school holidays, along with bottom fish. • For all the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop into Tackle World Exmouth at 3 Maley St, Exmouth or give them a call on (08) 9949 1315. You can also view the range at www.tackleworldexmouth. com.au, and see the latest catch photos on their Facebook page. This family business stocks a large range of tackle, from light spin to big game. The staff have a wealth of local knowledge and expertise, and are always happy to help.

Two of Daiwa’s latest spin reels for 2022 are the TD Black MQ and the Certate SW 5000/6000. TD Black MQ

Combining Daiwa’s advanced Zaion V material with Monocoque body (MQ) design results in a TD Black reel that is lighter, stronger, and more precision designed than ever before.

Daiwa’s biggest evolution in spin reel design, MQ allows for the use of larger gears for enhanced power, precision and longevity, with its single piece construction increasing body strength and rigidity and eliminating unwanted water and grime ingress into the reel.

The TD Black MQ’s list of designs and features doesn’t end there with LT Concept combining with Tough Digigear for optimum reel power and refinement, while Zaion Air Rotor allows for flawless rotational balance and minimal start up inertia.

A Magsealed body provides unmatched protection from the elements, and ATD Drag delivers ultra-smooth stopping power and control. LT’s Long Cast ABS spool, Machine Cut Screw-In Handle, Airbail, and CRBB bearings complete the TD Black MQ’s extensive list of design features and technologies, and combine to make this one of the standout reels for 2022.

Certate SW 5000/6000

The rockstar of the saltwater spin reel world, the Certate SW range welcomes two new smaller models with the release of the 5000 and 6000 Certate SW.

Tailor-made for the angler who wants the power and precision of 20 Saltiga but in a smaller package, the 5000 and 6000 Certate SW have all the designs and features of their big brothers, with a Monocoque body headlining the list of features.

A large G1 Duralumin drive gear, Zaion Air Rotor, Magseal line roller and body, ATD Drag, Infinite Anti-Reverse, Air Bail, and Eva Power Knob help complete the reel’s extensive list of features, and combine to make the new smaller Certate SW models the ultimate pocket rocket powerhouse.

Whether it’s muscling kings from cover, terrorising the local snapper and fingermark population, or jigging and spinning for tuna and macs, the new smaller sized Certate SWs are the reel to get the job done.

For more information on these and other new releases from Daiwa, visit www.daiwafishing. com.au. - FMG