Augusta

AUGUSTA Anthony Gillam

As I was walking along the river pathway between Ellis Street Jetty and the Colour Patch this morning I was drawn to the struggles of a jewel beetle as it tried to right itself after a spill onto the concrete surface. It was then that I realised that the year was just about done, with these beautiful insects only appearing in the warmer months.

With one of the wettest years in recent history occurring over the southwest it has certainly felt like there has been no definite separation of the seasons. Even the fish runs have been out of whack, with whiting especially unpredictable this year.

As there has been a large using river prawns or coral prawns probably due to the discoloured water making the use of soft plastics and hardbodies lures hard work.

Closer to town around the jetties there are still a number of large herring and some variable sized whiting but the skippy seem to have moved on at the moment.

Those with access to watercraft have been making the most of the current King George whiting run that seems to be better than ever. Many of the biggest fish are in the dead water and the channel at Colour Patch. Unfortunately most of the fish are just size, which means that the recovery amount of flesh per fish is pretty poor. The good thing is that if you persevere there are some fish in the 30-33cm range that make a much better meal. Coral prawn pieces,

Jason Morgan with a pair of dhufish on a pre-closure trip to Spot X. Not to mention the kidney slapper King George in the esky.

amount of freshwater entering the river systems it has not only muddied the waters (figuratively and literally) it also had the hangover effect of changing the inshore saltwater clarity for quite some distance. There has been a noticeable lag in when the whiting arrived and also it would appear that the increase in material in the water has also meant that there is a lot more food available for those fish that are around making them a bit more fussy lately.

The Blackwood River continues to fish very well for black bream as was borne out by some of the excellent fish captured during the recent Molloy Island Bream Fishing Competition held at the Molloy Island Holiday Park. There where a number of 38cm+ fish around the 1kg mark landed including those by the winning junior anglers. Many competitors were successful blood worms and cockles are by far the best baits to be using but with the number of herring and small tarwhine around the softer baits soon get destroyed so squid is always a good backup option.

Demersal fishing has been off the books with the seasonal closure but that is due to be completed after 15 December. Everyone with a boat is looking forward to getting after some inshore and offshore fish for the Christmas holiday break. One thing I have noticed is that they always seem to be well and truly on the bite straight after the closure. Until that happens we console ourselves with a feed or two of whiting or go chasing some of the common pelagic inhabitants of the area. Kingfish are probably one of the most frequently targeted and provide an excellent feed. They love live baits especially squid, scad and slimy mackerel but also any lure that resembles them. Trolled lures or jigging are both good options and it doesn’t take long to pick one up, especially around lumps on the bottom or exposed reef out in the bays.

As the weather warms, beach fishing options are much more attractive than in the cold blustery conditions of winter. The longer and warmer days give you plenty of chances to pick up a feed from any of the excellent beaches we are blessed with in Augusta. It Graeme and Kevin are both happy with their respective catches of a beast queen snapper that easily matches the dhufish for size.

Augusta local Bailey Ellis took time off from diving for some topside action and snagged a solid dhufish for his trouble.

also means that you can keep the kids entertained for long periods of time, on the cheap and with a distinct decrease in their screen time. Easily accessible beaches such as Hamelin Bay, Storm Bay and Cosy Corner are perfect for summer conditions and overall are pretty family friendly. That being said, there are always dangers when children and water are concerned so it is important to keep your eyes on them at all times. Water and wind conditions can change quickly and it is easy to be caught out.

Beach fishing in general is always good in Augusta and you can pick up a feed of most of the general bread and butter species without too much trouble. A paternoster rig with two droppers is about all you need to get into the action. Fresh fish strips, squid or mulie pieces work pretty well. Just use a sinker heavy I would not recommend taking children to most of them in the area.

As with most rock fishing locations, there are a range of fish commonly caught here with a classic mixed bag the usual result. Herring, skippy and tarwhine are always around, garfish and leatherjackets are a reasonably common catch with sharks and kingfish also a possibility. Berley is key and a good trail will bring them from all around and concentrate them in your area. Bottom rigs are often snagged on the reef and lost so I prefer an unweighted line if possible or if needed, the smallest weight that will do the job. Soft plastics jigging grubs and chrome metal lures are also very effective with most common species.

Rock fishing can be very productive in Augusta but it can also be deadly. Choose a spot that allows you the

A typical legal sized salmon commonly found in the Hardy Inlet. This one took a bloodworm meant for a King George whiting.

enough to hold its position in the surge and target any features you think look like they would hold fish. Want something bigger then upgrade the rig size, add a whole fish as bait and you may well pick up a snapper, mulloway or shark.

One thing to keep an eye on is the wind, southeasterlies can make the town side beaches unfishable, however, a quick trip to the Hamelin Bay side will usually provide flat conditions suitable for throwing out a line.

Many people rock fish when on holidays down this way and when the conditions are calm this can be a very enjoyable experience. Other than fishing off the marina rockwalls and some of the smaller rocky areas such as Flat Rock and Elephant Rock chance to seek refuge from any king waves and don’t let calm conditions fool you into thinking you are safe. Rogue waves are just that and can quickly result in being thrown into the water. People have died here after being washed off by king waves. • Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant 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 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.