North Coast
Mixed bags from boat and shore DAMPIER
Troy Honey
The fishing on and off shore around the Dampier and Karratha region has really turned on when the wind permits. Even on windy days there are many options either land-based around rocky headlands or in the mangroves and creeks or out on the water using the islands for protection. Sailfish have been caught in good numbers out wide of the archipelago along with several Spanish mackerel. Lures and switch
spangled emperor have been caught amongst them. There are plenty of bluebone about around the rocks but using the right bait and fishing the tides has been the key to catching the larger ones from shore. Smaller bluebone and good-sized bream are plentiful and taking most baits. Off the beaches and around the creek entrances there are lots of good-sized whiting taking mostly prawns or my preferred bait, which is lambs heart. Queenies can often be seen feeding on baitfish in the same area, so worth throwing a lure out for
floor. While I enjoy nothing more than bringing out my good rods and big Stellas, when fishing from rocks for bluebone I always choose 150lb and above handlines, sinkers big enough to hold the bait still in the tidal current and strong 6/0 hooks. If you don’t have anything solid to tie your handline onto it is advised to hold on tight to it at all times because you will not have time to grab it off the rock if a big bluebone decides to take your bait. Bait is probably the make or break difference when it comes to hooking up on a big bluebone. While it is possible to catch them on the likes of prawns, squid and fresh fish bait, their preferred food is crustaceans, namely crabs. Spending a few hours the day before catching rock crabs at low tide with a bucket and pair of tongs around the rocks will certainly give you a distinct advantage. Many bluebone have been caught this way but there is one bait that I believe performs that little bit better and that is cooked mud crab legs. This can be a bit of a win-win situation if you have access to areas holding mud crabs, such as the creeks and
some great sportfishing action and served up as sashimi they are simply amazing. The Point Samson Road causeway bridge has had smaller trevally and queenfish taking lures as well as bream being caught on baits. Fish the last hour or two before high tide in this area for best results. Big mud crabs seem to be just about everywhere in the creeks at the moment and with
the water temperature starting to rise. With the wet season approaching it is worth trying your luck for a barramundi at the same time. The wind has been testing at times trying to get the boat out and I think we can all relate to working on those glass off days and being talked into house duties while the wind is blowing on days off. Try not to relent to the pressure though and a magic part of being in the Pilbara is there are some monster fish to be caught from land if you organise your tactics just right. One of the monsters I am sure is a top of the list fish for most of us when it comes to big land-based fish is the bluebone. They can be found around near shore rocks in only a few metres of water in the Pilbara and not only test the best fishing gear out to its maximum capability but are very hard to beat on the dinner table too. Male bluebone, or blackspot tuskfish (Choerodon cyanodus) are generally a territorial fish species. They were females who transitioned to male to become the dominant fish in their school of females. They will feed and protect their females in one area. Fishing for bluebone is best during the day as at night they find protection in rocks and crevices and surround themselves with a protective goo, coming back out to hunt crustaceans and feed during the day. Bluebone are a ferocious and powerful fish, a fact that anglers lucky enough to hook up quickly find out. At times there is barely a nibble on your line, they will bite and run hard for the nearest rock. If you are not ready and prepared, chaos will quickly happen with snapped or snagged lines or worse, your best fishing gear making its way to the ocean
the warmer months of October through to April the threadies really come alive. When threadfin salmon
that became exposed during low tide and has brought all of the crustaceans out. When fishing land-based using bait
last three hours of an incoming tide above 7m or more when fishing from shore or boat. When fishing from a boat, if in a smaller boat such as a tinnie you can risk getting right up close to the water breaking over new ground and fish that area. If from a larger boat, try fishing along the dirty to clean water colour change lines found within a few hundred metres out from shore and float baits or troll lures along the line. Threadfin are predators prone to taking both live and dead baits as well as lures. Live poddy mullet are always bait of choice but bought cooked prawns from the local supermarkets are also a deadly option to use. With both, using a rig setup of 20-30lb braid and a knot such as the FG to link to your 60-100lb fluorocarbon leader, running ball or bean sinker and a large 10/0 hook will provide an optimum solution.
The author enjoying the feeling of overcoming the battle this 660mm, 7kg bluebone put up. It was caught on cooked mud crab legs and 150lb handline one hour before high tide in Dampier. baits have been working well. The Spanish mackerel have been of very good size with most in the 12-18kg range. Red emperor and rankin cod have been thick at times on the reefs out the back of the islands and offshore in the 30-40m range with most anglers bagging out on both in a couple of hours. Some good coral trout, blueline and From page 36
angler has caught threadfin on majestic Cable Beach so if you are down there with the family having a barbeque on the back of the 4WD don’t hesitate to throw one of the prawns out and stick the rod in a holder. You may even hook up to a large permit that frequent the gullies along the beach. Whether you prefer fishing from land or have the luxury of fishing from a boat, chasing threadies around Roebuck Bay is a fantastic way to enjoy spectacular sports fishing all year round. Predominately a wet season fish, threadfin catches are now being consistently reported in the cooler water temperatures throughout the dry season from many of the tinny brigade who are able to chase the incoming tide over the flats in the far east of the bay. This being said, during
A big Roebuck Bay threadfin salmon coming onboard. are feeding, they forage the bottom in search of crustaceans such as crabs and prawns. Using the big Broome tides to their advantage, threadies are on the hunt in the shallows as the tide pushes up over ground
cast just at your feet, barely a metre or two out from the shore and keep walking back as the big tide rushes in. You can catch threadies on either neap or spring tides, but generally chase them on the
The author with one of the many big mud crabs being caught around Dampier and Karratha regions. This one came from a creek near Point Samson. mangroves around Dampier and Karratha. What better way to spend a weekend than going mud crabbing on a Saturday, cooking up a feast to enjoy that night (save the cooked legs and all of the remnants) and head out a couple of hours before the high tide on Sunday to a rocky outcrop, that can be found right around Dampier and all the way up to and past Point Samson, and fish for bluebone. I use two mud crabs legs on my hook each time, hooked through the centre of the upper
Jason Haack landed this beast of a GT over rocks in the Dampier Archipelago. If using lures is your preferred method, the same line setup tied onto either hardbodied lures with the right depth bib to work the bottom or soft plastics. As threadies feed in the dirty water using their long filaments to feel for food and have a transparent fat tissue that covers their eyes, using bright colours such as hot pink or fluorescent green assist them to see the lure. For rod and reel choice, a light spin or bait cast outfit of the 3-7kg range and 7ft length is ideally suited for threadies and provides for some exciting action. October is here, and the water is warming up but the humidity that can keep some people away from Broome at this time of year hasn’t started to build yet. Being down near or on the water is a great way to enjoy some relief and escape the humidity of the Kimberley over the wet season. One thing
leg section and cast it out far enough to clear any areas you might get snagged up on. You don’t need to be that far out, bluebone have been caught in less than 1m, but 3m or more is preferred. Next is to start berleying the water up with a handful at a time of the rest of the mud crab remnants, this will assist in bringing on the bite and building confidence in the bluebone that the cooked crab is of little risk to feed on. Once hooked up, prepare yourself for the battle of all battles. All the preparation you have gone to for this opportunity can be lost in an instant if you give them an inch. More often than not, bluebone will teach land-based anglers a lesson, but the fight is one you will never forget, regardless of outcome. If you have managed to overpower these brutal fighting fish the reward you will experience on the dinner table that night will make the whole weekend’s adventure worth it, as they truly are one of the best eating fish in Northern Australia. If you live in the Dampier and Karratha region or you are visiting, chasing bluebone is a challenge not to pass up. to keep in mind is crocodiles and stingers enjoy it too, so you need to be vigilant. Talk to the local tackle shops or wildlife office and they are always happy to offer helpful advice. It is also a good time of the year to secure great travel and accommodation deals making the boys fishing trip or trip with the family that much better. Threadfin salmon are certainly up there with the best when it comes to table quality. Both texture and flavour of the threadfin is fantastic, and it is certainly in my top bunch of all fish to eat. They provide excellent fishing often display their aerobatic abilities and surprise everyone on their first hook up with just how hard and fast they run. I am certainly looking forward to threadfin action over the next few months. OCTOBER 2018
37