Slow weekend in the Swan

[da_houghsta]

Despite this being posted in the 'Estuary Fishing' section, my fishing started out at the North Mole about 5.30am sunday morning with Matt (Jugglerman), hoping for a few early Bonito. However when we arrived, we noticed there were cray pots, spread all over the end of the Mole. I would estimate about 20 pots or more, probably less than 10m apart, and within 5 - 10m of the rockwall. Needless to say we were rather annoyed by this, but managed to find a gap to fish in. There were a few herring or garfish splashing around a little, so we cast in. However we left after an hour due to frustration as Matt lost a snapback to a rope, and during that hour, 2 boats pulled in 4 pots in front of us (one of which in a massive luxo boat worth a small fortune!!), and then re-set them even closer to us... each pot pulled had mabey 1 or 2 small crays in it, so I'm not sure what the attration to the spot was, especially as each pot had a heap of jewelery dontated by various fisherman over the night.

pots are circled, with matt fishing:


the other side of me showing 3 more pots:


We then moved to another loacation nearby where we found a heap of Black Bream holding up under some weed, some of which weren't a bad size. They were easily spooked however, although Matt got a couple of follows on fly by Bream and Herring. I had a couple of hits by Herring, and managed to get one in on a new Blues Code stickbait.

Once that had died down a bit, We hit some flats in search of some flathead. Found a very fishy location, but only spooked 2 flathead for a couple of hours working. Matt had a friendly Cobbler come up and say hello, and wasn't very spooked by us. Must have been very old as well as it was huge - about 50cm long, and very fat. I wish I had taken an underwater shot of it, I had plenty of time, but I keep forgetting my Olympus U850SW is waterproof. Only other thing about this set of flats is there was a lot of mullet. Matt had a few takes on a weedy looking fly, and I actually jagged one on the Blues Code stickbait. It got away however when I was taking it to shore, but great fun on 4lb gear - it would have gone about 40cm.

Matt tying on a new fly:


Our constant companions - the Brown Plauge (aka Blowies!!) and the reason I started to wear wading shoes to stop them nipping my toes! It's a little hard to see (again an underwater shot would have been useful), but there is about 15 Blowies in the photo):


Before we decided to call it a day, we hit one more set of flats, but I don't know about Matt, but I had lost concentration at this stage and couldn't be bothered too much. I was still working my Blues Code lure (which I fitted with Decoy trebles to try out), and was hooking Blowies almost every cast. However I ended up with a small Tarwine which gave me a shock, as I don't know how it got past the Blowies to grab the lure!

The Tawine:


Soon after it was time to head back home, a little dissapointed in the day's session. At least it was warm and still though, and was still good to be out on the water.

[da_houghsta]

On Monday I had a date with Pete (adidaspeteman) for the same deal - Bonito run at the North Mole, but due to the cray pots, we gave it a miss and went in the river instead for Bream. We arrived very early at a new spot for me, and started out with a squid jig, as it was still dark. no joy with that, so we tied on the Ecogear blades and started jigging. I again soon swapped to the Blues Code lure, and soon after, of course, Pete hooked a nice Skippy. He let it swim for a while so I could attempt to get some photos of it in the water - but was a little bit dark, so they didn't show much... Unfourtunatly it managed to pull the hooks when Pete tried to lift it up, so I couldn't measure it or get a decent photo. I would estimate 30 - 35cm, that sound right Pete?

Skippy:



I saw 3 or 4 Cobbler there as well (incidently it was pretty much the other side of the river where Matt saw the big Cobbler on Sunday - must be a few around there). There was a lot of baitfish, and we saw the Skippy a few more times, but wasn't able to catch any more. We moved on around the corner and fished a Yatcht club. I hooked up to something that pulled very hard (always feels harder when fishing near pylons too!) and pulled in a nice Tarwine, about 30cm long. Very nice colouring on it, and was released soon after.

Tarwine caught on the Decoy loaded Blues Code:



It was very frustrating as we could often see schools of Bream and Herring, but could not get any of them to strike after that, everything seemed rather shut down. Just past the Yatcht Club, Pete got a lovely flathead which swallowed his blade and bit him off, just as he got it onto the shore luckily! I found my tape measure at this stage so I know he went 43cm - nice and chunky as well.

Flathead:



With nothing else biting, we headed to South Perth, and while there wasn't as many blowies at all and could see a few nice looking Bream, again everything seemed rather shut down. Pete got a tiny Yellowtail Grunter, but other than that, nothing much at all...



So that was my fishing for the weekend, I just can't wait for my next trip down south, and also another up north, next year - just to get away from the Blowies if nothing else!!

[Nath86]

Good read there Da_houghsta, even though there wasn't heaps of fish around, I bet it was still better than not going at all.

I remember a few years back, the pros placed a heap of their pots right in close to all of the surfing spots down south, making it almost impossible, or extremely dangerous to surf the breaks. I can remember seeing a photo in the paper of a surfer being "clothes-lined" with a cray rope around his neck while on a wave, and to cap it off, the sightings of sharks in close durring the season sky-rocketed.
I can vividly remember watching a crayboat come within fifty metres from the shore, and even less to a pack of surfers, to drop their pots. The same beach went from one or two shark sightings the previous year, to a couple of sightings each day. Although, it did make for an uncrowded surf.

The locals ending up causing a big enough comotion to stop the pros from coming within about 200m from the shore / surf break from memory, but don't quote me on this distance.

Cheers Nath

[da_houghsta]

thanks for that, it was still good to be out fishing, but when you're tired, its quite easy to lose the fun if there's nothing much about besides blowies and fish that just run away.

with the pots, I'm not sure if it was legal or not, though it doesnt seem it, but the 2 boats that rocked up weren't pro's. Mabey some of the other pots were however. I have to admit we thought it might be good having the pots about to an extent - because of the smell attracting fish. And while there did seem to be some around at the start - the boats sure scared them off quick - given the big boat especially took 4 or 5 attempts to back up to the bouys without grounding itself (should have taken a photo - was a massive boat, fully luxury, not a cray boat at all!!)

[Nath86]

I think those pots would be legal (though if anyone is thinking of doing this, it would pay to check with the fisheries), I think the rules that I mentioned only apply too the pros, and perhaps only in the southwest??? And to top it all off, I don't think its even "law", rather a guideline / code that the industry has taken onboard so to speak.

In regards to your fishing and being tired, I only ever seem to get hits when my mind starts to wander and I'm not paying attention, but yes, the blowies are starting to get on my nerves as well.

Cheers Nath

[jugglerman]

Mongruels with thier cray pots!!

North Mole is the most popular shorebased rec fishing platform in WA- it's damn selfish for a handful of people to monopolise it for such pathetic returns. (Maybe one cray per pot).

Bloody shirt makes me look fat. Did serve it's purpose though.

[adidaspeteman]

Mongruels with thier cray pots!!

North Mole is the most popular shorebased rec fishing platform in WA- it's damn selfish for a handful of people to monopolise it for such pathetic returns. (Maybe one cray per pot).

Ruins spinning lures or bait from the Mole for sure, I would have said a few kind words at them!

yes, the blowies are starting to get on my nerves as well.

Cheers Nath

I'm almost over it (fishing the Canning and Swan) for now, no more breaming for me for a while... I might just squeeze in a yak sesh down to the Mt Henry for a pylon blade jig or/and a tailor spin before my holiday over East..

[adidaspeteman]

Pete hooked a nice Skippy. He let it swim for a while so I could attempt to get some photos of it in the water - but was a little bit dark, so they didn't show much... Unfourtunatly it managed to pull the hooks when Pete tried to lift it up, so I couldn't measure it or get a decent photo. I would estimate 30 - 35cm, that sound right Pete?

Nah mate it was 40 +.

[da_houghsta]

Nah mate it was 40 +.

yea that sounds bout right, I'm hopeless at guessing sizes, especially when they are still in the water.

well I won't be fishing for a while - busy this weekend as my parents are down, I'll see bout the following weekend. Not sure what to taget though... sigh

[Daniel W]

I was at the North Mole a couple of weeks back early morning, around 4am and saw at least four different boats come out to those craypots and pull them. Three tinnies appeared to pull everyone of the pots then disappear, a short while later a larger boat came along and pulled some of the same pots. no wonder theres no crays in some of the pots, they've already been pulled.
Also I've heard a rumour of a few other shore fisherman getting annoyed at the pots being there and "accidently" snagging them up and tying them together. Also a "rumour" that one or two shore divers have been raiding those pots.
Its crazy putting your pots that close to a popular shore fishing spot and not expecting some people to get pee'd off and do something about it. (Even though its wrong)
Danny.