Photos: Spero Kartanos.
BY SPERO KARTANOS
Well, if you wait long enough, the good fishing weather just might arrive in July, as June was not great at all.
Last month, there were the windy days, wet days, and freezing mornings… but we did get a few of those glorious warmer, sunny days, and I hope those continue in July, and the fish will be waiting to be caught.
Whiting will be starting to move back towards the Chain Banks, but the bigger fish should still be at Fisherman’s Gutter (although they are not always easy to find), the Maroon Gutter and Hole, and Amity Banks, especially in the shallows with a good run in the tide. Close to home, just east of Darcy Light seems to be producing good whiting numbers in the winter months.
School mackerel should be in good numbers, but there are usually lots of undersized ones this time of year. The babies will have infiltrated the bay while the bigger ones are harder to get, and the bonito and small tailor will not give the bigger mackerel a chance. I have found that floating pillies work best when this happens, and I get a few bigger fish.
Squire and snapper are in the bay around the spoil grounds north of Harries Artificial Reef. Mt Cotton Reach and the Bay Island drop-offs should be producing plenty of good fish. July is the last month before the August closure for snapper in the bay.
The cuttlefish and arrow squid should be firing in July with excellent numbers from east of Ormiston to St Helena, around the 23-30 ft mark. Red and silver-coloured jigs seem to work the best for whatever reason – use dull colours on cloudy days and bright colours on sunny days.
Until next month, good fishing!
