Photos: Spero Kartanos.
BY SPERO KARTANOS
Well, the cold weather looks like it has arrived, with freezing mornings but glorious, warm days – and the fish are waiting to be caught!
Whiting are moving back towards the Chain Banks and the Darcy Light areas, but the bigger fish are still at Fisherman’s Gutter (and they’re not always easy to find), the Maroon Gutter and Hole. Amity Banks is also worth a look, especially in the shallows with a good run in the tide.
School mackerel will be in good numbers, but in particular, the babies should be in big numbers, and they normally infiltrate the bay this time of year. The bigger ones are harder to get, and the bonito and small tailor are not giving the bigger mackerel a chance. I’ve found floating pillies will help get a few bigger fish, especially around Ormiston and Wellington Point, and even between Green and King Islands.
Squire and snapper should also be in good numbers throughout the bay, with the spoiled grounds north of Harry’s artificial reef, Mt Cotton Reach and the Bay Islands drop-offs producing plenty of good fish.
You can also have plenty of fun with the cuttlefish in June. They taste great, and there will be plenty in the deeper water off Wellington Point (a tip: 30 Seconds cleaner from Bunnings is your best friend in removing black ink off the boat – it works instantly; spray and watch it disappear).
So, there are plenty of fish around in June, but rug up for the initial hit in the morning, and please be careful with small boats in winter – the westerly winds look calm going out, but remember on the way back, it gets very lumpy.
