BY SPERO KARTANOS
Photos: Spero Kartanos.
The weather has finally cooled and calmed down, but the fishing is as good as ever!
There are plenty of whiting in the Maroon Gutter all the way to Maroon Hole and on the eastern Amity Banks as well – just remember they love a good run in the tide, so don’t think there are no fish when it’s slack water.
There’s also plenty of whiting at the Sand Hills and the Blue Hole, and have a squid jig out in all those areas as the tiger squid will be fighting to get to the jigs. Tiger squid are even in their dozens on the foreshores and marinas, so if you are land-based, a night’s fishing off any of the jetties should get you a squid or two, and red and orange jigs will do the trick.
The school mackerel are now spread throughout the bay from close in between King and Green Islands to the front of the Huybers, and along the deeper water to Ormiston, and all the way to Hope Banks. At the drop off at Amity Banks to Peel Island, there are some nice big spotties hanging deep as well, and the broad mackerel should not be far away.
Squire and snapper, sweet lip, cod and a few jewfish are around Green and the passage to King Island, and live herrings are doing the trick as bait. In the same area lots of big tailor are hanging around as well.
By all reports there are plenty of sand crabs in the bay and plenty of big muddies in the marina at the moment.
Cuttlefish and arrow squid are showing up in the deeper water so a sinker above the jig and bouncing it off the bottom should catch you a couple; remember the razorback squid jigs work really well for cuttlefish.
The bonito and long tail tuna are smashing whitebait all over the bay and a chrome slug into the feeding packs should produce a nice feed.
So get out onto our beautiful bay – it’s a great time of the year for a fish, or cast a net for some prawns for young and old. Good fishing!
