BY SPERO KARTANOS
Kids love catching them, and get hooked very quickly once they catch a couple and get inked (it’s not that bad, just lots of cleaning after, but the laughs are worth it, and 30 Seconds cleaner from Bunnings makes the ink disappear).
You’ll find them east of a line from Ormiston to St Helena Island, and at a depth of approximately 25 to 35ft. A good drift with your jigs just off the bottom is the way to get them, with either a ball sinker on top of the jig or a paternoster rig (either works well; I like the ball sinker on top of the jig).
As for jigs, the olive brown or silver grey jigs seem to be working very well on dark, dull overcast days, while the orange-red prawn-like jigs work better on bright sunny days. It’s a matter of trying a couple of different coloured jigs to see what the squid prefer on the day. So, it’s easy to get out there, catch a few and have some fun with these very tasty little critters.
My other favourite – winter whiting – will be in good numbers in the Rous, Maroon Banks and Amity Banks, and they have been west of St Helena as well. Martha got some nice ones, and I managed a few squid without getting inked!
The school mackerel should be around by mid-August. They will be close in, so have fun and enjoy the bay. Also, the whales won’t be too far away, and don’t forget the westerly winds are treacherous in the bay, so please be careful – it’s better to miss a day fishing than drown.
