Around The Bay - Tuesday, June 21

With Jim’s Bait and Tackle

THIS weekend is our big sale and one not to be missed. 

We desperately need to make space on the walls for the new products that are on their way for the up-coming season, so there will be plenty of bargains to be had. 

All stock, except bait, in the shop will be a minimum of 30 per cent off and there is plenty of clearance stock that will be 50 per cent off. 

The sale starts Saturday 8am to 5pm then Sunday 9am to 4pm.

Finally, after a few weeks of very wet, cold and windy weather we had an almost perfect weekend for fishing in the boat or standing on the beach. 

The problem of course is many have packed up all their gear away for the winter and probably spent the weekend on the couch. 

When you have kids that play sport there are plenty of things to do during the winter already, but I guarantee they will still have plenty of energy for a quick fish as well. 

Fishing during the wintertime and the shorter days is never a whole day exercise and usually just a couple of hours will be enough. 

That’s always reflected in the reports and this week has been no different, with the only exception is those in boats who headed offshore with the tuna gear.

Surf has finally settled and although there is plenty of weed you can fish around it during the tide with the ends of the tide changes being the best. 

We had reports from most beaches despite there being hardly anybody fishing. 

All reported small salmon with only a couple over 1kg and the best of the reports this week from the beaches at Inverloch where bigger fish and better numbers came from. 

Because the weed is making it difficult to fish at times, we are finding most are using or at least taking lures with them. 

Calamari from the jetties at San Remo, Newhaven and Cowes and a few from the beaches at Woolamai and Ventnor. 

There were a few that braved the weather and fished before the weekend for some mixed success, but most were out over the weekend. 

Almost every report of calamari from the jetties we got came from the last and the first of the tide changes and not a lot from the middle of the tide, for that you needed to be on one of the beaches. 

We had a handful of whiting reports, not a lot in numbers despite the conditions with tide and wind being the best for some time. 

The sizes, however, of those caught was very good and worth only catching a handful. 

Most who managed a fish for whiting while the weather wasn’t the best fished close to the boat ramps, which seemed to continue across the weekend. 

We did get told of a few from in dickies bay and the bank between Rhyll and Newhaven, but didn’t actually speak to those anglers.

A handful of boats headed offshore looking for the tuna and barrels especially after the Facebook post from during the week of the one caught at Cape Schanck. 

For those wanting to have a fish offshore there should be plenty of flathead around not far outside the bay.

And if the weather allows head down to the reef/broken ground areas around Kilcunda where you should find a gummy or snapper. 

If you can’t deal with catching draughtboards or seven gills as well as the odd ray or two, then simply don’t head out this time of the year. 

You just can’t get away without catching a few in the colder waters but that just part of it and you need to work around them. 

If you get to a situation where you just can’t stop catching them and have had enough, then while you are thinking about where to go next do a bit of mapping for the up-coming season. 

Check out some areas you normally don’t fish and see what’s there. 

Look for some holes, structure or sand/weed areas, mark them on your GPS and check them out when the fishing starts to improve. 

You might find a spot that will work for you and one you might just have to yourself.