Keep your eyes peeled for Recfishwest’s Tip of the week, see below!
Your Fishing Photos
If you want to see yourself or your kids feature in our weekly state-wide Fishing Reports, send your best fishing photos and a description to isaac@recfishwest.org.au
Exmouth Catches
Picture: Only a small one but queenfish like this can provide some great fun whilst walking the crystal clear beaches of Exmouth.
Boats
Billfish enthusiasts continue to encounter big blue marlin in excess of 600m of water while smaller blue and striped marlin are being found closer to shore. Spanish mackerel activity has been improving along the back of the reef line north and south of Tantabiddi. Red emperor and rankin cod seem to be moving into shallower waters.
Shore-based
The Town Beach and coastline south are starting to produce bigger catches of yellowfin whiting. An assortment of species including trevally, queenfish, yellowfin bream and estuary cod can be caught at the marina. Squid have been turning up in the marina in the evenings. Spangled emperor and bluebone have been recently caught from the lighthouse area.
Recfishwest Forecast
Exmouth is looking pleasant with temperatures in the low thirties forecast and moderate southerly winds for the start of next week. Tidal movement is good over the weekend with a mid morning fish before the high tide a good opportunity to work the west coast reefs. Rising tide leading up to midnight would be worth a beach fish for spangled emperor. Old Bundegi is worth a try for big queenfish and giant herring during an incoming tide.
Recfishwest’s Tip of the Week
Braided Line
Technical Rating: Novice
Whether casting lures to salmon from the beach, into tuna feeding frenzies from the boat, or simply launching a bait from shore this Easter weekend, if you haven’t already caught up with the times, braided fishing line is all the go at the moment.
Multiple strands of braided polyethylene (PE) fibres make up the material of the line commonly referred to as “braid”. The fibres are ultra strong and offer a much greater breaking strain for their diameter than traditional nylon monofilament line. With no stretch, braided lines gives greater bite detection and sensitivity especially when paired with a stiff graphite rod. They are also extremely flexible and supple retaining no “memory” which makes them excellent for casting. The fine delicate diameters mean a lot more line can fit onto a spool for a given breaking strain and little surface area for current to catch in deep water but the drawback is that they offer very little in the form of abrasion resistance. For this reason a length of monofilament leader line is always recommended as a shock leader on the terminal end of the line.
A number of knots are useful in attaching braided main line to a mono leader but a favourite would have to be the FG knot. A moderately difficult knot to tie, it offers a slimline knot that wont interfere with a cast and has excellent strength retention without the need to double the main line. Initially expensive when they first hit the market, braided lines are now available in a massive range from very affordable to top end. If youre after that extra, seamless casting distance or any of the other benefits, braided lines are worth a look.
Check out our I Love Fishing article on all your different line types and scenarios for more info. Read it here.
