Albany Catches
Pictured: King George whiting
Possibly the most encouraging news this past week has come from the deeper waters where big schools of red snapper were being encountered. The reds, which have mostly been between 2 to 4kg, have been picked up along the coral in depths leading up to 85m as well as on the edge of the shelf out from Albany. Big concentrations of reds have also been found off Cheyne Beach and at the canyon out from Two Peoples Bay.
Some nice pink snapper have also been coming from the coral together with breaksea cod, dhufish and queen snapper. Hapuka were found by a couple of crews that dropped in excess of 200m while harlequin fish are about in good numbers in the shallows. One boat reportedly caught and released five samson fish on Sunday. King George whiting numbers appear to be down compared to recent weeks, however the fish that have been caught have been of good size. Areas that have been producing King George have included Middleton Beach, Michaelmas, Breaksea, Gull Rock, Goode Beach, Frenchmans, Limestone and Two Peoples Bay. Bonito have continued to turn up in King George Sound.
The beaches are mostly producing bread and butter species such as herring, skippy and tarwhine. Schools of salmon have occasionally been appearing at Sand Patch, however these occurrences are not thought to be associated with the annual migration, which some observers believe to be some two to three weeks away. Black bream catches are improving in the local river systems as the water clarity improves. A couple of small mulloway were caught in the Kalgan last week.
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Esperance Catches
Pictured: Yellowfin tuna
The Taylor Street jetty is fishing well for herring, garfish, sweep and leatherjackets. King George are also occasionally being caught from the structure. King George were also caught at the James Street Jetty during the week together with herring and squid. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has plenty of big herring turning and, at times, Geordies to 45cm.
Salmon have been appearing most mornings and evenings at Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach and Roses. Stockyards has juvenile salmon, skippy to half a kilo and good size flathead. An estimated 10kg yellowfin tuna was caught within a few miles of the coast recently. Schools of southern bluefin tuna are still about together with bonito. Squid and snook can be picked up along the inshore parts. The ground out wider has been producing nannygai to 3.5kg, skippy to 9kg and samson fish.
