Albany Catches
Pictured: Herring (photo courtesy of Graeme Evans)
The salmon run has showed no signs of coming to a rest following another good week of catches along the southern coast. Big schools have continued to turn up at Bremer Bay and there were sessions had at Bluff Creek and Cheynes Beach where shore-based fishers scored dozens of the 3 to 6kg fish. Nanarup has also been fishing well for salmon while tailor have occasionally been showing up there some mornings and evenings too. Shelleys and Lowlands have remained the hotspots for salmon closer to town, however Sand Patch, Cosy Corner and Caseys are also worth a look for the popular surf species.
Herring have been present along the coast when the salmon have not been around and there have been a few of the reef and rock spots producing good size skippy and tarwhine. The boats working the inshore waters are coming across schools of salmon at times. Bonito and small southern bluefin tuna are continuing to be encountered through the inshore parts, especially off the headlands and near the islands. Boat limits of King George whiting are being achieved by many crews, however the fishers have reported that bagging out on the 30 to 45cm fish requires putting in some considerable time and effort.
The boats that managed to head out to the coral lumps in depths leading up to 85m did reasonably well on a mix of species including breaksea cod, queen, red and pink snapper, dhufish and samson fish. Again, schools of salmon have been found out deep. The few who ventured as far as the shelf picked up hapuka, bigger red snapper and blue eye trevalla. Black bream enthusiasts enjoyed good sessions on fish to 40cm and the odd bigger specimen in both of the local systems. Hard-bodied lures and soft plastics have worked equally well.
Esperance Catches
Pictured: Samson fish
The Taylor Street Jetty has been producing mixed catches of herring, squid, King George whiting and garfish. Big herring are being caught most mornings and evenings at the rock walls of Bandy Creek Boat Harbour while the inner waters there have been providing reasonable King George whiting. Big schools of salmon have been regularly turning up at Fourteen Mile and Eleven Mile.
Smaller salmon, fish between 3 and 4kg, have been common at Fourth Beach and Salmon Beach. Surf fishers who ventured to Thomas River last week managed to score some nice gummy shark and heaps of big herring. The smaller boats staying within a mile or two of the coast have continued to do well on squid and sand whiting. Nannygai, samson fish and queen snapper dominated catches offshore. Black bream to 37cm were caught at the bream lakes.
