Jurien Bay Species – ilovefishing

Tailor

LA — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 03:18:59 +0000

How to catch tailor

Rigs and Techniques

A long, light spinning rod and spinning reel with 6-10kg line and 15kg-plus mono leader will do fine for most situations, though you may wish to alter this depending on the location you’re fishing. With smaller tackle or hooks, using a short length of wire leader can stop break offs on the tailor’s razor sharp teeth.

There are a whole variety of ways to catch tailor, but the most common is a slow retrieval of whole pilchards, mulies or garfish on a gang hook rig. This may require a floating sinker or a float depending on the conditions you are fishing in.

Tailor tend to feed high in the water column so poppers can be quite effective and so can other lures such as minnows, metal/ chrome lures, jigs and spoons. These lures can be cast into the surf zone or to structure and either trolled or retrieved with flicks of the rod tip to create lure movement. Tailor often feed more actively at dawn and dusk.

Tailor fishing in the Swan can also be very rewarding, especially in the summer when the waters heat up. Tailor often will school in the smaller “chopper” sized fish. This is good opportunity to bring out the ultra light gear and small lures and have some fun.

A bit of chop on the water is generally what you want when targetting tailor, and for metro beaches the arrival of the afternoon sea breeze in summer can be the start of the chopper tailor bite.

Lure fishing for tailor can be very fun and rewarding with many spots in the metro and around WA producing great sized fish. Some tips to keep in mind when fishing for tailor using lures:

If you are fishing really reefy areas, try make use of poppers and lures that don’t sink quickly as you can get snagged very easily.
A few different lures and poppers such as the GT ice-creams come with assist hooks (cords) which tailor can easily bite through. Best practice is to remove the cord and replace it with a split ring or swivel.
Consider investing in a set of fast-attach swivels to be able to switch lures quickly without retying knots.

Need a WA fishing licence? Don’t forget to check if you do before heading out.

TAILOR FACTS

Other names

Pomatomus saltatrix, chopper, greenback.

WA Distribution

Found between Point Quobba in the north and the South Australian border in the south (although usually only targeted as far south as Albany). They are found in estuaries, embayments and surf beaches as juveniles and beaches, inshore reefs and other structures especially around white water as adults.

Description

Tailor are not usually confused with other species; they have a blue-green back and silver-white underside and the first of their two dorsal fins has many small spines. They have a distinctive protruding lower jaw and numerous small, sharp teeth. Tailor can reach sizes of 10kg; however most are caught at between 0.5 and 2kg.

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Yellowfin Whiting

LA — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 04:38:14 +0000

How to Catch

How to catch yellowfin whiting

Yellowfin whiting fishing in our estuaries provide safe, sustainable, enjoyable and accessible fishing experiences for many Western Australian families.

Leading into summer, the water temperature starts to warm up which is ideal for wading through the shallows of our estuaries and targeting this tasty species.

The whiting fight well on light gear and offer a highly visual and rewarding fishing experience for many fishers, and can be a beautiful way to spend the day.

In recent years, fishing for yellowfin whiting on small surface lures or prawn-like vibe imitations has become very popular among fishers along flats of rivers and estuaries in the State’s south.

It is also a popular form of fishing in the State’s north at spots such as the Exmouth Gulf.

Time of Day

Late morning or early afternoon, when the wind picks up, is usually the best time of day to fishing for yellowfin whiting. The slight movement on the water provides the fish some security and protection from a wading angler whereas calm water and movement above the water will often spook the fish. The WA coastline has a range of inshore flats which are readily accessible for those prepared to wade, such as the Peel-Harvey Estuary. It’s best to find a location which has plenty of natural whiting food like shrimps, prawns and clickers, and ensuring the wind is on your back, to assist with your cast.

Bait

Preferences for baits are as personalised as the anglers chasing them. For most, blood worms are the best bet, while other anglers will swear by using only shrimp, pieces of prawn, squid or tube worms and the list goes on. Light gear is recommended, preferably a 1000 or 2500 size reel on a 6ft6”, 4kg rod.

Lures

In recent years the popularity of fishing for yellowfin whiting on surface lures has certainly increased. Now if you are a whiting chaser you might find this hard to believe, yet the way these fish chase down a surface lure with so much gusto really has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. So if you’re keen for a change, a surface lure around the 50mm mark is a good place to start. Prawns and clickers are a yellowfin whiting’s major food source so try to imitate these as best as you can, both in lure style and retrieval. Don’t forget to swap your monofilament for a good quality braided line, with fluorocarbon for the leader, as this will make it easier to work the lure. It may also be worth swapping our treble hooks for assist hooks with provide better hook-up rates and much easier to release if you choose to do so.

Rigs and techniques for bait fishers

Rig of choice can also vary depending on who you talk to. Probably the most common is the basic running sinker rig which

Dropper rig

consists of 30cm of fine clear leader attached to a hook at one end and a swivel at the other, with a sinker above the swivel running along the line.

Another popular rig is the dropper rig, with either one or two hooks depending on personal preference. Being that you are fishing from shore in what is usually relatively shallow water, the hooks will be either on the bottom or close enough to entice a bite anyway.

Sinkers are usually bean or ball shaped with enough weight to get you to the area you want to be fishing in. There are plenty of fishers who prefer an oversized sinker with the thinking that the sinker moving along the bottom will stir up the sand and create some interest from whiting in the area.

Hooks are usually in the mini circle style or a long shank in anywhere from a size 8 to 1. If you are getting plagued by small fish it is a good idea to go up in hook size or move spots. However schools are very often a range of sizes so if you are catching plenty but they are small try the bigger hook size and a bigger bait.

While yellowfin will usually hit the bait with gusto, for some reason they can be very difficult to hook. Quick reflexes can be the key here. Once hooked yellowfin whiting can give a very good account for themselves on the end of the line. Thankfully their love of sandy or low profile weed and sand means that fish are rarely lost to snags or structure. More often than not fish will be lost just as you are about to land them near to the shore.

Running sinker rig

One tip for yellowfin that are being very hard to hook is to replace your hook to ensure you have the sharpest hook point possible. The next tip is to cast out and to retrieve slowly with a pause every now and then to cover as much ground as possible and to ensure that the sinker is shuffling through the sand to draw attention.

When chasing yellowfin whiting it is pretty wise to pack relatively light and have the ability to move easily and often. If you do not get any bites or fish within a few casts move along the beach or bank a couple of metres and try again. Once you get a fish or two, stick with that area and see if there is a school holding up in the area. If not then simply keep moving.

Probably the most frustrating part of yellowfin whiting fishing is that it is rarely as consistent as we would like. Some nights are better than others and some spots will fire for one night and then you can revisit the same spot ten times and not catch a thing. Even the best yellowfin whiting anglers have a couple of spots in mind to try on any given trip, just in case one or two spots are not working. Never be afraid to move to a whole new location if you are not catching. Being flexible will always increase your chances.

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Where to Catch

Yellowfin whiting caught off the flats in Albany.

Habitat and Distribution

Yellowfin whiting are found from Shark Bay right through to the Gulf of St Vincent in South Australia. Whether you are fishing from shore or boat, you can be fairly sure that wherever you find sand, you will find whiting. They are primarily found in rivers and estuaries but will often be encountered on ocean beaches adjacent to river mouths or in coastal areas that are protected from large ocean swells. Although this species is relatively prolific, some years yield better numbers than others. Yellowfin whiting are usually a schooling fish so once you hook one, it is a pretty good indication that there will be more to follow, or that you are at least in the right area.

Where to Catch

Swan River Jetties

Augusta

Bremer Bay

Busselton

Dongara

Geraldton

Jurien Bay

Kalbarri

Mandurah

Shark Bay

Swan River and Canning River

Increase your chances of catching!

Before heading out, find out where the fish are biting throughout Western Australia in our Weekly Fishing Forecast.

About

Other names

Sillago schomburgkii, tings

Description

Here in Western Australia we have a few species of whiting available to catch, and yellowfin whiting is one of the most underrated recreational fishing species available. Yellowfin whiting can reach up to 42cm however most of the larger specimens are caught around the 33 – 35cm mark. They are characterised by their yellow to orange ventral and anal fins with the colour becoming less prominent in larger specimens. Yellowfin whiting are often mistaken for sand whiting however they can be differentiated from sand whiting by the absence of the dark blotch at the base of the pectoral fin.

Rules and Regulations

Rules and Regulations

Currently there are no minimum size limits for yellowfin whiting and those fishing from shore will not need a licence, however there are daily bag limits in place and boat fishers are required to hold a Recreational Fishing Licence.

Whiting are good breeders and relatively fast growing so there is unlikely to be any sustainability issues with this species, however always remember to adhere to the daily bag limits and only take what you are going to eat.

To stay up to date with the fishing rules for all your favourite Western Australian species, download the Recfishwest app for Apple or Android and keep the rules at your fingertips wherever you go.

Catch Care and Cooking

Storing Your Catch

Unlike larger fish, it is not necessary to bleed whiting, however to preserve their fantastic eating quality, whiting should be killed humanely immediately after catching and kept on ice out of the sun.

Cooking Your Catch

While they might only be a relatively small fish, the best part of whiting fishing comes in the eating. Their delicate, sweet, white flesh makes them ideal for steaming, poaching, panfrying or grilling and fillets are delicious when battered and deep fried.

When filleting, take the time to remove all of the bones so that you can appreciate the flavour without the frustration of picking small bones out as you are eating. Be careful not to over cook them as the fillets are quite thin so they will cook quickly.

For more information on how to care for you catch, check out our Catch Care page here.

Handy Hint

If you hope to bring home a nice feed of whiting, always remember to take some ice on which to store your catch.

The post Yellowfin Whiting appeared first on ilovefishing.

Dhufish

LA — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 05:33:37 +0000

How to Catch Dhufish

Rigs and Techniques

A short, heavy rod with an overhead reel and heavy braided line with a mono leader is a good set up for dhuies. Adjust the leader for where you are fishing- if it’s reefs and cave structures use a heavier leader, towards 80lb.

The most effective way to catch dhuies is to use a drifting method. The most common rig for drifting is a deep water two-hook dropper loop rig with a sinker that is as small as you can get but that will still keep your bait on the bottom. Preferred baits are live bait, squid, pilchards and whole fish. A speed of 0.2-0.4 knots is preferable but can depend on the conditions and the rig you are using. You want to make sure you keep you bait on the bottom and preferably have it slide along the bottom rather than bounce.

Another, less popular, but often effective fishing method for dhuies is bottom jigging with jigs, rattling lures or soft plastics. This works best if you drop them right to the bottom and bump them along the bottom, trying to mimic natural bait movements.

Check out our fishing reports for Perth and the rest of WA in our Weekly Fishing Forecast before heading out.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

DHUFISH FACTS

Other names

Glaucosoma hebraicum, Western Australian dhufish, dewies, jewfish and jewies (although jewfish are very different to dhufish)

WA Distribution

Found from Shark Bay in the north to Esperance in the south. These fish are mostly found in waters 5-100m deep, associated with structures such as reefs and caves. Dhufish can also be found away from reefs and over sandy or flat coral bottoms during the breeding season (December- March). The issue with these iconic fish, often caught at depths greater than 20m, is the risk of barotrauma (swim bladder expanding and placing pressure on internal organs). The risk of mortality after release can be minimised by using a release weight.

Description

Dhufish are not easily mistaken for other species because of their distinct appearance. Dhufish have a large head and robust body, their body ranges in colour from silver to grey, often with a mauve tinge and in younger individuals horizontal. They have a distinctive black stripe across their eye which is less prominent in older individuals and males can possess an elongated dorsal ray. Most fish are caught at 3-8kg but they can reach up to 25kgs.

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Giant Herring

LA — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 03:47:26 +0000

How to Catch Giant Herring

Rigs and Techniques

These fish are amazing fighters and offer a massive challenge on light gear.

Although they are not that hard to hook initially, keeping them connected is another matter altogether. Their bony mouths and violent head-shaking leaps throw the hooks most of the time, leaving the angler with nothing but a memory of the brief encounter. They also have small raspy teeth that will quickly wear through thin leader.

A mainline of 4-6kg braid or mono should be sufficient for all but the biggest fish, and mono actually offers the advantage of offering more give during the fight. Fluorocarbon leader of around nine kilos (20lb) is needed.

There are a numbers of lures that can be used for giant herring, including bibbed minnows from 5-10cm in length, small poppers, small stickbaits and metal slices. Giant herring often respond best to a fast retrieve. Bear in mind that the heavier the lure, the easier it is for the giant herring to dislodge it during the fight. Replacing the trebles with assist hooks is worth considering if giant herring are being sought. They are a favourite of fly anglers and an eight-weight outfit would be sufficient.

Don’t forget to check if you need a WA fishing licence before heading out.

GIANT HERRING FACTS

Other names

Elops machnata.

WA Distribution

Giant herring are found all the way from the Northern Territory to Albany on the south coast and are usually found in near-shore waters, and particularly in estuaries, embayments and rivers. Exmouth Gulf is a noted location for them. Although more common from Kalbarri north, many southern estuaries hold small populations of giant herring, including the Swan River and Nornalup Inlet. They can also be found in freshwater billabongs in the northern half of the state. They are certainly more commonly encountered during the warmer months in the southern half of the state, and their numbers appear to rise in the years following a strong Leeuwin Current.

Description

Absolutely no relation to Australian herring, in the northern half of the state giant herring are generally an incidental capture for anglers targeting other species. However, there has been a small population of fish in the Swan River for many years and as a result they are a highly-prized opponent for metro sportfishers, because of their speed and acrobatic antics when hooked. They are easily identified, with a long slender silver body, prominent dorsal fin and large powerful forked tail that provides their power and speed. They also have a very bony mouth and large eye. Although they grow to more than 10 kilos and over a metre in length, most giant herring caught are much smaller than this and any fish over 60cm is a good one. They are often found in small schools and many anglers believe they fish best when there is some chop on the water.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

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King George Whiting

LA — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 06:09:16 +0000

How to Catch King George Whiting

Rigs and Techniques

A light, 5-8kg bait-casting rod will do nicely for King George whiting with 4-8kg mono or braided line. It is largely accepted that fishing with bait is the best way to catch King George whiting. The best baits are squid, sand or blood worms, prawns and whitebait threaded onto a long shank hook. Burley can be effective when fishing for King George, however this will attract a lot of scavengers which makes it hard to get your bait to the bottom.

You may want to use a small sinker to drop you bait onto the bottom and you may need to give a light tug on the line occasionally to ensure your bait is still on the bottom. Whiting are fussy feeders and they don’t bite hard (which is why many King George fishermen use the more sensitive gelspun line) so if you feel the fish ‘suck in’ the bait they may spit it back out again and you will benefit from giving them a little line so they can have another go at it. Once the bait has been taken though it will only take a firm upwards movement to set the hook.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

KING GEORGE WHITING FACTS

Other names

Sillagnodes punctate, spotted whiting, KGW and KG.

WA Distribution

Found from around Dongara in the north to the southern Western Australian border in the south. They are usually found in shallow inshore waters less than 10m deep in areas of broken reef habitat on sandy patches adjacent to seagrass beds or reef. Although larger fish will tend to inhabit deeper waters further offshore around coral formations.

Description

The King George whiting has the typical whiting down-turned mouth and elongated body but can be distinguished from other species by its brown/bronze colouring and dark brown to red spots and dashes along its body. These fish can grow up to about 60cm and more than 2kg, although most are caught at about half this size.

Burley For Small Fish

This burley is suitable for burleying up any smaller species of fish such as herring, skippy and other smaller fish often referred to as baitfish. (yellowtail, scaly mackerel etc.)

Pre packed burley is available at all good tackle shops and is very convenient, however if you are doing a bit of fishing it is more economical to make your own. Half the fun is creating the ultimate fail safe blend of your own.

To start you will need a bag of pollard, you can find pollard at your local tackle shop or in many supermarkets or pet shops in the pet food section, it is mainly used as a chicken feed and is available in a variety of sizes depending on your needs.

Next you will need some fish oil of your preference. If you like you can experiment and find which one you think works the best. Fish oil is available at tackle shops in a range of bottle sizes.

Get yourself a small bucket and add some of the pollard, then, mixing carefully, add the fish oil until you get the desired consistency. Too much oil will make the burley thin and not stick in burley cages and floats. Too stiff and it will not come out of the burley cage or float as desired.

Remember that if you add water to the mix your burley mix will go moldy if you try to keep it for any length of time, so it is worth making a thicker mix than you would normally use and add water to suit at the time of fishing.

There are also a few tips for fine tuning your burley to your needs. If you want a stickier mix you can add a bit of plain cooking flour to your brew. If you want the burley to break up quicker you can add a bit of beach sand.

Another refinement is the addition of some bran. This will give some different grades of flake to your burley making for a larger cloud of burley once it hits the water, keeping the fish interested in the area around your bait for longer.

You can experiment with plenty of other additions to your burley. One popular addition is fish and chip shop batter skimmings from the deep fryers. This one can be tricky as it tends to float and can bring in the seagulls, which can hinder your fishing.

The last tip is to not use too much burley. The idea is to get them excited, not full.

Fine tuning the ultimate burley mix can be a lot of fun and is a great way to save a few dollars.

Where to Catch King George Whiting

Bunbury

Metro Boat

Metro Shore

Albany

Augusta

Bremer Bay

Busselton

Dongara

Esperance

Jurien Bay

Mandurah

Moore River

Rottnest Island

Walpole

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Pink Snapper

LA — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 02:22:18 +0000

How to Catch Pink Snapper

Rigs and Techniques

A 6-8kg spinning rod with 6-10kg line and about a 20kg mono leader will do just fine. Sometimes the heaviest gear isn’t the best for catching big pinkies.

Snapper are fished most often on baits such as mulies, slimy mackerel, pilchard, squid and octopus. The bait is often floated or lightly weighted in shallow waters or attached to larger fixed sinkers for fishing in deeper water.

A burley trail is a good idea- try to drop some fish cubes down to the bottom. You want to drop your bait just at the edge of structures like reefs and drop offs and bottom bounce the bait. Snapper can also be caught on leadhead jigs and metal lures.

Need a WA fishing licence? Don’t forget to check if you do before heading out.

Demersal Jigging for Beginners

Jigging for pink snapper is a fun and exciting way to catch these tasty specimens. Learn the basics of demersal jigging in our Demrsal Jigging for Beginners article.

PINK SNAPPER FACTS

Other names

Pagrus auratus, snapper or pinkies.

WA Distribution

Found from Coral Bay in the north to the South Australian border in the south. Small snapper of 4-8kg can be caught in shallow inshore waters, even right from the beach. But the large snapper are most often found associated with structures such as offshore reefs or broken ground (eg: gravel patches) in anything from shallow to deep water of more than 100m. Beginning in around October and lasting 3-5 months snapper form predictable spawning aggregations in locations such as Shark Bay and Cockburn Sound.

Description

Pink snapper are not readily mistaken for any other species; they have a distinctive pink to silver to copper colouration with bright blue spots on the ventral surface of juveniles. Males will often develop a humped head and nose with age. Snapper will form schools of similar sized fish, but become more solitary as they grow larger. Pink snapper are a slow growing fish that can reach a maximum size of 16kg, but are more often caught at between 2-8kg.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

Where to Catch Pink Snapper

Bunbury

Metro Boat

Metro Shore

Abrolhos Islands

Albany

Augusta

Bremer Bay

Busselton

Carnarvon

Dongara

Esperance

Geraldton

Jurien Bay

Kalbarri

Moore River

Shark Bay

Walpole

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Samson Fish

LA — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 02:37:01 +0000

How to Catch Samson Fish

Rigs and Techniques

Short heavy spins rods and heavy overhead reels are preferable for this hard fighting fish. It’s best to use something like a 24kg braid and 30-50kg mono leader.

Samson fish are most often fished on deep vertical jig rigs or baits such as live fish, pilchard, or squid with decent sinkers and large hooks. Drop your bait or jigs to the bottom and either bottom jig while drifting or retrieve the jig with movements depending on the type of jig you are using.

Keeping up a constant berley trail can help to greatly improve the fishing.

Check out our Weekly Fishing Forecast for fishing reports for Perth and the rest of WA.

SAMSON FISH FACTS

Other names

Seriola hippos, Samson, sambo.

WA Distribution

Found from Shark Bay in the north to the South Australian border in the south. In summer, aggregations off Rottnest Island tend to be particularly productive. These fish are often associated with structures but can also be found on sand or seagrass beds. They can be found in shallow water but also anything up to over 100m deep.

Description

Unfortunately the samson fish is very easily confused with amberjack, to which it is closely related and often found inhabiting the same areas as samson fish. The best way to tell the samson fish apart from its relatives is to count the second dorsal fin rays. If there are 23-25 dorsal fin rays and 16-17 anal fin rays then you’ve got a samson fish. The samson fish also has a more rounded forehead than its relatives and may have vertical blotches of colour along its body. The colour of samson fish varies from grey to brown. Samson fish can grow to 1.8m and over 50kg although most are caught at 5-20kg.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

Where to Catch Samson Fish

Metro Boat

Albany

Augusta

Bremer Bay

Busselton

Dongara

Esperance

Jurien Bay

Kalbarri

Moore River

Walpole

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Spanish Mackerel

LA — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 02:44:32 +0000

How to Catch Spanish Mackerel

Rigs and Techniques

An outfit with an over head reel, 6-15kg line (depending on the fishing method) and a meter or so of heavy wire trace (something like 25kg will do) to avoid and bust-offs on those sharp teeth. Chemically sharpened hooks are a good idea to get the hook to catch in the hard mouth of the Spanish mackerel.

Two popular methods for catching Spanish mackerel are trolling from boats and ballooning from the shore. Trolling can be done with hard-bodied minnow lures or live bait such as slimy mackerel, mullet or garfish secured with multiple hooks. Add a swivel to your rig for trolling and keep the speed below about seven knots.

Ballooning involves filling a party balloon with air or helium and floating it above the swivel on a live or dead bait rig when an offshore wind is blowing.

Need a WA fishing licence? Don’t forget to check if you do before heading out.

SPANISH MACKEREL FACTS

Other names

Scomberomorus commerson, narrow-barred Spanish mackerel, narrow-barred mackerel, Spaniard.

WA Distribution

Found between the Northern Territory border in the north and Geographe Bay in the south. Spanish mackerel are found in coastal waters and are often associated with structures such as reef edges and drop-offs. They will often be found in waters with sharp temperature changes, current lines or bait activity.

Description

The Spanish mackerel is probably the most popular of the mackerel species in Western Australia and a very popular sport fish. It can be mistaken for wahoo, but can be distinguished by the shorter dorsal fin with less (15-18) dorsal spines and the external bone and upper jaw which both extend to just behind the eye. Smaller Spanish mackerel may also be confused for other mackerel species such as slimy mackerel. They are blue to grey on their dorsal side (back) with many narrow vertical bands along their sides and a grey-silver colour on their belly. They have impressive teeth that you will need to be weary of when handling this species. Spanish mackerel can reach over 2m in length and 40kg, although they are most commonly caught at between five and 15kg.

Where to Catch Spanish Mackerel

Metro Boat

Abrolhos Islands

Broome

Dongara

Jurien Bay

Kalbarri

Roebuck Bay

Rowley Shoals

Rottnest Island

Shark Bay

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Squid

LA — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 22:14:00 +0000

How to Catch

HOW TO CATCH SQUID

Squid fishing is fun for any age and is an absolutely great way to get younger kids into the fantastic out door sport that is fishing.

The most common method for catching squid from a boat is to find a likely looking seagrass bed and drift across it with a couple of squid jigs trailing out the back of the boat. When a squid grabs a hold of the jig the rod bends over or the handline starts spinning and bouncing on the deck, the squid is then brought to the boat with a very steady retrieve so as to not break off the tentacles.

From shore the most common method is to suspend a squid jig under a float, cast it out and wait for the float to be pulled under the surface or for the rod to bend. The squid is then wound in with steady pressure.

These methods have worked well in the past and will continue to work well into the future.

Tackle

The Japanese squid tournament scene has turned squid fishing into a major sport with big money up for grabs and has brought about massive developments in squid fishing tackle. Specialised squid rods have been developed for boat and shore fishing and squid specific lines are also being manufactured in PE and fluorocarbon. On top of this there are a myriad of accessories from squid jig cases and squid iki jimi spikes to telescopic squid gaffs for shore and jetty based anglers right down to specialised shoes.

A lot of this gear we may never see land on our shores, but already there are quite a few of the rods available in tackle stores. The top of the line rods can reach into the thousand dollar mark in Japan while most found here in Australia are in the more affordable price range, or at least are a lot less than this.

The specialised squid rods have quite a slow action but are made from high modulous graphite so are still able to belt even quite a small squid jig a long way. Having a soft action ensures that the tentacles will not be snapped off from too much pressure when fighting the squid. So if you are looking for a squid rod, especially for fishing from shore, these are worth at least having a look at.

If a dedicated squid rod sounds a bit extreme then find a rod that is reasonably slow in action and able to handle about four kilo line. For shore based rocks go for a longer rod up to about eight to nine feet. For jetty or boat fishing, around the six to seven feet mark should do the job. Once again rated to about four kilo will be plenty.

If you are fishing with braided line a fluorocarbon leader is not a must but certainly does seem to make a bit of a difference, especially when the squid are not aggressive and when the water is super clear and the sun is out. If you do not use fluorocarbon at least use a light mono leader in a light pink or clear colour.

Squid jigs

When it comes to squid jigs or lures many people tend to get a bit daunted. In recent years the variation on types and colours has become endless, mostly due to the aformentioned Japanese squid tournament scene.

For most squid anglers, there is only the prawn type jig. They come in a myriad of different sizes, styles and colours. Inside this range there is also a massive variation in prices. They can start at as little as five dollars a piece and can go up to about the forty dollar mark. Many recommend only looking at the ones from twenty dollars upwards. Often the cheapies out fish the expensive ones on certain days, but on the most part, the more expensive ones seem to last longer and catch more squid.

The size of the squid jig can be quite critical, especially if the squid are small or are being quite timid. If the squid are being timid it pays to be less aggressive than suggested later on in this article and to switch down to a smaller jig in the 2.0 to 2.5 size range.

If the average size of the squid is big then put on the biggest jig you have and you will generally only catch bigger squid. For most of the year however a jig in the 3.0 size range should get you a fair catch of squid.

Colours are probably the biggest point of confusion for most when squidding. Most people have a favourite colour and that is all they will use come rain, hail or shine. The only reason it is their favourite is because they had a cracking session on that colour one time in the past.

When it comes to all of the other colour combinations available out there now, I advise you to just give them a go and see what happens. When you are not catching and you know they should be there it’s the time to start changing colours until you find one that works.

While on squid jigs there are a couple of things you can do to squid jigs to fine tune them a bit. The biggest problem encountered is that the squid might be taking a 3.0 squid jig hand over fist but the wind picks up and speeds up the drift so that it can not get down as far in time. Your first option is to put out a sea anchor. If you have already done this and you have one of the tournament style jigs, which can be dentified by the hole through the keel weight, use some solder wire or lead wire to wind through the hole and around the jig to allow it to get to the desired depth as needed. It is actually what the hole is for, it is just hard to read on the Japanese packaging.

Tactics

When it comes to the retrieve there is no clear cut rule as most techniques will produce a squid or two. In Japan, ripping a jig a couple of metres through the water in one whip of the rod is pretty much considered standard fare, however the critical part of the Japanese tecnique is when the jig is falling back down to the bottom. This is generally when the squid grabs the jig, so they put a lot of concentration into watching the line for any movement as a squid tries to make off with the lure. Once this is spotted the jig is set with a firm strike and then fought into the net.

Another point worth mentioning about the Japanese tecnique is that they don’t move the jig at all while it is falling. The only time the jig is moved is when it is being ripped away from the approaching bottom to get the squid’s attention or to set the hooks on a squid that has already taken the jig.

While it might take a hell of a lot of will power not to move the jig too often, the Japanese style of jigging for squid is certainly a system that works very effectively on our southern calamari, no matter where you fish.

Once you catch your squid it is best to look after them properly so that they taste their best. Check out the Catch Care and Cooking tab to find out how to ensure you get tender squid every time.

The Secret to Tender Squid

Like most table-bound creatures from the sea, squid will always taste better if it’s killed humanely by a method called iki jime. Learn this method and enjoy tasty, tender seafood every time.

Click on the Catch Care and Cooking tab on this page to view our squid iki jime video and learn how it’s done.

Squid Jig Selection

If you ask 20 people what their favourite colour of squid jig is you can almost be sure you will get 20 different answers.

So to help ease the confusion before you get started on your squid fishing journey here is a bit of a guide to squid jig colour selection.

When the cloth type squid jigs first came into Australia, they were pretty limited in colours, so making a colour selection was once very easy. These days, if you have a look on any tackle shop wall at the squid jigs available, the colours are almost endless. To make matters even harder, every tackle shop will have a different selection of colours.

While most squid chasers know that on different days different colours work better than others, it is not usually the colour you see that makes the biggest difference. If you look closely at a squid jig you will notice that, while it has a particular colour or pattern on the cloth coating, you will see that under the cloth covering there is another colour shining through. These under colours or foil coatings are usually metallic in appearance and vary between a few core colours.

If you ask the lure manufacturers, this is the part of the jig design that matters the most as it is the part that gets the squid’s attention initially. After that, the jig looks like a prawn and they presume that the squid will have a go at it.

Internal colours

The base or foil colour can be any one of usually six colours; gold, silver, red, rainbow, glow and clear.

Gold is considered a pretty much all round colour that can be used in any water clarity and time of day but is said to excel first thing in the morning.

Silver is another good option particularly in clear water conditions.

Red is a good option for night time squidding.

Rainbow for cloudy conditions.

Glow is best for overcast low light and night.

Clear is best for bright sunshine and clear water.

External colours

When choosing external colours the general rule of thumb is that the brighter/lighter the conditions and the clearer the water, the more natural the colours. For dirty water, brighter colours will work best.

While it is not written in stone and it may not be one hundred percent effective all of the time, the squid jig colour rule of thumb goes like this:

Green is for clear water and cloudy conditions.

Blue is for clear water and clear conditions.

Orange is best when the water clarity is down.

Pink squid jigs are probably the most used by squid fishers and as such catch a lot of squid. Pink is considered by many to be the preferred fall back colour when others are not working.

While it might seem confusing at first, after a bit of time you will soon have your favourite jig to use in a given situation. Just remember if you are not catching, change colours and base colours until you find one that works.

What is written above is just a guide to get you started. Get some jigs, catch some squid with family and friends and most of all have some fun.

Where to Catch

Habitat and Distribution

The southern calamari can be found from the WA border in the south all the way up to Dampier in the Pilbara.

Squid will live in many varied locations. Sea grass beds are the most common places for anglers to chase them, however they can also be found around reef, kelp beds, even in open water over a sandy bottom and man made structures such as navigation poles or jetties. They can live in shallows of less than a metre of water out to over forty metres of water. Squid can also inhabit the lower reaches or more saline parts of estuaries and rivers. They are found close to the bottom during the day and closer to the surface at night when they feed more actively.

The bottom line is, squid can and do live anywhere. Their varied habitat is one of the reasons why they are such a sought after species by anglers. Whether you are fishing from a jetty, the rocks or the beach or have a small tinny or a big launch, you can catch squid.

Where to Catch

Bunbury

Swan River Jetties

Metro Boat

Metro Shore

Albany

Bremer Bay

Busselton

Dongara

Esperance

Jurien Bay

Shark Bay

Increase your chances of catching!

Before heading out, find out where the fish are biting throughout Western Australia in our Weekly Fishing Forecast.

About

Other names

Sepioteuthis australis, calamari, southern calamari, calamari squid and southern squid.

Description

Cephalopods take in a small group of marine creatures which include the octopus, cuttlefish, nautilus and the one we are interested in, the squid. The particular squid that is most common in Western Australian waters and the one we will be focusing on is the southern calamari or scientific name Sepioteuthis australis.

Cephalopods, squid, calamari, call them what you like. Squid and calamari are actually the same thing. Calamari is usually what a squid is called once it is cooked, probably because it sounds more exotic on the menu than squid.

Squid are amazing creatures. They can change colours in the blink of an eye and format these colours into any assortment of patterns to hide their presence from predators. They have the ability to squirt out a cloud of jet black ink which they can either hide in to evade predators or use it as a screen to make a hasty escape.

Probably the most incredible fact about the southern calamari is their life span. They live to about 12 to 18 months old and can reach a size of fifty centimetres in mantle (tube) length, however they are mostly caught at around twenty centimetres. Their relatively short life span means they lay their eggs in quite large numbers to ensure the continuation of the species. It is this that puts squid at a low risk of ever being fished out.

Identification

The only species that might be mistaken for a squid is its cousin the cuttlefish, but squid can be distinguished by the diamond shape to their body that is created by the fins that run around the entire body and the nearly transparent appearance of the body with its transparent pen, as opposed to the more opaque body of the cuttlefish with its cuttlebone. Squid have eight tentacles as well as two extendable feeding tentacles that have suckers for grasping prey. Colours range from yellow-green to orange and even purple.

Related Videos

Squid iki jime:

How to Clean Squid:

Rules and Regulations

Rules and Regulations

There are usually no size restrictions on squid however there is a squid, cuttlefish and octopus combined bag limit and boat limit. The 2016 combined daily bag limit for these species is 15 and the combined daily boat limit is 30. Current information can be found in the Recfishwest App.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

Catch Care and Cooking

Squid are great fun to catch and are usually a favourite with the kids. They are also great to eat and make good bait.

When chasing squid it is always wise to have a system in place that keeps them in top condition, especially if you are intending to eat your catch.

Of highest importance is an esky and some ice. Keeping squid icy cold is very important as their delicate flesh starts to break down very rapidly once they die.

Next on the list is a large plastic bag. Once you catch a squid and get it onto the boat or shore, it is wise to place it into a plastic bag and then put the plastic bag onto your ice in the esky. This prevents the squid from unleashing a torrent of black ink all through your esky and ice. If you have any crustaceans or fish mixed in with the black ink in the esky it will affect their flesh and how they taste. Using the bag will also save the cleanup once the day is done. It is best to avoid scented garbage bags for this task.

The next thing to think about is how you are going to humanely kill the ones you wish to keep. Gaining more acceptance and popularity is the process called squid iki jime. This basically involves using a half moon shaped blade on the end of a spike to kill the squid. It takes two incisions to do it properly. First, the iki jime tool is pushed through the section just behind the eyes on an angle towards the back of the squid. This instantly makes the tube turn white. The tool is then taken out and pushed straight down between the eyes making the tentacles turn white. This process is best performed as soon as the squid is caught. They can then be placed into your plastic bag and straight onto the ice. Check out our Squid Iki Jime video to learn how it’s done.

You can make a squid iki jime tool from an old stainless knife or you can buy the purpose made tool from your local tackle shop. On the bought model there is also a handy little tube on the side for straightening bent squid jig barbs.

Purpose made squid iki jime tools are relatively inexpensive and are available from most tackle shops.

Using the squid iki jime method is said to improve the eating quality of the squid and also allows them to be dealt with and put into the esky without the surprise of a stream of black ink going everywhere.

When you get home

Once home, the squid can be removed from the ice and cleaned.

Leaving the squid on ice for about 24 hours will make the cleaning process a lot easier as the skin and wings become easier to remove.

The clean tubes are frozen and thawed at a later date for eating. Freezing squid before eating is known to help tenderise the meat which makes them less chewy.

The tentacles can be bagged up to use as bait for future fishing trips, however if you prefer they can also be eaten.

Squid Iki Jime

Squid Cleaning

The post Squid appeared first on ilovefishing.

Crayfish

LA — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 05:29:23 +0000

How to Catch Crayfish

Where to Catch

About

Rules and Regulations

Catch Care and Cooking

Western Rock Lobster is now available all year round!

The majority of cray fishers do not get going until around the full moon of November. This period marks the start of what is called the whites run. The whites run also coincides with an annual event of seagrass flowering. The seagrass flowers are often called sea bananas. Once you start to see the floating clumps of sea bananas you can be sure that the white run is either under way or only days away.

You can see the difference between the red cray (early and late season) flanked by two whites, which run from about November to January (same species, different stages of migration).

The whites run of crayfish is so important for the rec sector because this is the time that the majority of crays will make their migration into the shallow coastal waters. It is this time that the recreational sector has its best chances of getting good catches.

Recreational crayfish catches are made in two main ways, the most popular is by using craypots. Craypots can be wood, plastic, cane or steel, the design is very specific and must meet regulations that allow for maximum length, width, height and most importantly escape gap sizes and placement. Pots are baited and set overnight and then pulled the next day.

Diving is the other main way of catching crayfish. Most divers search under rock ledges to find the crays and then either use a cray snare or a gloved hand to grab their quarry.

Diving for Crayfish

Diving for crays is challenging but with the right gear and know how, you can pick yourself up some nice jumbo sized crayfish for the table!

Check out our Diving for Crayfish article to learn all about how to catch yourself a feed of these tasty specimens.

Crayfishing is a fantastic recreation and is the best way to secure a fresh feed of this fine delicacy. Let’s face it, 47,000 people can’t be wrong! Probably the most rewarding part of catching crays is the ability to provide fresh crayfish for the Christmas lunch or dinner. It is what a true West Australian Christmas meal is built around.

Dropping cray pots is both fun and rewarding, it is also a great to take the whole family out to pull the pots early in the morning. The anticipation of what the next pot will hold never loses its shine and then to see what comes up is even more exciting. Kids love the thrill of searching for the floats and seeing what creatures they’ve caught in the pot. While we are excited about the crays, kids will go nuts about the octopus, shells, hermit crabs, starfish, sea lice and wobbegong sharks to name a few of the occasional by catch.

Sea Bananas

To increase your chances of catching a cray, be sure to keep a look out for floating clumps of sea bananas.

The rewards for an early morning start.

Crayfishing Tips

Be sure to be fully aware of all of the licence requirements and rules. The fines for prosecutions in this fishery are staggering due to the high value of the lobsters.
Try to use a mixture of bait. Soft, oily flesh bait will get the lobster into the pot, and longer lasting tougher bait will keep them there. This is especially important if you are pulling pots every 2 or 3 days.
Wood pots will start to fish better once they have been able to “soak” for a day or two.
Use as much weight in your pot as you can. If a pot moves lobster will not be so keen to get inside.
Never weight pots with porous material such as rocks or bricks. Lobsters hate the bubbles.
If your wooden pot feels all loose and rickety at the beginning of the season, resist the urge to tighten up all of the bolts. Let it soak for a few days and then tighten if the pot has not already swollen and firmed up.
Most importantly, stay safe, have fun and get your family and friends licence numbers onto your pots and share the love that is a feed of western rock lobster.

In summer there is no better way to start your day.

Potting for Crayfish – our top tips

If you’re keen to catch a few crays this season but don’t know where to start, check out our Top Tips for Potting for Crayfish article.

It has all you need to know about choosing the right pot, what bait to use, what to do when you’ve caught a cray and everything in between!

Where to Catch Crayfish

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

Found between Exmouth in the north and Walpole in the south, crayfish inhabit inshore and offshore reefs, with larger individuals preferring deeper offshore reefs and are often found under ledges or inside caves.

WHERE TO CATCH CRAYFISH

Bunbury

Metro Boat

Abrolhos Islands

Dongara

Geraldton

Jurien Bay

Rottnest Island

About Crayfish

Do you know the difference between a lobster and a crayfish?

A lobster lives in saltwater and a crayfish lives in freshwater.

In WA, the western rock lobster are often referred to as ‘crays’ but this is actually the wrong name. The term ‘cray’ however is so ingrained in WA culture that it is unlikely to change.

To fish for crays it is essential that you have a recreational rock lobster licence. The recreational rock lobster rules are probably some of the most complicated. Considering this fishery is the largest and highest value fishery in WA it is hardly surprising. The need to look after this fishery is of utmost importance for both the rec sector and the commercial sector. (The commercial take has a value of around $271 million per year.)

Check out our weekly fishing reports for Perth and the rest of WA.

Kids, friends and family all love the thrill that cray fishing brings

WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER FACTS

Other names

Panulirus Cygnus, lobster, spiny lobster, rock lobster, crayfish and western crayfish

Identification

Western rock lobsters are not usually mistaken for other species as their distributions do not overlap significantly. The only species they may be mistaken for are the southern rock lobster, although the western rock lobster can be distinguished by two prominent horns on its forehead that extend past the front of their head. They possess the typical body shape of other lobsters and are brown to red in colour, although when they shed their exoskeleton they are very pale in colour and known as whites. Western rock lobster can reach sizes of up to 5kg, although most are caught at less than 2kg.

OTHER INFO

The commercial allocation is set by IFM which sets a total allowable catch which ensures enough crays are left in the water for coming years and recruitment.
Crayfish can be caught from Exmouth in the north around to about Augusta in the south.
The highest populations of crayfish are found between Perth and Geraldton.

Rules and Regulations for Crayfish

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Crayfish are managed by fisheries under what is called IFM or Integrated Fisheries Management. This system can be a fantastic way to manage fish stocks, especially in single species fisheries such as crayfish. The proof of how well this system is working can be seen in the accreditation. Our cray fishery was the first fishery in the world to receive Marine Stewardship Council certification and has done so for the last 15 years.

The recreational sector has a very passionate group of cray fishers that sit on the Rock Lobster Reference group, this group meets every year and puts forward new ideas to help the rec sector try and catch its allocated 5% of available crays. This group is an arm of Recfishwest, and in years past has had some incredible wins, such as getting the daily bag limit from 6 back to 8, allowing three fishers on board a boat instead of just two. These are just two of the many successes.

Tail clipping

If you are going to keep your legal sized lobster, you must clip the central flap on its tail fan, removing at least the bottom half of it, or punch a circular hole of no less than 10 mm in diameter in the central segment of the tail fan, within five minutes of taking the lobster from the water. This is done to identify it as a recreationally caught lobster, which can’t be sold.

Keep the Rules at Your Fingertips

Stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations by downloading the Recfishwest App available for iOS and Android.

Catch Care and Cooking Crayfish

Crayfish are a truly amazing tasting crustacean, which is why they are so sought after world wide.

Cooking and consuming crays as soon as or soon after they are caught is very hard to beat and is recommended to get the most out of the flavours on offer.

Catch Care

Looking after your crays for consumption at a later date can be difficult, however when done properly and carefully, it can extend the eating pleasure to months after capture.

Once caught, crays will stay alive for many hours as long as they are kept in a cool, dark place such as an esky with no ice. If you prefer and have ice on hand they can just as easily be stored on ice.

If you catch an occy do not put occy and crayfish in the same storage, likewise do not mix crayfish with squid if you decide to do some squidding on the way home.

Cooking and Storing your Catch

If you are boiling your crays you can keep them whole in the fridge for up to five or six days provided you keep them in a tub covered with a wet tea towel. Just drain off any excess liquid daily and ensure the tea towel remains damp. However with the new rules it is also now possible to shell the tails which can then be kept in a bowl in the fridge under glad wrap or a sealed lid. Once again just be sure to drain off any excess liquid if it appears.

Not everyone wants to store boiled crays, so if this is you and you are not worried about presenting your crays with the head on you can now take the tail off your lobster and store it in the freezer. The best way to remove the head is by cutting around the inside of the head and separating the head from the tail. Then get some square ice cream containers or similar and fill them with slightly salty or sea water. Place the tails in the tub so that they are completely submerged in the water and then freeze into a solid block of ice. A regular ice cream container should easily fit 4 tails in it with the lid on.

When you want to use the cray tails simply defrost and remove from the block of ice. Done properly there will be very little noticeable difference after three months or so of being frozen.

If you prefer a whole crayfish with the shell on you can use the same method or if you are intending to eat them in a week or two, simply sedate them in fresh water after capture, allow to drip dry and then wrap tightly in about four layers of newspaper. Then place into a freezer bag, seal with tape and mark with the day’s date so that you know which ones to eat first if you manage to get a few in the freezer. Obviously you will want to eat the oldest dated crays first.

The post Crayfish appeared first on ilovefishing.