Greg James
Fishing Reports and Hotspots

 


Reports:





THIS WEEK'S FISHING HOTSPOTS:

  1. METRO: Re-occuring bloom continues unfortunately - finding a place to fish without the poison is a challenge. Bream in the Port River & West Lakes.
  2. FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/FRESHWATER: KG whiting from Wirrina & Rapid Head., mulloway from Goolwa channel., yabbies & callop from Renmark., golden perch in Beetaloo res.
  3. YORKE PEN: Snook, tommies & squid from Moonta Bay, Wallaroo & Pt Vic jetties., KG whiting from Cape Elizabeth, Port Vic & Balgowan., yellowfin whiting off Leven's & Parson's beaches.
  4. SOUTH EAST/COORONG: KG whiting, snapper & sweep from South End & Beachport., mulloway & salmon from 32 Mile Crossing & Salt Creek.
  5. SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: Gar, KG whiting & squid from Tumby Bay, Sleaford Bch & Streaky Bay., big squid off Streaky Bay jetty., mulloway & salmon from Claire Bay & the Dog Fence Bch.
  6. KANGAROO ISLAND: Garfish, snook, tommies & squid from Kingscote, Smith's Bch & Penneshaw.
  7. SA RESERVOIR FISHING: Here's the link: www.sawater.com.au/reservoir-reserves/activities/fishing.
  8. SA FISH SIZE & BAG LIMITS: www.pir.sa.gov.au/recreational_fishing/rules/species_limits.



"SA ALGAL BLOOM NO MORE - A 6-POINT PLAN TO FULL RECOVERY" by Em. Professor Julius S. Plankton.

1. Immediately establish mobile water filtration units at the barrages on the Murray River - to remove harmful phosphates

2. Immediately establish a targeted & on-going Algal Bloom foam clean up operation at all coastal locations

3. Create a fully supported Academic Chair of Algal Bloom Mitigation & Prevention position (UniHub concept) at a Regional Centre on the SA coast

4. Form Strategic Regional Advisory Groups (3 year paid positions) to provide clear & unequivocal Algal Bloom Mitigation & Prevention advice

5. Re-vision with intent to re-structure the entire State Govt & Private Fisheries sectors

6. Fund & support only Applied Marine Science research that provides a practical solution to an identified problem/threat

GET GREG'S FISHREPS ON ABC RADIO - EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT (891 @ 8.40PM) WITH THE ONE & ONLY SPENCE DENNY! THEN EVERY SATURDAY MORNING (639 @ 7.30AM) WITH THE FAB IAN (CHOOK) HARSLETT!

DEC 1 - 10, 2025

METRO WATERS: Sorry to have to say this - but I am treating any official Govt information on the algal bloom in our Metro waters as total B.S. They neither care about the truth & are incapable/incompetent of stopping the destruction in my honest opinion. Tidal movement means the poison is now seeping into & past the tidal flats based around the primary dune system. If you are thinking about a fish then for boat crews I would only use catch and release practices in the deep, deep waters off Outer Harbour & St Kilda - as I have been saying in past reports. You should be able to locate small, isolated pods of KG whiting & maybe a flathead or two. I would leave blue & sand crabs well & truly alone for the foreseeable future. There are soapie mulloway, black bream, mullet & poisson de shite for shore-based fishers in the Onkaparinga & Port Rivers & over at West Lakes. Take Care & See You Soon!

FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/RESERVOIR: Surf casters along the Upper Coorong again battled soft beach access, strong west to south west winds and some big swells as they fished for salmon, mulloway, shark and a couple of fat mullet through most of last week. The sands at the 32 Mile Crossing and Salt Creek were particularly busy as all manner of 4 wheel drive vehicles had a crack around the dunes and beaches. Meanwhile, the reports from a couple of weeks of soapie mulloway in and around Tauwitchere Point and Sugars Beach on Hindmarsh Island continue. The Goolwa river mouth is also worth a try for mulloway after dusk - but take a warm jacket and plenty of insect repellent! When the big boat crews managed a launch from Victor they found red nannygai, snapper, sweep and kingfish around the offshore reefs and bommies, but early tuna reports are for not much at this stage. Closer inshore fishing has the odd KG whiting and flathead from Broady's Patch, but the seafloor remains patchy with the Algal Bloom muck, so take care with any fish for human consumption. Ever hopeful jetty-based fishers continue to chance their luck from The Bluff wharf and Screwpile for jetty for late in the day tommy ruffs. Catches of KG whiting have been reported from the deep water drops off Lady Bay, Normanville and Wirrina with very soft squid working well as bait, but the fish are patchy and only in small pods/schools of a few at any given time. Velvet crabs, like squid are almost non-existent at the moment. Shore-based anglers caught salmon trout and tommies off Silver Sands and mulloway and bream at night from the Onkaparinga river mouth.

SOUTH EAST/COORONG: Some decent snapper reports are coming from the Lower South East waters as boat crews ping out from Cape Northumberland, Port MacDonnell & Beachport when conditions are at their best. Cool days, fine weather & medium swells are the go! Snapper are also off Robe, Boatswain's Point & Kingston, along with KG whiting, the odd crayfish (rock lobster) with permits required, sweep & flathead. Garfish are prevalent in many local bays around Robe, Nora Creina Bay, Beachport, South End & Carpenter Rocks. Shore-based fishing has some high tides happening, with salmon, flathead & shark in the surges at the 32 Mile Crossing, Salt Creek, Stinky Bch, Poorman's Salmon Hole & Canunda (south of Millicent). The sandy beaches just south of Picanninie Ponds have gar, salmon trout & flathead, while boat crews are running out for inshore garfish, squid & KG whiting - & well offshore for snapper, red nannys, samson fish & snook at times.

YORKE PENINSULA: Port Clinton: I travelled to Port Clinton mid-week to help a chap with his electric outboard motor and local boaties are still staying away from their fishing in droves! Unfortunately the effects of the Algal Bloom are now in the tidal salt water flats along the main road as tainted sea water seeps through the seaweed and into the samphire grass. Wallaroo: Squid and KG whiting have been the main reports from boat crews before the strong west to south west winds cracked in over the weekend. The jetty has a few blue crabs, squid and tommy ruffs, while yellowfin whiting are the main targets for shore-based fishers from Bird Reef and the small, sandy bays north of Point Riley. Moonta Bay/Port Hughes: Jetty-based anglers are catching the odd garfish, blue crab and squid. KG whiting, blueys and gar are in the broken grounds at the Tippara Reef and I had an unconfirmed report of rat kingies and rugger snapper (snapper are no-take) in the Steamer channel late in the week. Port Victoria: KG whiting and squid reports continue from this part of The Leg, with garfish and snook also about when weather conditions permit. Balgowan and Port Rickaby are also worth a try for garfish and squid. Point Turton: Shore-based anglers are targeting yellowfin whiting, late mullet and salmon trout from local sandy beaches on the outgoing tides, while boat crews enjoyed some protection from the weekend's windy conditions to fish for gar, squid and flathead in Hardwicke Bay and Point Souttar. Stenhouse/Marion Bays: Offshore crews have tried for tuna, red nannys, kingfish and the ever-present sweep when conditions at the local boat ramp allowed for a launch. The jetties have tommies and squid with shore-based fishers picking up salmon trout and the odd flathead from Jolly's beach all the way round to Brown's and Gym beaches.

KANGAROO ISLAND The rec fishing rules changed on Nov 1, 2025 so if you fish KI waters it would be a good idea to check the map co-ordinates. There is still HAB damage in places - so if you have caught a fish & not sure about its health - DO NOT EAT IT!! A quick KI snapshot is for a few KG whiting & flathead from Kingscote channel & salmon to 1 kg at Salmon Point., whiting, gar & squid at night from Kingscote, American River (wharf) & Penneshaw jetties., Red Banks (Nepean Bay) has whiting, gar, tommies, squid & snook., Hog Bay holds sweep, red nannygai & flathead., Antechamber Bay has whiting, gar & squid for the boat crews & soapie mulloway from the shore.

CHRISTMAS DESSERT RECIPE: ROCKY ROAD. Ingredients: Chocolate melts, marshmellows, raw cashews, glace cherries, sultanas/dried apricots, spearmint lolly leaves. Preparation: Grease & line a flat tray. Sprinkle in chopped marshmellows, cashews, cherries & dried fruit (to taste). Drizzle with melted chocolate & allow to set. Drizzle further with melted white choc & add a generous sprinkle of green spearmint leaves. Try not to eat all at once! B"tayavon! HEBREW for Bon Appetit!

SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: Fishing early is the tip as big squid are off the jetty in Waterloo Bay (Elliston) & boat crews are catching KG whiting at Arno Bay & Port Neill. Far West Coast shore-based anglers are battling some big tides, the odd brown snake & about 1m bush-flies (aka bushies) as they walk the white sands at Fowler's Bay (low tide shelf), Point Sinclair, Claire Bay & The Dog Fence Bch for mulloway, snook, 3 kilo salmon & flathead! Smaller salmon (from trouts to 1 kg) are off Haslam, Point Brown & Davenport Creek. Garfish, tommies & squid can be caught from the local jetties at Fowler's & Point Sinclair, with blue crabs at Ceduna & Streaky Bay jetties as well. Boat crews fishing off Murat Bay, Streaky Bay & Elliston are catching KG whiting (first light/dawn), garfish, squid, fat tommies & snook but they are usually gone after 30mins or so - then the trumpeters set in. Quite a few bays around southern EP have squid & garfish atm. Gents with berley & even the dark side of a day-old cockle work well as bait. West Coast surf beaches around Elliston are all wortha fish for salmon up to 3 kilos - Sheringa, Talia, Convention - the Elliston town jetty has tommies, whiting & squid/garfish. Pt Lincoln boat anglers are heading off to Thistle Is when the weather is clear for KG whiting to 39cm, with the whiting also off Arno & Louth Bays, Port Neill & Tumby Bay. Yellowfin whiting are hit & miss but I did hear of a few around Cowell, Germein Point & Murninnie Bay. Black Point off Whyalla has salmon trout & there are hungry kingies at Point Lowly, Leeton Tug & Pt Augusta (the wall). Blue crabs & garfish are at Miranda, Weeroona Bay, Port Pirie & Port Davis. TIGHT LINES!

TOP END/NORTHERN TERRITORY From Jason Deigan at Compleat Angler Darwin! ABC891 @ 8.30pm every Thursday night has a Top End (NT) element: