Greg James
Fishing Reports and Hotspots

 


Reports:





THIS WEEK'S FISHING HOTSPOTS:

  1. METRO: KG whiting from Brighton, Glenelg & Somerton., squid from Marino Rocks, Brighton & West Lakes.
  2. FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/FRESHWATER: Big squid from Wirrina, Rapid Bay & Cape Jervis., Murray Cod from Swan Reach., mullet around Milang.
  3. YORKE PEN: Blue crabs at Tickera & Wallaroo., squid from Wallaroo & Stansbury jetties & Balgowan.
  4. SOUTH EAST/COORONG: Salmon from Beachport & Salt Creek., whiting, snapper & flathead from Pt McDonnell & Carpenter Rocks.
  5. SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: Whiting, squid, snook & gar from Streaky, Venus & Coffin Bays., Jetties at Pt Lincoln, Elliston, Streaky Bay, Tumby & Fowler's Bay have whiting, salmon, gar & squid., salmon from Sheringa & Lock's Well.
  6. KANGAROO ISLAND: Tommies, whiting, squid & gar at Emu Bay, American River & Kingscote.
  7. RESERVOIR FISHING: Check this out - pir.sa.gov.au/recreational_fishing/rules/reservoir_fishing.



OMG - HE'S BACK! Listen up to Greg's weekly fishing hotspots segment on Thursday night (ABC891) after 8-30pm with the wonderful, one & only SPENCE DENNY!

ASK PROFESSOR PLANKTON: Algal blooms - and the destruction continues - as does the impotency of the authorities. An Algal Bloom is a rapid increase in algae & is caused by nutrient-polluted fresh waters running into our ocean at Goolwa, generally warm waters and sunlight. Some Algal Blooms carry a number of toxins, inc. a neurotoxin called BMAA (a neurotoxic amino acid) which is linked to Motor Neurone Disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's! MITIGATION of Algal Blooms can be achieved by biological controls, use of syndinian parasites and water sequestration strategies. PREVENTION can be achieved by reduction of nutrient rich waters, sewerage and pollution run-offs to change the phytoplankton mix. Yes, we are stupidly poisoning the very ocean that we rely upon for so many reasons - & above all - there is an apalling, complete lack of desire & competence to fix things!



MAY 17 - 25, 2025

TOP END/NORTHERN TERRITORY From Jason Deigan at Compleat Angler Darwin! My radio segment with the fabulous Spence Denny (ABC891 @ 8.30pm every Thursday night) now has a Top End (NT) element - Here is the latest: #Mud crab catches slowly improving., #South & East Alligator river fishing well for Barramundi 70-90cm., #Corroboree Billabong has Barra also to 80cm.

METRO WATERS: Big squid are best on the drift for boat crews with Hallett Cove, Seacliff, Marino, Brighton, Glenelg & West Bch being the main hotspots! KG whiting catches are for good sized fish coming from crews that are fishing in 10m of water or more & they are on their marks early in the morning or late in the day. Most catches are coming from the broken grounds out from Nth Haven, Bastard Pole, Bower Rd/West Lakes, West Bch & Seacliff. Garfish schools are thinning as the year progresses, but they remain the main target of many smaller boat crews fishing from West Lakes, Brighton, Glenelg, Grange tyre reef, West Bch & then from the Bower Rd grounds, Semaphore & St Kilda, but a berley trail is essential to bring them to your boat & then to take a moving bait - I find that a berley with anniseed works best! Squid & ruff are at several Metro jetties inc. Pt Noarlunga, Brighton, Glenelg, Grange & Semaphore & they (ruffs) also need a steady berley trail. Shore-based fishing has mullet at Southport, O'Sullivan's Bch, Seacliff, Brighton, Torrens river mouth, West Lakes & the St Kilda breakwater & Outer Harbour breakwall. A few nice flathead are in the shallows at Christies Bch, West Bch, Nth Haven & St Kilda. If you get a chance, check out the latest satellite imagery of the Algal Bloom - the Gulf waters are looking particularly vulnerable.

FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/RESERVOIR: Again - a friendly but important reminder - people wishing to fish, surf, swim or just paddle in the once beautiful waters around Goolwa, Chiton Rocks and Middleton across to Waitpinga, Parson's beaches and Tunk Head are strongly advised to check with the relevant authorities before any such undertaking. Concerned anglers spent much of last week in that beautiful weather trying alternative fishing locations and many travelled to the Myponga reservoir for Murray Cod (catch and release) and redfin perch. Water capacity at Myponga is at approx. 50% (source: SA Water) and there are some big fish there at the moment, especially for kayaks and canoes. Upstream boat crews are running between Booky Cliffs and Loxton for Murray Cod, redfin and even a few yabbies. Mulloway are around the lower reaches of the river at Tauwitchere and Scab channel, with mullet over at Narrung and Meningie and also off the sand at the 42 Mile Crossing. Squid and a few nice winter garfish are making life worth the trip at Cape Jervis, Wirrina, Normanville and Second Valley. Local jetty-based fishers are doing well on squid and late-in-the-day tommy ruffs. Large snook are also off Pt Noarlunga jetty and along the rocky reefs at Triggs beach and Seaford and there are black bream inside the Onkaparinga river.

SOUTH EAST/COORONG: Big boat crews are having to run far & wide for tuna, with kingfish, snapper, samson fish & blue morwong also coming from the deep water grounds off Cape Northumberland, Cape Banks & Port Mac. KG whiting are at the jetty from Beachport & then in isolated patches from Carpenter Rocks, South End, Robe & Kingston/Margaret Brock reef. Shore-based fishers are finding salmon to 2 kilos at Canunda, Beachport Surfer Bch, Lurline Bay, Boatswain's Point, The Granites & Salt Creek - but there are still large numbers of bogged vehicles, so make sure you are equipped to tackle the coast. Mullet are in the murky shallows at Stinky Bch & then north to Poorman's & Little Dip. Garfish & squid are the other main reports from Beachport, Robe, Nora Creina Bay & Carpenter Rcoks. A couple of nice bream were caught over the weekend from the Glenelg River just south of the border in Mexico.

YORKE PENINSULA: Wallaroo: Squid at the jetty were on-again, off-again during the week, with blue crabs still here and also for boat crews up at Tickera and Myponie Point. Satellite imagery shows the spread of that Algal Bloom now well into both gulfs. Caution on consumption of seafood is recommended, but that still did not stop me running out in the new tinny on Sunday for a spin. Moonta Bay/Port Hughes: Squid, garfish and KG whiting were the main target species for boat crews last week as they enjoyed great on-water conditions almost as far as the eye could see. Both jetties have a few garfish and small squid, while local beaches are worth a try for mullet when the tides are high. Point Turton: KG whiting are at The Banks and the broken grounds off Point Souttar and Port Rickaby, with smaller, just legal fish on the drift in Hardwicke Bay in the hour or so before dusk. The jetty has small squid after dark. Stenhouse/Marion Bays: Big boat crews are trying to avoid the Algal Bloom by running well offshore to submerged bommies and reefs for red nannygai, kingfish and even a few tuna around the 15 kilo mark. Whiting are off Hillocky beach, plus flathead and squid. The jetties have tommy ruffs and squid, while the bloom is widespread across many local beaches. Edithburgh: Huge damage has been recorded at the jetty by local divers and concerned citizens as the terrible algal bloom disaster continues. Boat crews are reporting gar, squid and a few KG whiting. Ardrossan: Large snook are north of Tiddy Widdy beach and gar and mullet are well out from Wills Creek on a high tide. Beautiful weekend weather saw fishers at the Ardrossan jetty having a crack for squid and mullet.

KANGAROO ISLAND The good reports of KG whiting & squid are still coming from Snelling Bch, Western River Cove, Emu Bay, Smith's Bch & Nepean Bay as crews enjoy reasonable tides & some good winds. Local jetty & shore-based fishers are picking up flathead, whiting, garfish, mullet & salmon trout. I even had a report in the past day or so of blue swimmer crabs coming in the nets at Kingscote! Vivonne Bay, American River & Penneshaw all have whiting, garfish, squid & tommy ruffs with the occasional tuna report coming from the western side of Investigator Straight as we patiently wait for the barrels to arrive. Antechamber Bay has ruffs, squid & gar.

MAY SEAFOOD RECIPE: Beer Battered Fish. Ingredients: 3-6 fish fillets (whiting, flathead, mulloway), 2 cups self-raising flour, 1 egg, 1 can of light beer, harissa seasoning, veggie oil. Preparation: Make a batter by combining flour, egg and beer with harissa seasoning to taste. Preheat fryer to 200C with vegie oil, dip fish fillets into batter and cook for 3 mins. Dry off any surplus oil on paper towels and serve with hot chips or a salad and a glass of cold beer. Chi Hao He Hao! Singapore Chinese for Bon Appetit!

SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: KG whiting reports are steady (even after the recent rush of visitors) from Arno, Louth, Proper, Coffin, Venus, Streaky & Sceale Bays with most fish in the 33-42cm range & taking fresh baits (cockle, soft squid & fish strips). Trumpeters (aka Poisson de Shite) have dropped back, thank bloody goodness, so an early berley drop works great for the whiting. Gar, squid, tommy ruffs & mullet are at many of the Eyre Pen jetties with Streaky, Venus/Elliston, Pt Lincoln, Tumby & Arno Bays all producing fish & squid in the late afternoons &/or early mornings. A few blue crabs can be caught from Murninnie Point still & also off Cowell, Whyalla & Miranda & then north at the shacks along the northern parts of the Gulf towards Pt Augusta. Cockle Spit out from Pt Pirie & the broken grounds off Pt Germein have small whiting & there are kingfish in the Point Lowly rip & the old Power Station deep water drops again at Pt Augusta. The southern beaches of Wanna & Sleaford have a few salmon, as does Sheringa, Talia & Convention up at Elliston. Mulloway are in the surf at the Dog Fence & Fowler's Bay, while the jetties at Point Sinclair & Fowler's have nice evening garfish, strongies & squid. TIGHT LINES!