Greg James
Fishing Reports and Hotspots

 


Reports:





SNAPSHOT FOR THE WEEK:

  1. METRO: Tommies & odd bluey from Semaphore, Brighton & Glenelg jetties., No squid., KG whiting & blueys off West Bch & St Kilda.,
  2. FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/FRESHWATER: Mulloway from Sugars Bch & Tauwitchere Barrage., KG whiting & snook at Wirrina., salmon trout from Second Valley jetty., snapper & tuna offshore from Victor H., yabbies & callop from Loxton & Lyrup.
  3. YORKE PEN: AB now at Port Vic., Y/f whiting, gar & blue crabs at Pt Hughes., KG whiting from Pt Hughes & Point Turton (north).
  4. SOUTH EAST/COORONG: Snapper, whiting & gar from Robe, Kingston & Beachport., salmon trout, mulloway & mullet at Salt Creek & The Granites.
  5. SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: Y/f whiting & blueys from Pt Augusta to Whyalla., KG whiting, garfish & flathead from Venus, Baird & Streaky Bays.
  6. KANGAROO ISLAND: Gar & whiting from Nepean Bay & Smith's Bch.
  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.
CHECK GREG'S GREAT YOUTUBE FISHING VIDS - www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB4ndw9Hiks! THEN CATCH GREG ON YOUR ABC RADIO: ABC891 every Thursday evening after 8.40pm with the wonderful Spence Denny - ABC639 every Saturday morning after 6.30am with the splendid Chook Harslett!

MARCH 3 - 10, 2026

METRO WATERS: Reports of garfish & squid are at an all time low along the Metro coast as March begins our long run into Autumn & beyond. Blue crabs are off a couple of northern most jetties inc. Semaphore & Grange as boat crews are also heading out from Nth Haven, St Kilda & Semaphore for a feed. Yellowfin whiting & mullet are in the high tide shallows on those magic beaches north of St Kilda - so we are talking Light Bch, Thompson's, Port Praham & Dublin - but then they taper off as the coastline heads into Pt Wakefield. The normally productive waters off Seacliff, Marino & Hallett Cove just have nothing much at the moment. KG whiting for boat crews can be caught again in small numbers from St Kilda, Nth Haven, Outer Harbour & Semaphore, but fishers need to be on their marks by daylight to catch fish in the 34-35cm range. Mulloway are in the shallows after dusk at The Pat, West Lakes & the Onkaparinga river. Don't forget to vote as the State election approaches - tell those useless tits in Govt that their Algal Bloom response is totally shameful, negligent & incompetent.

FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/RESERVOIR: Friends of mine walked the sands and around the rocky parts of the coastline from Morgan's beach to Rapid Bay and on to Second Valley in the past week as they cast a line or two in the hope of a flathead, mullet or tommy ruffs. And they were not disappointed, with even a couple of 1 kilo salmon coming from the deeper waters off the coast! Tommies are also marauding the local jetty scene with these great little fish at Rapid Bay, Second Valley and Port Noarlunga, especially just after dusk. Boat crews in this neck of the woods are reporting the odd snook, garfish and KG whiting as they launched from Wirrina, Second Valley, Normanville and Myponga before the weekend rain. Squid and velvet crabs are almost non-existent. Tuna to 20 kilos are off the back of the drift well south of Tunk Head and the Sanders Bank, but it remains big boat water and any trips require some careful planning and execution. Snapper, kingfish and red nannygai were the other reports from the blue water fishers when the conditions allowed. Surf casters caught salmon, the odd flathead and mullet from Fisheries beach, Waitpinga, Parson's and then around to Boomer beach and Chiton Rocks with most anglers using lures and soft plastics to help their efforts. The Bluff wharf has the occasional run of small to medium-sized tommy ruffs. Fishing for mulloway inside the river mouth at Goolwa is producing mullet, small mulloway and salmon trout, with Coorong fishing having much better results further south of Salt Creek. Upstream anglers are still enjoying reasonably strong water flows as they chased redfin, callop and Murray Cod (catch and release) from Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend.

SOUTH EAST/COORONG: Crews fishing from their boats & off rocky points at Robe, Nora Creina Bay, Carpenter Rocks, Beachport & Port Mac are doing well on garfish, mullet & tommy ruffs - light gear essential! The planks at open, local South East jetties have gar, the odd squid, snapper, tommies & green macks. Big boat crews are cruising out when conditions permit from South End, Beachport, Pt Mac, Cape Northumberland & Carpenter Rocks for crays (PIRSA permit required), red nannys & tuna to 40 kilos. Kingston also has a few crays, plus KG whiting, snapper, snook & gar in close to shore. Shore-based anglers are picking up mullet, 2 kilo salmon & soapie mulloway from Salt CReek, The Granites, Lurline Point & Picanninie Beach. The Surfer's Bch at Beachport has mullet & salmon. Lake George just out of Beachport should soon hold a few bream & mullet after the decent rains.

YORKE PENINSULA: Wallaroo: Strong southerly winds followed late into the weekend after some reasonable falls of rain. Blue crabs and sprat tommy ruffs are at the jetty after dark, while boat crews and kayaks have been spotted reasonably close to shore fishing for blueys, garfish and early morning KG whiting. Moonta Bay/Port Hughes: All lanes of the Pt Hughes boat ramp were open when I checked last Tuesday, but the traffic was minimal. Even the popular jetty was unusually quiet, but there are a few blue crabs and garfish at dusk. KG whiting catches are in the deep waters of Steamer channel and from the broken grounds at Cape Elizabeth. Port Victoria: Most unfortunate news arrived in the form of the Algal Bloom officially last week, although I suspect the poison has been here for longer. Perhaps on a slightly more positive note is that dredging of the boat ramp has also commenced, with lanes remaining open for boat crews looking to run out past the bloom for whiting, garfish and flathead. Point Turton/Corny Point: If you can get your boat into the waters well north of Point Turton there are good catches of whiting to 38cm, taking baits of fresh soft squid and cockle. Local shore-based fishing has been quiet. Marion/Stenhouse Bays: Berry Bay had a couple of small black seals as visitors last week as they looked for mullet and salmon trout in the small surf. Both Marion and Stenhouse Bay town jetties have an occasional tommy ruff, while offshore crews trying to avoid the bloom are picking up a few red nannygai, small tuna (10kg) and flathead. Ardrossan/Black Point/Stansbury: Several rakers picked up blue crabs before the rain and stormy weather last week from Tiddy Widdy beach, Billy Goat Flat and The Hut at Stansbury. KG whiting are scarce but there is the odd fish off Tapley Shoals and the Orontes Bank.

KANGAROO ISLAND There are reports of scattered KG whiting at Kingscote, American River, Vivonne Bay & Penneshaw, along with garfish, tommies & big snook. Flathead & salmon to 1 kilo are off the rocks & Red Banks at Penneshaw. For the big boat crews the tuna are up & running, albeit a tad slower than last season - Investigator Straight, Sanders Bank & Backstairs Passage are all worth a try for these magnificent fish. Shore-based & jetty-based fishers are picking up yellowfin whiting, garfish, salmon to 1 kilo, mullet & flathead from Kingscote, Emu Bay, Stokes Bay & Vivonne Bay. Crayfish catches seem down on last season but velvet crabs are crawling along much of the south coast where the impact of the algal bloom has been less, by all reports.

MARCH SEAFOOD RECIPE: Savoury Oysters. Ingredients: 12 fresh natural oysters, bush limes, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, chopped shallots and chives, pepper. Preparation: Open oysters and mix soy sauce, shallots, chives and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Spoon sauce over oysters and add bush lime flesh. Enjoy with a cold glass of Chablis. Sugeng Dhahar! Javanese for Bon Appetit.

SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: TIGHT LINES!