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FISHING SNAPSHOT FROM THE WEEK:
BEST FISH BATTER RECIPE! Gently mix 1 cup cold soda-water (or light beer), 1 cup self-raising flour, salt & pepper. Keep cool. Heat oil to high, coat fish & cook for 2 mins each side. Stay Frosty!
JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS - 2026
METRO WATERS: Another week of cold weather & continued rain as we run slowly through winter! My old bones creak! KG whiting is on the lips of many boat crews & shore-based fishers as they hit their favourite secret spots for a feed. Best bets are for Brighton & Seacliff, then north to West Bch, Semaphore, Nth Haven & St Kilda. Outer Harbour has smaller fish so you need to watch the size to stay legal. Fisheries inspectors have been out & about chasing illegal snapper catches - I wonder if they check the social media pages...Just asking? The metro waters blue crab run looks over for another year but sand crabs are about for those keen - Brighton, Glenelg, Semaphore jetties & for boat crews, try the northern most grounds up around St Kilda, Snapper Point, Light Bch, Port Gawler, Thompson's - all the way to Pt Wakelfield. There will be mullet & flathead in these shallows as well! Most metro jetties have tommies, salmon trout & red mullet with best results in the late afternoons, early evenings. KG whiting catches are also late in the day & some crews are fishing for 2-3 hours for nothing, then bang - the fish are on the chew for 10-15 mins. Shore-based anglers are still catching mullet & salmon trout from Marino Rocks, Hallett Cove, Seaford & Southport Bch. Soapie mulloway are just inside the Onkaparinga river mouth & then about 500m west of the Saltfleet St bridge.
FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/RESERVOIR: Here are the GPS co-ordinates of the new artificial reef off Wirrina: 35 27.225 S x 138 12.396 E 35 27.263 S x 138 12.396 E : 35 27.263 S x 138 12.443 E : 35 27.225 S x 138 12.443 E. It is shaped like a square & an initial 12 (twelve) month fishing ban applies. Although not directly affecting fishing on The Fleurieu, PIRSA announced last week of the end to the KG whiting spatial closure (an area from Edithburgh to Hardwicke Bay). Holiday makers will now be permitted to catch whiting from their favourite spots and some of these protected fish can migrate eastwards towards the South Coast! What a difference a week makes - in terms of the marine weather. Much of last week saw relatively calm on-water conditions with slight off-shore, cool winds - then the weekend arrives with strong to gale force westerlies. KG whiting are off O'Sullivan's Beach, Lady Bay, Normanville and Wirrina and there are some big fish up to 52cm! A slightly dodge tide made bottom fishing a challenge but the fish are there if you have patience, plus flathead, red mullet, salmon and tommy ruffs. Rapid Bay and Port Noarlunga jetties have tommies and salmon trout, especially during the rough afternoon conditions, which seem to bring the fish closer to the surface and hungry as well. Shore-based fishing has an eclectic mix of flathead, bream, mullet and salmon trout from afar afield as Southport, Moana, Sellicks, Carrackalinga, Myponga and Morgan's beaches. The strong westerlies put an end to big boat crews chasing tuna offshore out from Tunk Head and The Sanders Bank. Snapper, kingfish and red nannygai were also in the catchbags last week, while the closer inshore grounds out from Victor Harbor saw small snapper, KG whiting, garfish and snook being the main targets and reports. Salmon to 2 kilos, mullet and flathead were caught by shore-based anglers from Fisheries, Waitpinga, Chiton Rocks and Goolwa beaches. Small mullet are inside the river mouth and in the Mundoo channel. Upstream fishing has callop and Murray Cod (catch and release) from Renmark and Nildottie - the Murray Cod season closes on July 31, 2026.
SOUTH EAST/COORONG: Massive swells continue along the Coorong & South East coastline, making it difficult if not dangerous for small boats/tinnies to launch from their favourite ramp & wet a line. When conditions abate there are KG whiting, snapper to 4 kilos, kingies & snook from Kingston (Margaret Brock reef), Robe, Beachport, Carpenter Rocks & South End. Pt MacDonnell has tuna well offshore but only big boats & experienced fishers are having a crack. Garfish are in the more sheltered waters of Robe, Nora Creina Bay, Carpenter Rocks, Nene Valley & Cape Northumberland. Shore-based fishing has salmon to 2 kilos, flathead & mullet from the 32 Mile Crossing, Salt CReek, The Granites & Canunda, but you will need to take care with soft sand & high tide /swell surges if taking the 4WD on to the beach. Jetty-based fishing is a cold affair, but nice tommies, salmon & garfish are at Kingston, Beachport & Pt MacDonnell. Bream are off the break water at Beachport & there are mulloway at the back of the big surf in Lurline Bay.
YORKE PENINSULA: Port Broughton: A slow and incoming tide of 1.8m had to be factored into planned fishing trips at the end of the first week of the school holidays. Large KG whiting are off many drops from Kanaka through to Wood Point and even Port Davis - fish up to 55cm. The jetty has a few mullet. Wallaroo: Point Riley continues with a steady run of salmon trout, mullet and snapper (which remain on the no-take list). Small numbers of mid-week boat crews enjoyed calm if not cool late afternoon conditions to run out for KG whiting, a few garfish, snook and the seemingly ever-present snapper. The jetty has been busy but there is not much here really in the fishing department, while black bream and mullet can be caught from the marina breakwall. Port Hughes/Moonta Bay: Big boats have been running out in the good conditions to pick up some nice whiting in amongst everything else at the Steamer channel and West Light. The jetties have the odd garfish and tommy ruff. Point Turton: Crews fishing on the drift in Hardwicke Bay and around the shallow reefs north of Mindlacowie reported whiting and garfish last week as they made the most of the end of the KG whiting spatial closure. There are small numbers of nice sized salmon trout and mullet just out from the jetty/boat ramp and along the shoreline to The Pines. Marion/Stenhouse Bays: Much calmer conditions prevailed last week as crews launched for small tuna, KG whiting and red nannygai. Large snook and salmon to 2 kilos are in Sturt Bay and off the back of the Pondalowie Bay southern rock shelf. The jetties have tommies and mullet in the sand. Edithburgh/Stansbury: KG whiting can now be caught here if you can get a line past the snapper! Big whiting are well offshore with smaller but legal fish around Sultana Point and Coobowie. Local shore and jetty-based fishing has tommies, mullet and salmon trout - but please remember the jetty closes in July for repairs and maintenance. Ardrossan/Port Vincent: I read during the week of continuing repair work to the Port Vincent jetty. Jetties are not an inexpensive maritime asset and do require substantial and costly work to maintain their condition - the plan to perhaps preserve the old timbers is a great one! Snook, scattered KG whiting and salmon to 1 kilo have been the main catches reported in the past week.
SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: KG whiting to 55cm have come from Cockle Spit grounds & the broken bottom all along the coast to Pt Davis & Tickera. Salmon to 2 kilos continue to chomp on basic metal lures off Fitzgerald Bay, Point Lowly, Black Point & the Weeroona shacks area - this part of the coast has some rocky outcrops & the fish are migrating past! The Dashwood channel north of Streaky Bay is producing some big KG whiting, garfish & red mullet. The Winter salmon run continues from the Dog Fence, Fowler's Bay, Point Brown, Longnose Point & then into Spencer Gulf with fish anywhere up to 3 kilos coming from Pt Neill, Louth Bay & Cowell. Big kingfish are off The Wall at Pt Augusta & Longnose Point & around Waldegrave Island. Catches of KG whiting continue from Commissariat Point, Black Point/Leeton Tug & then south from Cowell, Tumby Bay, Louth Bay & Pt Lincoln grounds. Large snook are also in the false entrance to Franklin Harbour, with salmon trout & mullet off the sand at Germein Point. Shore-based fishers have found rough swells & large tides a challenge on the West & Far West Coasts as they hunt mulloway, kingies, snook & salmon from the usual locations (Elliston, Fowler's & Point Sinclair).
SKULE HOLS SEAFOOD RECIPE: KG whiting fillets in a Bush Lime butter/sauce. Ingredients: 6 whiting fillets, flour, butter, bush lime pearls, eggs, oil, seasoning. Preparation: Make a rich butter sauce in a hot pan & add lime pearls & salt. Dust fish with flour, dip in whisked egg & cook in hot pan (butter foam). Plate fish, cover with sauce & serve with a glass of Riesling. Priyatnovo appetita! Russian for Bon Appetit!
KANGAROO IS: Here are the GPS co-ordinates for the new artifical reef in Nepean Bay: 35 42.217 S x 137 42.818 E : 35 42.255 S x 137 42.818 E : 35042.255 S x 137 42.865 E : 35 42.217 S x 137 42.865 E. It is shaped like a square & an initial 12 (twelve) month fishing ban applies. Big boat crews have been chasing tuna well offshore towards the Sanders Bank when weather comditions permit - this is open ocean & care is essential! Local jetties are holding salmon to 1 kilo, fat tommies & flathead at times. KG whiting are coming from local waters inc. Kingscote, Emu Bay, Vivonne Bay, Penneshaw, American River & Cape de Coudi. Tommies, salmon trout & flathead are off several rocky headlands & also the many beautiful sandy beaches on KI. Big snook, tommies, flathead & salmon are currently in Nepean Bay off the back of the shipping channel. North Coast fishing also has tommies, flathead & salmon with Emu Bay & Stokes Bay all holding fish. TIGHT LINES!
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