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FISHING SNAPSHOT FROM THE WEEK:
FILLETING GARFISH PROBLEMS? Here's the link to Greg's Youtube vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB4ndw9Hiks
NOVEMBER 9-20, 2026
METRO WATERS: Soapie mulloway are about for the shore-based fishers from the Onkaparinga & Port Rivers & West Lakes/The Pat. Blue crabs have fired up from St Kilda, Nth Haven, Semaphore, West Bch & Glenelg/Brighton - both jetties & boats. There are a few large snook off Seacliff & Marino Rocks, while yellowfin whiting can be picked up from the sands at Seacliff, Tennyson & West Bch breakwater. The beaches well north of Adelaide (Light, Thompson's, Pt Gawler etc) are also worth a try for y/f whiting & raking a few blueys on the high tides. As we struggle through the aftermath of a grossly mismanaged SA fishery, our mates in the West (WA) & NSW are also in deep stook - Buyouts and bans as far as the eye can see & the people responsible for the health of the fishery just carry on as normal. Check out my Brand New GPS Marks of SA (5th Ed)! It's on USB with over 750 marks inc all new artificial reefs - PLUS diagrams of my favourite fishing rigs - keep the Old Crusty off the bench! KG whiting reports are for undersize fish (which cannot be kept) & a few up to 36cm coming from the deep water depths of 10m or more - try Outer Harbour, St Kilda, West Bch, Glenelg & Brighton - with good tides & fresh bait. Local jetties have tommies at night, plus snook, while shore-based fishing has mullet & salmon trout in the Port River, the St Kilda breakwater & West Lakes.
FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/RESERVOIR: Strong east to south east winds almost felt like a plague for much of last week, drying out paddocks and small creeks all around The Fleurieu. Bream are still in the Hindmarsh River and there are soapie mulloway inside the river mouth at Goolwa and the Scab Channel. Hindmarsh Island is worth a try for big carp and mullet at night. Coorong fishers picked up mullet and a few salmon to 1 kilo from the river mouth at Goolwa, the 42 Mile Crossing and Meningie Lakes. Cockle gathering has hit full swing after the start of the 2026-2027 season - running until May 31, 2027 at this stage. Boat crews had a challenging week from Victor Harbor when they managed a run out in big swells at times to chase snapper, KG whiting and small kingies at their offshore drops, then a few snook and smaller snapper off West Island's broken reefs along the south western run. Garfish appear to be few and far between from Encounter and Yilki Bays at the moment. Shore-based anglers used the occasionally offshore northerlies to fish from Boomer beach, Chiton Rocks, Newland Heads and Waitpinga/Parson's for mullet, mulloway, salmon trout and flathead with mixed success. Big swells often cracked in last week and the surges can hold larges seaweed clumps, making things difficult. Morgan's Beach and Rapid Bay jetty are worth a try for tommy ruffs and green mackerals. Upstream anglers are reporting a decrease in water flows and a few callop and redfin perch from Lyrup and Blanchetown. Happy Valley reservoir received 3000 yearling and rainbow trout in October, but it won't do much for the mainstream boating and fishing sector.
SOUTH EAST/COORONG: I read an unconfirmed report this week of at least one (1) commercial Rock Lobster fisher making his quota in a matter of weeks - not bad work if you can get it. When the Recreational Crayfish (rock lobster) season kicks off make sure you comply with the new Life Jacket (PDF) rules that now apply to ALL people in a boat pulling Craypots or Traps/Dropnets etc. Pse make sure your gear is legal, properly registered (ie PIRSA permit) & you & your crew are always safe! Coorong surf casters reported a mix of mullet, shark, salmon (2kg) & overnight soapie mulloway from Salt CReek, the 42 & 32 Mile Crossings & just south of the Goolwa river mouth. Boat crews picked up KG whiting, snapper, garfish & big brown-eye mullet from afar afield as Kingston, Robe, Nora Creina Bay, Beachport, Carpenter Rocks & Nene Valley. Offshore crews chased red nannygai, snapper, tuna & kingies off Pt MacDonnell & Cape Northumberland with varying degrees of success. Beach fishing at Beachport & Picanninie has salmon & even a pannie snapper on fresh baits of green craytail. Little Dip is worth a try for gar & KG whiting.
YORKE PENINSULA: Wallaroo: Snapper are being caught from the jetty but the ban remains and they need to be returned to the water. Blue crabs are also at the jetty, while the marina northern break-wall has salmon to 1 kilo. Boat crews are catching garfish at Point Riley and KG whiting along the 10m water depth line west of the old ferry channel. Port Hughes/Moonta Bay: Garfish are in Moonta Bay and at the jetties on the late afternoon strong sea breeze. Boat crews are reporting KG whiting in 10m of water at Cape Elizabeth and just north of the Steamer Channel. Point Turton/Port Rickaby: Some nice garfish were caught mid-week at the jetty, along with salmon trout and trumpeters. Garfish are also out from Point Souttar and about 1 km out off the beach at Port Rickaby. A few KG whiting were caught by Charter crews fishing The Banks before the late week strong south easterly winds cracked in. Marion/Stenhouse Bays: Try both jetties for night-time tommy ruffs and Rat Kingfish. Boat crews really had a hard time of it late week as the on-shore southerly winds were fierce at times. Shore-based fishers are targeting mullet and salmon to 1 kilo with mixed success. Edithburgh/Stansbury: Blue crabs from Stansbury, The Hut and Port Vincent have been the main reports for boat crews fishing in the sheltered waters just north of the Edithburgh boat ramp. Snook and the occasional KG whiting have come from Rocky Gully and Sultana Passage. Black Point/Ardrossan: Slim pickings continue for anglers fishing the mid to northern waters of Gulf St Vincent. Rakers are catching the odd blue crab, as are boat crews fishing off Black Point, Billy Goat Flat and Ardrossan.
SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: Decent catches of blue crabs are coming from Cowled's Landing down to Cowell at the moment. Upper Spencer Gulf has some really nice kingfish, a few gar, blue crabs & medium KG whiting from Pt Pirie, Miranda, Point Patterson, Commissariat Point, Fitzgerald Bay & Point Lowly. The low tide flats around Weeroona Bay & Whyalla Foreshore beach are worth a trip to rake blueys, as are the flats at Cowled's Landing & Cockle Spit (Pirie). Cowell has blueys & some KG whiting (in over 10m of water), plenty of trumpeters & snook in the false entrance to Franklin Harbour. KG whiting & gar, plus large tommies are off Arno Bay, The Spilsby Is group, Proper Bay & Tumby. Local jetties have garfish & tommies atm. West Coast fishing has gar, medium whiting, flathead & snook inside the main bays (Waterloo, Venus, Coffin, Streaky, Baird & Murat), while offshore crews are catching red nannygais, kingfish, snook & 12 kilo tuna at times. Salmon to 2 kilos, snook & an occasional mulloway are over at Sheringa, Talia, Fowler's Bay & Yalata.
NOVEMBER SEAFOOD RECIPE: Kingfish Kebabs with grilled Veg. Ingredients: I cubed Kingfish fillet, 1 zucchini, 1 red onion, olive oil and seasoning. Preparation: coat cubes of fresh Kingfish in olive oil and seasoning and set aside. Cut veggies into strips, brush with oil and cook on a hot grill, then also set aside and keep warm. Thread fish on to skewers and grill for 1min max. Plate the warm veg and place cooked Kingfish kebabs over the top. Serve with a cool glass of pale ale. Bon Appetit!
KANGAROO IS: Reports of big tuna have been hit and miss with The Pages getting heavily fished in recent days. Red nannygai, kingfish & snapper were caught from the deep water drift spots inside the South East fishing zone (south east of Backstairs Passage) last week. Fishers off the Kingscote jetty caught KG whiting, tommy ruffs, salmon trout & the occasional mullet, while boat crews are reporting KG whiting, flathead & salmon in the waters off Kingscote, Nepean Bay, Vivonne Bay, Penneshaw & American River. KG whiting & snook are also along parts of KI northern coastline, with Emu Bay, Smith's Bch & Snelling Bch fishing well on good tides. Tuna & kingfish reports from the Sanders Bank have been intermittent & should only be attempted when conditions are suitable - it's a plurry long way back home if some gear fails or the engine cracks the shits. STAY FROSTY & TIGHT LINES!
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