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FISHING SNAPSHOT FROM THE WEEK:
BOAT & 4WD SHOW NEWS!! Greg is back! Oct 23-25 Club Marine Boat Show (plus 4WD) at the revamped Fishing Stage (Jubilee Pavilion, Adelaide Showgrounds). Come say hello to the Crusty Old Mate! Boat Buying tips, Filleting & freezing gar, KG whiting rigs, Conversations with Al McGlashan, Owen Douglas (grandson of the famous Malcolm) & much more! SEE YOU THERE.
OCTOBER 23-31, 2026
METRO WATERS: As I travelled down to Adelaide for the Boat & 4WD Show it is quite noticeable how few boats & caravans are on the road for this time of the year - the high fuel prices are a killer! I again checked out several ramps & beaches north of Adelaide (Pt Wakefield, Light, Thompson's, Port Gawler) & there are small blueys, yellowfin whiting and mullet about - might be worth a trip after the Show I reckon! Meanwhile, small but healthy male blue crabs, squid, the odd garfish & puffer fish have been sighted (filmed I say, not caught) at night on the flats of several tidal beaches north of Adelaide - positive news & hopefully they survive any Algal Bloom remnants. Yellowfin whiting & flathead are off the sand at several Metro beaches inc. Tennyson, Hallett Cove, Marino Rocks, West Bch breakwater & St Kilda channel - not in any great numbers, but they are here at least. Light gear is essential to catching y/f whiting in my opinion & you might also pick up a flathead or two! KG whiting reports are for generally small pods of fish around Seacliff, Brighton, Glenelg, West Bch, Semaphore & St Kilda, but they are finicky on the bite, so try using minimum berley, small pieces of bait & a moving trace. Snook is the other main species, along with the odd, frisky small blue crab (if unsure of the health of the bluey, suggest do not eat it). With diesel past $3 per litre in regional areas, it won't be long before it hits that price in Adelaide. Unleaded is a close second, so if you are delaying boat trips because of the cost, you can always recycle your petrol in the lawnmower to prevent stale fuel in your boat. Jetty-based fishers are still catching tommies & salmon from Pt Noarlunga, Brighton, Glenelg & Semaphore, but with the warmer weather now here, these catches are usually after dark or early mornings. As mentioned above, shore-based anglers are picking up y/f whiting at several local beaches, then the odd flathead around the West Bch & Nth Haven break waters & mulloway in The Pat & Port River.
FLEURIEU/RIVERLAND/RESERVOIR: I spent some time last week plonking along the sand around Pt Noarlunga, Seaford and Aldinga beach, as shore-based fishers chased mullet, flathead and yellowfin whiting with mixed success. A key to catching fish along this part of The Fleurieu is to use fresh bait ie bloodworms to maximise your chance of hooking that prize! Boat crews are launching from O'Sullivan's Beach for flathead, red mullet and a few KG whiting, but most reports are for the good catches coming in from water depth of over 10 metres. Local jetties along the coast have tommy ruffs, salmon trout and green macks at times. Port Noarlunga and Rapid Bay jetties have been the pick of jetties with good results. Further south the offshore whiting reports from Lady Bay to Wirrina have been scarce as the milder weather is changing and bringing warmer water temperatures for this time of the year. Shore-based anglers are reporting a few yellowfin whiting from Morgan's beach, Carrackalinga and then northwards to Silver Sands, Aldinga and Southport beach. Boat crews launching from Victor Harbor are catching isolated KG whiting, snook, snapper and kingfish (offshore). Jetty and shore-based fishers are reporting a mix of scattered tommy ruffs, salmon trout and mullet from Waitpinga, Chiton Rocks, The Bluff and Goolwa river mouth - with mullet also off Sugars beach and over at Meningie/Narrung. Murray River fishing has redfin perch and callop from Blanchetown and Tailem Bend. Upper Coorong surf casters are catching salmon trout and mullet from the 28 and 42 Mile Crossings. The close to capacity Myponga reservoir has callop and redfin perch also.
SOUTH EAST/COORONG: The Recreational Crayfish (rock lobster) season is close to kicking off & there are new Life Jacket (PDF) rules that strictly apply to ALL people in a boat that is pulling Craypots or Traps/Dropnets etc. So make sure your gear is legal, properly registered (ie PIRSA permit) & you & your crew are always safe. Catches of KG whiting, gar & small but legal snapper came from Cape Northumberland, Nene Valley, Port Mac & Carpenter Rocks in recent days, esp before the strong winds cracked in. Big boats are having to time their run out for tuna, snapper, kingies & even some nice red nannys from Port Mac, Beachport & Kingston. KG whiting & gar can also be caught from Kingston, Robe & Little Dip/Nora Creina Bay. Shore-based fishing is good atm, with salmon, mullet, mulloway & flathead coming from Picanninie Ponds, Carpenter Rocks, Canunda, Beachport Surfer Bch, Little Dip Salmon Hole & The Granites. Salt Creek & the 42 Mile Crossing do have a few nice salmon, but there has been a lot of weed in the surf. Jetty-based fishing isn't what it used to be, but locals have picked up tommy ruffs, night-time snapper, salmon trout, odd gar, whiting & snook when opportunity came to fish the planks!
YORKE PENINSULA: Wallaroo: Small to medium garfish are off the rocks at Point Riley and Myponie Point, with even a couple of fat yellowfin whiting up at Tickera and the mangrove flats at Pt Davis. The jetty has a few blue crabs, while boat crews have to go early mornings to catch a feed of KG whiting. Port Hughes/Moonta Bay: I received an unconfirmed report of a new fish cleaning station to be built at the Pt Hughes boat ramp in 2027 - if so, that is welcome news indeed! Boat crews are reporting KG whiting from Cape Elizabeth and a few blue crabs from West Light. The jetties have a few blueys and night-time snook. Point Turton: Locals and visitors alike rejoiced at the return of the sting-rays in recent times as these magnificent creatures cruise under the jetty and nearby shallows for all to see. Boat crews have caught garfish and KG whiting, while a few mullet and yellowfin whiting are off the sand at Corny Point Lighthouse beach. Marion/Stenhouse Bays: The run of late afternoon tommy ruffs at both jetties continues, along with a few snook and green macks. Local boat crews are chasing red nannys and kingfish offshore and flathead and whiting closer to home. Shore-based fishing has had mixed results, with mullet and salmon to 1 kilo being the main reports. Edithburgh/Stansbury: Large snook and a few whiting came from the broken grounds off Pt Vincent, Orontes Bank and then south out from Coobowie and Pt Giles. The Stansbury jetty again had some blueys during the week. Ardrossan: The jetty is worth a try for overnight mulloway, blueys and snook, while rakers continue their efforts for blue crabs at several local beaches. Boat crews are running out for a blue crab, a very occasional whiting and snook.
SPENCER GULF/WEST COAST: Large kingfish are in several stretches of northern Spencer Gulf, with Pt Pirie, Miranda, Fitzgerald Bay, Point Lowly & the old Pt Augusta Power Station grounds all holding some big fish! Nice garfish have been caught in the calm waters of Baird Bay, Smoky Bay & Ceduna in the past week. Salmon trout are off the steep, sandy beach drop at Point Brown & Back Bch at Streaky. Boat crews are catching KG whiting from the islands off Murat Bay, Streaky, Waterloo & Coffin Bays, with even bigger fish inside the cliffs at Elliston. Salmon to 2 kilos continue their run at Sheringa, Talia & Convention beaches with slightly small salmon at Sleaford, Longnose Point & Lincoln Park beaches. Inside Spencer Gulf there are whiting & gar from Port Neill, Tumby Bay, Arno Bay & Cowell through to Whyalla & Port Pirie. Blue crabs are thin but they are in northern gulf waters from Pirie, Miranda, Fitzgerald Bay & Whyalla to Cowled's Landing. The revamped Whyalla boat-ramp looked great when I checked it a couple of weeks back - WELL DONE TO ALL CONCERNED!!
OCTOBER SEAFOOD RECIPE: Oysters Rockefeller. Ingredients: 12 shucked oysters, butter, parsley, chives, garlic, breadcrumbs & Worcestershire/Tabasco sauce Preparation: Make a rich butter sauce with herbs & hot sauce. Pour over oysters & sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake under a grill for 10mins or airfryer. She-la nepo nang-go! Tibetan for Bon Appetit!
KANGAROO IS: Jetty-based fishing at Kingscote has lovely 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 all holding fish at times. Most tuna & kingfish reports that are coming from the Sanders Bank & The Pages have been intermittent & should only be attempted when conditions are suitable - it's a plurry long way from home if your gear fails or the engine shits itself. STAY FROSTY & TIGHT LINES!
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