Looking forward to Spring in the Seaway

Now that winter is almost gone, its time to start looking at what changes spring brings to the seaway and broadwater areas.  Water temperatures have been quite high over winter with nothing less than 18 degrees and spring should see those water temps rise quite quickly over 20 degrees.   The latest rain and swell we've had will have dirtied up the seaway and the crystal clear conditions we saw over winter should not return.  Weather will get increasingly erratic with lots more strong southerly winds making the north wall fishable for no more than a few days a week.  The fish should start taking more of an interest in surface presentations and edge fishing with poppers, stickbaits and shallow running minnows should yield some good fish at dawn and dusk.

Fishwise, Bigeye trevally should start to show up in bigger numbers and sizes with 60cm fish becoming more prevalent as we head towards summer.  Poppers and minnows around the walls and slugs near the pipeline on early morning run in tides.  Vibs dropped down deep around current lines should also pick a few good specimens.  Surface feeding schools can show up at anywhere at any time  but generally only during run in tides.  Giant Trevally should taper off this month and only be sporadically caught between now and January.

Tailor numbers should increase with the biggest fish showing around the north wall in October, November and December.  Poppers, Stickbaits, big minnows and live pike will catch the bigger fish, slugs will catch plenty of the smaller fish, look for surface feeding anywhere in the seaway, the broadwater or just off the shore break of south straddie.

Tarpon, I'm not sure about.  September was the last month I caught them in last year so its possible they move up the rivers as the water temps increase.  I'll still be looking for them this month so it will be interesting to see if they are still around.  Australian Salmon have been a surprise catch this year with large schools showing up, though most people have only caught one or two a trip.  I have seen them in the seaway in previous years until mid October so they may stick around for a bit longer.

Yellowtail kings should show up in increasing numbers between now and the start of summer though they can show up anywhere at anytime.  The pipeline is a given but getting one up from the pipeline is almost impossible, there should be some hanging around the north and south walls which are easier to land.  Stickbaits and livies work well for the larger fish, twisties and plastics work fine for smaller fish feeding on surface.

Mulloway should still be around and will be able to be caught at the tide changes with vibs, plastics and livies.  Flathead should show up briefly as the spawn in the seaway in large numbers in september, plastics on the bottom are best for these fish.

Offshore, Mack Tuna numbers should increase, we may see a run of bonito and frigate mackerel as well.  Mackerel should show up towards the end of spring but won't really get going until we are into summer.

Towards the end of spring we should see large schools of frogmouth pilchards enter the seaway and broadwater, this is the cue for some top quality surface action with trevally, tailor, queenfish and kingfish all busting into big schools of bait, kee an eye out for this as it can happen at any time.