Help! Fishing Hamelin Bay W.A
I have a 11 1/2 Ft dingy and I have just returned home from a Work/Christmas trip from Mandurah and Esperance with the family.
While I was in Mandurah I had a fish in the Peel Inlet where we only caught Blowies (hundreds of them)
. We then venture to Esperance where we fished the Bay 3 times with limited success with only catching some rock cod, a under size sweep and a couple under size herring for the whole time there.
We have 2 small children of 4 and 6 and they have run out of patience of boring fishing and no longer want to go out in the boat. I am planing on going for a fishing trip to Hamelin Bay in a week or so and will try our luck in the bay.
I would like to know what I could catch and what is the best bait to use? As we are only in the tinny I will not be venturing out very far so is there any good spots to be? I don't care if we are catching under size fish and throwing back but would love to have some catching fun and not just fishing for the kids.
I have also got a timber Cray pot(more for the big kid
). Is it worth wile taking it out or have the Crays gone out already? I don't want a huge feed or go stupid but catch 1-2 for a feed for us. I have been told to use tin cat food for bait
. Does this work or have I been given a bum steer?
I have spent all my time in the boat running up the Blackwood and Donnelly rivers so ocean fishing is new to me( apart from 3 trips on the bay of Isles). I have all the relevant lic, tickets, flares etc. When does Hamelin bay get nasty? I don't venture out in more than 15knot/1.5m swell but I know it can change really quickly around that area.
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks...Mark
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Hamelin
Definitely take your cray pot,there are crays there at this time of the year.One spot worth a drop is the little lump of reef to the right of the ramp.Anywhere close to the lumps should produce.
Herring,tailor,pike,silver bream,salmon trout should be out in the bay with a good chance of a pinky and small dhuey as well.
If the swell gets up over two metres the ramp can be dangerous as the trailer washes off the side of the concrete finger on the end.
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
Few quick suggestions I have
Few quick suggestions
I have fishing hamelin my whole life, and there is a huge variety of fish to be caught.
Cray pots i would take.
Here is my suggestions for crays.
Head either side of hamelin island and head out the west side (only just) remembering hamelin bay is nurtorious for bad weather, and swell so be carefull.
If you head the north end of the island, only head out maybe 50-100m past and look for a sand patch and drop your pot there, almost guaranteed to catch crays, and BIG ones too.
Fishing
Infront of the island there is some sand patches, good for herring, skippy and big king george, definately worth a go.
if calm head out the back of the island only 150m or so on the south side, good 1kg+ skippy out there just throw a little burely over the side near the reefs.
Beach fishing can produce tailor and mullaway this time of year and maybe the odd salmon.
Good luck, Hamelin bay ramp is not the nicest of ramps so be careful.
danno
Posts: 1676
Date Joined: 12/07/09
mate herring dont have a
mate herring dont have a size limit.
cheers danno
West Oz Mark
Posts: 7
Date Joined: 28/12/09
Thanks Carnavonite and
Thanks Carnavonite and Bodie. Great info and cant wait and give it a go.
What about bait for the Cray pot? Would I be better off going down to the boat ramp and pick up some fish heads from a larger boat or does using tin cat food actualy work?
Yeh I know herring don't have a size limit but when my fillets get smaller than my fork it's not much fun thanks danno.
danno
Posts: 1676
Date Joined: 12/07/09
oh yer ok just letting u
oh yer ok just letting u know mate.
cheers danno
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
any fish will do, dont both
any fish will do, dont both with cat food.
If using fish like skippy or herring, cutr them in 3 pieces.
For some reason the silvier on the herring and skippy seem to attract wobby's, so best to try change the colour up a bit.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Bait
Try not to use fresh fish for bait or you will get wobbie after wobbie.Bleed the fish you intend to use for bait,freeze it then use it.Its not the silver as Bodie says its the fresh blood that brings them.