Just spent a couple of weeks in CB and the sharks were unbelievable. Sharks were taking the fish at the top of the water colum, sharks were taking everything seconds after hooking up. Impossible to jig (had to be skull drag everything with max heavy gear). gone are the days of bringing up a head now its just taken whole. not one head recovered. eeverything bitten off whole.
We fished shallower areas 60-80m ...Sharks were all over us. we fished deeper areas for gold band ......sharks were all over us. guys we spoke with fished 250m for rubys....sharks were all over them. one guy said he got so pissed off he put down the electric deep drop 100lb rig with wire and a huge hook something took it ...couldn't retrieve any line and ended up loosing everything.
Only thing I can say is find new ground and once the sharks are there move and don't go back for at least a couple of weeks.
Cobia seem to be the only thing sharks were not taking and we got plenty.
sounds like it is getting like exmouth, waste of time bottom bashing there and only go now for the game fishing. Hope coral bay isn't going to end up the same
There are other spots in the montes area that you barely see a shark and it’s much better fishing. Just need to choose a spot that doesn’t get much pressure and the sharks won’t be residents.
Absolutely spot on Dodgy, so many people complain about the sharks in an area but just keep fishing on the same spot to 'try and beat them to the surface'. That type of fishing ends up destroying fish stocks and teaching the sharks that a boat/sounder frequency means food. Only got ourselves to blame IMO.
Agree, I have spots up at Gnarloo where we will drift a couple of km on hard but not much showing ground and always pick up fish with nil shark trouble. It's as you say the areas with big showings that the sharks hang around. We give them a go once they show up we're outta there.
And this isn't a new thing. back in the late 80's we were fishing Ningaloo, where we fish now, and, if you went back to the same area several days running, they would definitely build up. One of those spots, which we used to call the corner store, is now renamed Sharknado--just impossible to fish. Great structure, the fish are still there, but you just can't get anything past them. Same thing happened off karratha--all the hotspots had real shark problems in the nineties, get away to a lightly fished area and problem largely gone. I've seen this behaviour for decades, now, both fishing and crayfishing--when crayfishing, they would stack up in huge numbers on popular edges during the whites, waiting for unused bait to be discarded.
So, as someone above said, you need to work away from the mob and the popular spots, to give yourself a chance. sad that it has come to this. One reason we troll offshore for bills more nowadays up there--our only losses have been a couple of sails that were hooked in the sort of depths they are thick, and the ground heavily trolled for mackerel and fished for demersals.
We don't personally have shark issues even fishing 14 lines at a time. I think we lost 1 fish to sharks all of last week. My tips to help. Fish smaller shows, you will get better fish cause unlikely to have been hammered and always less sharks than big shows. I know it's easy for us to say but try not to fish the same spot over and over, if we pull good umbers off a spot I will try not to fish it again for a year or two. Get fish off the bottom strait away, I know it takes the sport out of it a bit but the winches we use get the fish off the bottom and into the boat quicker. IMO this is the main reason we don't have shark issues. If you get sharked more than once move. I know it's hard to do ityou can see a good show and hooking good fish but once they get stirred up that's it.
In saying this, I do agree the sharks have gotten worse. My list of spots not to bother fishing because of them is getting bigger and obviously every second boat complaining about them can not be wrong. But the problem is simple. More boats than ever catching fish and less than ever (none) catching sharks. And the fact that most people take 10 good fish to get their bag of 5 because of them is only making the problem worse. Not sure if catching the sharks will fix the problem but don't worry if they decide that's what we need to do don't worry, I have no issue with it and will be the first to put my hand up to do it, already got a plotter full of shark infested spots ready to go.
I went out yesterday and copped it from the sharks. We had no trouble with them taking rankin and cobia as we got plenty of them but reds were a different story.
We only got two reds. 600 and 630 but lots of times we lost fish that we were calling as reds. One that I did get had a shark chasing it near the surface and I had to give a big heave on the rod to get it away from it right at the boat. When I was cleaning it I noticed two 15mm nicks at the base of it's tail so I got a bit lucky I think.
Been fishing at Coral Bay 12 years running. Usually 5 weeks twice yearly.
This year the shark problem is really bad. Not only in number but in size. Getting a decent red to the boat is almost impossible.
The quantity of equipment being lost is really staggering.
In my limited experience the shark problem here is increasing yearly. 10-12 years ago seeing a large shark was not that common. Now it is rare not to see many on a daily basis. Yesterday a 9-10 foot bull shark chased a spangled emperor right to the boat and actually leapt at the remains right at the boat side.
One group here for two weeks assured me they had lost 80 sinkers to sharks during their stay. One of my friends lost or damaged 30 terminal rigs and every 24oz sinker he brought up.
can anyone recommend what size sinkers to use up there. 60 metres is probably deepest I will fish in. Obviously depending on conditions but I was thinking 8 - 12 oz?
Shark1
Posts: 1084
Date Joined: 21/05/12
shark shield 1m above top
shark shield 1m above top hook
dumper
Posts: 1026
Date Joined: 03/04/08
I’ve tried that and it
I’ve tried that and it doesn’t work. Had three bronzes fighting over a pinkie while touching the antenna
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
Just spent a couple of weeks
Just spent a couple of weeks in CB and the sharks were unbelievable. Sharks were taking the fish at the top of the water colum, sharks were taking everything seconds after hooking up. Impossible to jig (had to be skull drag everything with max heavy gear). gone are the days of bringing up a head now its just taken whole. not one head recovered. eeverything bitten off whole.
We fished shallower areas 60-80m ...Sharks were all over us. we fished deeper areas for gold band ......sharks were all over us. guys we spoke with fished 250m for rubys....sharks were all over them. one guy said he got so pissed off he put down the electric deep drop 100lb rig with wire and a huge hook something took it ...couldn't retrieve any line and ended up loosing everything.
Only thing I can say is find new ground and once the sharks are there move and don't go back for at least a couple of weeks.
Cobia seem to be the only thing sharks were not taking and we got plenty.
SEAFORCE CORAL BAY
Posts: 150
Date Joined: 09/12/13
If you start catching Cobia,
If you start catching Cobia, if not already there the sharks are not far away. Thats what they live on.
50ft Westcoaster "Valiant" - Coral Bay - Exmouth - Gnaraloo - Botton - Game - Sport - Deep Drop - Swordfish
2017 EGFC Billfish Bonanza - Campion Team Marlin - Campion Team Combined - 8/8/5 - 4 Billfish Species
0429 034 540 / / www.seaforcecharters.com.au
ace rimmer
Posts: 187
Date Joined: 19/08/13
getting like exmouth
sounds like it is getting like exmouth, waste of time bottom bashing there and only go now for the game fishing. Hope coral bay isn't going to end up the same
Cruise Control
Posts: 971
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Well, there goes my plan to
Well, there goes my plan to try and get up there this year ! Bring back the jap shark boats, that might clean some of the bastards out.
brayden
Posts: 14
Date Joined: 15/09/14
Thank mate its getting out
Thank mate its getting out of control. Just need to find a way yo get past them
slugger
Posts: 156
Date Joined: 17/02/11
monties worse than ever
worst its been in over 10 years and will continue to get worse as they breed
we all need to get off our butts and write individual letters/ emails to the minster for fisheries, im sending mine off tonight
Minister for Water; Fisheries; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science
8th Floor, Dumas House
2 Havelock Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005
Phone: +61 8 6552-6100 / Fax: (08) 6552-6101
e-Mail: Minister.Kelly@dpc.wa.gov.au
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
There are other spots in the
There are other spots in the montes area that you barely see a shark and it’s much better fishing. Just need to choose a spot that doesn’t get much pressure and the sharks won’t be residents.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Lastchance
Posts: 1272
Date Joined: 02/02/09
Absolutely spot on Dodgy, so
Absolutely spot on Dodgy, so many people complain about the sharks in an area but just keep fishing on the same spot to 'try and beat them to the surface'. That type of fishing ends up destroying fish stocks and teaching the sharks that a boat/sounder frequency means food. Only got ourselves to blame IMO.
sea-kem
Posts: 14857
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Agree, I have spots up at
Agree, I have spots up at Gnarloo where we will drift a couple of km on hard but not much showing ground and always pick up fish with nil shark trouble. It's as you say the areas with big showings that the sharks hang around. We give them a go once they show up we're outta there.
Love the West!
Lefty 44
Posts: 146
Date Joined: 04/12/17
Don't skull drag it fires up
Don't skull drag it fires up the sharks.
Hook the fish and hold them just off the bottom until you drift away from the area then slowly retrieve.
This will work more times than it doesn't.
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
you've held a decent size
you've held a decent size red just off bottom and drifed with it a couple of kms in Coral Bay?
Lefty 44
Posts: 146
Date Joined: 04/12/17
That's how we worked it
That's how we worked it out.
Was getting sharked nearly every drop when we hooked a 10kg Red.
Took a while to budge it off the bottom and by the time we did we were well off the school and got it in.
Tried for the next few drifts and got all the fish to the boat.
uncle
Posts: 9353
Date Joined: 10/02/07
So if everyone goes to your "secret" spots
Wont the sharks follow??
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yes, sharks definitely learn
And this isn't a new thing. back in the late 80's we were fishing Ningaloo, where we fish now, and, if you went back to the same area several days running, they would definitely build up. One of those spots, which we used to call the corner store, is now renamed Sharknado--just impossible to fish. Great structure, the fish are still there, but you just can't get anything past them. Same thing happened off karratha--all the hotspots had real shark problems in the nineties, get away to a lightly fished area and problem largely gone. I've seen this behaviour for decades, now, both fishing and crayfishing--when crayfishing, they would stack up in huge numbers on popular edges during the whites, waiting for unused bait to be discarded.
So, as someone above said, you need to work away from the mob and the popular spots, to give yourself a chance. sad that it has come to this. One reason we troll offshore for bills more nowadays up there--our only losses have been a couple of sails that were hooked in the sort of depths they are thick, and the ground heavily trolled for mackerel and fished for demersals.
SEAFORCE CORAL BAY
Posts: 150
Date Joined: 09/12/13
We don't personally have
We don't personally have shark issues even fishing 14 lines at a time. I think we lost 1 fish to sharks all of last week. My tips to help. Fish smaller shows, you will get better fish cause unlikely to have been hammered and always less sharks than big shows. I know it's easy for us to say but try not to fish the same spot over and over, if we pull good umbers off a spot I will try not to fish it again for a year or two. Get fish off the bottom strait away, I know it takes the sport out of it a bit but the winches we use get the fish off the bottom and into the boat quicker. IMO this is the main reason we don't have shark issues. If you get sharked more than once move. I know it's hard to do ityou can see a good show and hooking good fish but once they get stirred up that's it.
In saying this, I do agree the sharks have gotten worse. My list of spots not to bother fishing because of them is getting bigger and obviously every second boat complaining about them can not be wrong. But the problem is simple. More boats than ever catching fish and less than ever (none) catching sharks. And the fact that most people take 10 good fish to get their bag of 5 because of them is only making the problem worse. Not sure if catching the sharks will fix the problem but don't worry if they decide that's what we need to do don't worry, I have no issue with it and will be the first to put my hand up to do it, already got a plotter full of shark infested spots ready to go.
50ft Westcoaster "Valiant" - Coral Bay - Exmouth - Gnaraloo - Botton - Game - Sport - Deep Drop - Swordfish
2017 EGFC Billfish Bonanza - Campion Team Marlin - Campion Team Combined - 8/8/5 - 4 Billfish Species
0429 034 540 / / www.seaforcecharters.com.au
crano
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 04/11/09
Sharks
I went out yesterday and copped it from the sharks. We had no trouble with them taking rankin and cobia as we got plenty of them but reds were a different story.
We only got two reds. 600 and 630 but lots of times we lost fish that we were calling as reds. One that I did get had a shark chasing it near the surface and I had to give a big heave on the rod to get it away from it right at the boat. When I was cleaning it I noticed two 15mm nicks at the base of it's tail so I got a bit lucky I think.
Still pretty happy to be be here.
Lastchance
Posts: 1272
Date Joined: 02/02/09
"We had no trouble with them
"We had no trouble with them taking rankin and cobia as we got plenty of them but reds were a different story..." There's a winning attitude.
sealure
Posts: 106
Date Joined: 19/05/12
Sharks
Been fishing at Coral Bay 12 years running. Usually 5 weeks twice yearly.
This year the shark problem is really bad. Not only in number but in size. Getting a decent red to the boat is almost impossible.
The quantity of equipment being lost is really staggering.
In my limited experience the shark problem here is increasing yearly. 10-12 years ago seeing a large shark was not that common. Now it is rare not to see many on a daily basis. Yesterday a 9-10 foot bull shark chased a spangled emperor right to the boat and actually leapt at the remains right at the boat side.
One group here for two weeks assured me they had lost 80 sinkers to sharks during their stay. One of my friends lost or damaged 30 terminal rigs and every 24oz sinker he brought up.
It’s still a beautiful place.
crano
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 04/11/09
Need lots
If you are coming up here bring a truckload of hooks and sinkers, you will need them.
Jarryd87
Posts: 43
Date Joined: 15/09/15
We are heading up on friday
We are heading up on friday from bunbury if anyone needs anything brought up. We have stocked up and hopefully the weather plays the game.
Curndog
Posts: 443
Date Joined: 21/11/16
Sinkers
can anyone recommend what size sinkers to use up there. 60 metres is probably deepest I will fish in. Obviously depending on conditions but I was thinking 8 - 12 oz?
crano
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 04/11/09
16
We tend to use 16 oz mostly going down to 12 oz in really good conditions. That is using 50 lb braid.
sea-kem
Posts: 14857
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Same as Crano, try to stick
Same as Crano, try to stick to around 10 depending on drift and wind.
Love the West!
Curndog
Posts: 443
Date Joined: 21/11/16
Ok cool thanks fellas
Ok cool thanks fellas
hodge
Posts: 71
Date Joined: 03/09/07
Coral bay
On our way home from coral bay right now. Bring a shitload of sinkers if you want to fish under 100mts...