Undersize pinky plague off Mindarie and Two rocks

 Gday fishos a mate and i went out off Mindarie marina last saturday, headed out to drift the 30 - 40m line NW of Mindarie. Lots of fish on the sounder, very first drop, pinkys in the 45cm - 48cm range,. Kept catching them and losing bait to them pretty much non-stop, even double headers all undersize, biggest 49 and even 49.5cm but not 50cm+ bugger!. Kept moving north and same thing constant undersize pinkys and couple of tiny dhuies. Had quite a few small pods of whales around us so decided to go out to  80 -90m line found some reef, double headers of little pinkys fark!! mate got a nice size breaksea cod, we ended up comng home coz ran out of bait from catching and feeding baby pinkys, we both went through 2kg of squid each.

Went out tuesday during this week with a workmate (both chucked sickies) off Two rocks,  N - NW in 35 - 45m line, again non-stop undersize pinkys, kept moving north, again undersize pinkys, double headers all just under 50cm. Heaps and heaps of small tuna also feeding in that area, quite a few dolphins as well but surprised we didnt see one whale all day out there. Went out to 88m, heaps of little pinkys, finally got a double header with one pinky that was 52cm (YAY!) so kept it. moved further north more small pinkys, got a 63cm dhuie in amongst the little pinks then ran out of bait - again 2kg of squid each of us fed to little pinks. It kind of got boring and frustrating catching them non-stop as well. I guess the up-side of it is that in a few years from now we should theoretically be bagging out on big pinks easily, have any of you guys on here been having the same experience out there as well? cheers dave


Belly Fish's picture

Posts: 499

Date Joined: 09/03/12

Use Pinky for bait

Fri, 2021-09-17 19:30

If this happens to me, and it does from time to time, I use Pinky for bait (the 52cm one )

It doesn't stop you catching Pinkies, but I reckon you catch less.

Posts: 308

Date Joined: 28/05/15

 Using a 52cm pinky as bait

Sat, 2021-09-18 07:37

 Using a 52cm pinky as bait counts as one of your bag limit technically but by the wink we can assume you would use any pink as bait and not count them towards your bag limit?

Belly Fish's picture

Posts: 499

Date Joined: 09/03/12

I’ve heard

Mon, 2021-09-20 07:40

That happens

Posts: 109

Date Joined: 27/07/16

I noticed the same on Tuesday

Fri, 2021-09-17 19:44

I noticed the same on Tuesday south of rotto in the 90's, lots just on size & then hooked an 80cm, moved in to the 40's after the current picked and pulled a really nice Baldie.

uncle's picture

Posts: 9474

Date Joined: 10/02/07

At least

Sat, 2021-09-18 10:38

their getting fed and meeting ufos, unidentifiable floating objects 

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anypuddle's picture

Posts: 597

Date Joined: 22/01/12

 Mate went on charter off

Sun, 2021-09-19 11:37

 Mate went on charter off Mindarie and said the same all 48cm or 49cm.

He came home with one goatfish/ red mullet.

One undersized dhuie was caught. They hit  the 40s to 90s.

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Anywhere anytime

Posts: 14

Date Joined: 13/08/20

same thing up off Jurien last

Tue, 2021-09-21 12:20

same thing up off Jurien last week, still plenty of good fish amongst them tho...

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Ticketyboo!!