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| A REEL HOOT: Big trout and Atlantic salmon are easy and fun from a fishing kayak. |
Rob’s weekly FISH’N’TIP 0663 written for the week of Wednesday 14/11/2012
This week I continue my three part special on what species I consider to be on the bucket list for kayak anglers in each Australian State.
Western Australia: This state is so big that in encompasses most of the above freshwater species minus just a few naturally occurring species like wild bass, Golden Perch and Murray Cod, although these are stocked in some private lakes and there are other surprises like reasonable trout fishing in the higher altitude rivers and dams of the SW corner.
The saltwater fishing is exceptional, and all the species mentioned so far inhabit parts of this vast place. Exmouth is one of my favourite spots, you can fish either side of the cape depending on which way the wind is blowing. Amongst the regular tropical speedsters you can reliably target truly rare species like permit and ‘the’ worlds biggest bonefish. Ningaloo reef will blow a kayakers mind every time!
South Australia: Prime spot for southern species that seem to grow much bigger than else where such as kingfish, Snapper, King George Whiting, jewfish and more. But don’t forget that the murray river and it’s tributaries have excellent fishing for Murray Cod and Golden Perch (often called callop in SA.)
Victoria: Inland the drought broke around 3 years ago, and shallow lakes stocked with trout are tuning on some exceptional fishing, trout can be 10 pounds in less than 3 years, and some whoppers are already gracing the decks of kayaks. Some good Golden Perch and Murray Cod fishing too.
Saltwater contains a variety southern species, the most easy to find of which include flathead, salmon, bream, squid and of course Snapper.
I spend a lot of time on Port Phillip Bay, and trolling up a Snapper on a deep diver is a real hoot after 35 years of catching them on bait and plastics (yes plastics 30 years ago-I have some softies more than 40 years old and keen pommy anglers will know an old favourite of mine that is not available any more, the red gill-google that one up! Current favourite is a Storm Pro Shad: brilliant plastic for many reasons.
Tasmania: While there is some awesome XL Black Bream, bluefin tuna and also bread and butter species like flathead, garfish, and squid), the trout fishing is world class.
When half of the country was under water and everyone was stressed to the max, or even suffering the tragic loss of loved ones, Taz was coping better than most places-very broadly speaking they have better infrastructure like roads and dams to deal with regular heavier rain. This makes it easy to travel around, especially now the Spanish Lady La Nina is Singing up the wet stuff more regularly.
Plenty of well know lakes to hit, but in a kayak you can get to some nooks and crannys where bigger boats can’t launch and the fishing is absolutely exceptional. Lakes literally number in their thousands and I have more ‘secret lakes’ down there than you can swing a paddle at!
TIP OF THE ICE BERG.
The above is of course a very small selection of what’s on offer...that is the attraction of yak fishing this vast country-and I for one will never come close to doing it all.
One thing is for sure, whatever you chase you will be enjoying that environment to the max with as little footprint as is possible in this day and age, and gaining some health benefits along the way
See you at water level.
Rob Paxevanos
Footnote: much of the fishing explained here can be found in robs instructional dvd series available at all good tackle stores and online at www.robpax.com
Full Article: http://fishnet.com.au/default.aspx?id=234&articleId=8755&memberId=21
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