Mike Owens is up from Perth with his mates for a fishing holiday. He told us about a previous trip that was so amazing, that we had to share it with you. He was trying to target pelagic fish from the shore down the west side with a floating bait and balloon. He didn’t have much success, so packed everything in to his 14ft tinny and headed outside the reef at Winderabandi. There was very little wind and the bait was bobbing in the water looking rather unitising. So he decided to troll.

The breeze from the trolling picked up the balloon and made the garfish bait skip and lift up about 40ft in the air. To Mike’s utmost surprise the whopping great mackerel pictured this week leaped out of the water and snavelled the garfish while it was in the air! The fish fed about four families camped together that night. The next day he tried trolling the balloon again and this time he caught a cobia, then a barracuda…! We think this may be a new way of fishing, and when it is, we will thank Mike for his ingenuity!  He now carries this picture in his wallet to show everyone his great catch: and so he should!

There have been queenfish along the gulf beaches and cruising past areas where bait has been congregating such as Learmonth, Bundegi and town beach. The big tides has allowed for anglers to get right out to the drop off at Town beach and target fish with fly gear. Old Bundegi has also been a popular spot for waders. 

The billfish are continuing to show up in great numbers out in the waters off Tantabiddi north to the Muiron islands. The Dandie family reported a massive bait ball of tuna feeding on small fish. They said it was the size of a few football ovals. To their amazement, they watched in awe as a pod of sailfish milled around at the stern of their boat. The sailfish were feeding on small tuna and baitfish as well.  It was a moment that the family of Mum, Dad and the two teenage boys will not forget forever. 

The fishing has been exceptional lately with all sorts of species being reported and the results of Gamex. The weather is usually splendid for April, so if you are here, get out and enjoy it!

Mike Mack