Surf Casting and Angling Club of W.A. (Inc.) Local Metro Area Field Day - December 2001.

After spending a few frantic days fishing Kalbarri in early December it was with a little subdued trepidation that we started our preparations for the Local Field Day. I must admit my enthusiasm was not high and I had to rally around to get the motivation going. The chance to try for a flathead and flounder in the Swan as well as the possibility of a bonito or two on lures did help. The New Moon and the favourable tides also added to the mood and pretty soon the eagerness returned and I was raring to go. It must be said that I don't fish a lot on the metro coast these days apart from the occasional sojourn to Trigg with my spinning gear, so I was a little lost for options. Damian was keen to fish the river for a chance at a mulloway but I have never enjoyed estuarine fishing and opted for the beach.

The Club owns an air conditioned holiday house at Kalbarri which is available for rent to the public and club members at competitive rates

I persuaded my neighbour's teenage son to accompany me on this trip and we decided that the Swanbourne drain was the best option. This is only a few minutes from home and I had never seen the spot, so this was a great opportunity to visit one of the legendary beach fishing spots in Perth.

We arrived in the late afternoon and cast out mulies and blue sardines into the brisk sea breeze. The going was slow with lots of small silver bream in evidence that were laying waste to the baits likes packs of ravenous piranhas. We hoped the situation would change with sunset and the rising tide but this was not the case.

One in 5 fish landed was a keeper but it was tedious going. A larger fillet bait was kept fresh and regularly checked and changed but remained unmolested for the duration. Later on 2 small chopper tailor were landed but that action was slow though we fished through the high tide until late. There have been some small pods of salmon around on these beaches as well as occasional mulloway but these passed us by.

We got home nice and late and I was up again at 3.30 am to fish the North Mole of the harbour. There was quite a throng already on the rocks following reports of bonito being captured there. As usual the water looked fantastic in the dim pre-dawn light with the smooth swells rising gently and the surface dimpled by small fish. First cast yielded a size blue mackerel. Within minutes this fish was joined by another. Then a skippy of embarrassingly small (but legal) size hit the inji rig and was deeply hooked and killed. This action all occurred before the sun rose.

By the time the light improved enough we could see that the shoals of rising fish were actually blowfish swarms that decimated any bait entering the water, even way out on the longest cast that I could muster. After Damian had hooked at least a dozen blowies on a metal spinner we decided a sleep was a better idea. So that was the fishing for me as family duties kept me engaged for the rest of the day. After my somewhat pitiful showing however perhaps I was saved from further ignominy.

The late afternoon weigh-in was sparsely attended by anglers although the casting fraternity had turned out prior to the night cast to witness our "spectacular catches". George Holman caught a nice bag of herring on lure, Tony D'Alonzo a mixed bag including herring and a few nice tailor, Spencer King had 2 flathead from the lower reaches of the Swan and I had a handful of small fish. So a little disheartened we left to ponder our performances and perhaps plan a new strategy or two for the New Year.

Enjoy the festive season and I hope you have a robust and fruitful (and fish full) New Year. I hope to see you at the next Field Day.

Field Day Officer, John Jardine.

Attendance: Seniors 5 Juniors 0 Mini-Juniors 0 Visitors 0 Total 5

Results.

Sportsperson of the Year Section Winners for December.

Field Day Prize Winners for December.

Field Day Sections for 2001/2002 up to December.

Field Day Top Ten up to December 2001.

Copyright © 2002 Surf Casting and Angling Club of W.A. (Inc.)

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This page last updated 29 December 2002.

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