Algae

[Raymondo]

Morning Raiders,

Ive headed out twice off Kiama in the past week and have noticed a lot of brown algae hanging around. Anywhere the algae is the bottom species have been off the bite, it hasn't affected the pelagics on the surface with plenty of schooling salmon and kings cruising through the stuff happy to take a lure or plastic.

Its patchy and was anywhere from ten to 100 meters and a water temp between 16.5 to 18 degrees.

Is this algae occupying the waters around Sydney? Is it a good thing? Will it attract the bait fish and larger predators etc?

Please wade in with your thoughts.

[rozza_b]

Hey mate,

Noticed the algea when i was out on saturday off kiama as well, was also really heavy when i was in the surf at werri the other day, reefs seemed to be completely shut down didnt get a single bite after 4-5hrs of fishing so just gave up on fishing them and moved to the sand, managed to get some decent flatties though, hopefully i clears out soon.

When i was younger and worked on a boat we used to find some really solid fish on the edge of the algea but bugger all in it, wonder how far up and down the coast this has spread.....

[beejay81]

Same seems to be true in the estuaries. Top of Brisbane water is full of it this year, worse than Ive ever seen. Occasional big bream in amongst it, but the brood of pickers and mullet dont seem to be around yet. Bit of a worry...

[JonD]

The brown stuff has reached us down at Narooma too. The fishing usually goes quiet when it's about.

Jon