SharpEdgeAdventure Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Hey everyone. I'm Planning a fishing trip down to Cape Jervis this January and was wondering if anyone had fished down there recently? just trying to get some information so I know what to expect. I know that tuna season for SA is around that time so it'll be good to get some smaller SBT. Haven't done much bluefin tuna trolling so got any advice? Hopfully get some bottom fish while jigging to. thx guys. tight lines🎣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelm Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 There is one member here from SA, I think it’s “Don”? But you are probably better off doing a Google for a similar SA site and joining for info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little_Flatty Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 @dmck are you in a position to help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 On 9/11/2024 at 5:20 PM, Little_Flatty said: @dmck are you in a position to help? I'm here !! I've only ever fished for tuna from there, It is access to the strait between the mainland and Kangaroo Island. Usually good snapper area but there is a ban on until mid next year. The water can rip through if the tide variation is large. I know one bloke used to use 1KG sinkers !! Our biggest fishing website in SA is www.fishinsa.com.au. free to join. Join and ask. Will you have your own boat? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpEdgeAdventure Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 Thanks Don and sorry for the late reply, I Was after tuna. We've got a decent sized boat, and I have heard that the weather and tide are horrendous down there, I'll check out that website too. I was also looking at fishing Marion bay, any info there? Cheers, Tight lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted September 24 Share Posted September 24 Much better range of fish (my perspective) at Marion Bay. Launching facilities leave a lot to be desired, check out google earth.... no pontoons, effectively a cement ramp to the sand, so pretty much a beach launch. OPen to the south so affected by SW-S-SE winds. Not far away is Pondalowie Bay, also a beach launch but in to a sheltered bay then out to Spencers Gulf. Apart from the winds, biggest danger is crayfishing pots. Its a big business in this region. If your not used to them be BLOODY CAREFUL When you get west of Marion Bay, in to open water, there can be 6-7m swells coming from the south. Generally they are far apart and its like the ocean is breathing. If the swells coincide with large wind waves fron the north it can be... exciting... A friend swears his 32ft Skippercraft fell about 2-3 metres when waves cancelled swell. I have also seen (and nearly worn) a 'rogue wave'. On a fairly calm sea this thing was a 3m wall of water that rose out of no where. We were pulling craypots at the time. Luckily I looked up and saw it at about 100m. The skipper dropped the pot rope and hit the throttle and we outran it, did a big loop in behind and went back to the pots. In 40+ years of fishing in that region thats the only 1 I have seen. Tuna are not aleays easy to find and you may (read 'will') use a lot of fuel to find them. They are generally not the huge barrels that Port McDonnel/ Portland (vic) can deliver but still damned good fun. I can give you a heap of marks for Pondi area and a few for Marion Bay, not sure I have any for Cape Jervis. Oh, if the tuna are around you can launch at Cape Jervis and travel down the eastern side of Kangaroo Island, sometimes the schools are there. Its big boat country. Keep watching https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:137.6/centery:-35.1/zoom:7 and see where the boats are congregating. Look around the white box area.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpEdgeAdventure Posted September 25 Author Share Posted September 25 Thanks for all the information mate, sounds like Marion Bay will be a better bet than Jervis. Be good to get some Bottom fish. I know the snapper ban is still on Tho. Would you say Pondie or Marion is better? Be sure to watch for pots, definitely not used to them. You said you had some marks at Marion?...... That be great cos we've got no idea where to start...!!! Hopefully, we can find a day when the wind is nice and calm. Thanks mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted September 25 Share Posted September 25 PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted September 25 Share Posted September 25 On 9/22/2024 at 9:56 PM, SharpEdgeAdventure said: Thanks Don and sorry for the late reply, I Was after tuna. We've got a decent sized boat, and I have heard that the weather and tide are horrendous down there, I'll check out that website too. I was also looking at fishing Marion bay, any info there? Cheers, Tight lines I have fished both Cape Jervis and Marion Bay...both using charters and predominantly chasing Snapper and KGW. Cape Jervis has the Investigator Strait which does have a very strong current running through it. Some years since we fished there (pre the Snapper ban). Lots of good fishing for KGW, Salmon, etc around Kangaroo Island. We did get 1 Tuna (9kg) from running into a feeding school as we headed back from the Strait. We weren't set up for them and they had gone before we had the chance to get organised. Marion Bay was probably better for both Snapper and KGW, particularly out towards Wedge Island. Apparently, a good area for Blue Groper? though we didn't catch any. Got plenty of big Snapper (90cms+) as well as some decent KGW. I don't know where they launched the charter boat from as they picked us up in a tinny, in the bay. Sorry I can't help much with the Tuna fishing there. Not very helpful info for you. Good luck when you do go. bn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpEdgeAdventure Posted September 25 Author Share Posted September 25 Hey Neil. It's a pitty the snapper bans on cos apparently there is some big snapper down there. How big was the boat you went out on? I think we will head to wedge island sounds like good reef there. Thanks mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted September 26 Share Posted September 26 About 7.5m. Definitely would give Wedge Island a visit. Good luck when you go. bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpEdgeAdventure Posted September 26 Author Share Posted September 26 Thanks for the luck, I'll definitely need it! I'll let you know how I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 On 9/26/2024 at 7:59 AM, big Neil said: Marion Bay was probably better for both Snapper and KGW, particularly out towards Wedge Island. Apparently, a good area for Blue Groper? though we didn't catch any. Got plenty of big Snapper (90cms+) as well as some decent KGW. I don't know where they launched the charter boat from as they picked us up in a tinny, in the bay. bn Definitely worth while fishing around Wedge and Althorps. Only seen about 3 groper in 40+ years fishing that area. Probably picked you up at Pondalowie Bay beach - tinny trip to the charter boat is the go. Also Samson fish, Swallow-tail snapper, Nanygai, Blue Morwong (queen snapper), plenty of wrasse (damn it!), Gummy Shark, Salmon, Incidently,... Swallow-tail, Nannygai and Blue Morwong ARE NOT included in the snapper ban. Oh.. did I mention GWS..?? The shark scenes for JAWS were filmed about 50km NW of Pondalowie Bay. 24 Jan 2004, my fishing buddy Ian, launched Pondalowie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 Thanks for your post dmck...great photo. We stayed in some rickety old cabins as part of the charter deal. As mentioned we didn't target nor catch any blue groper. The charter skipper who owned the accommodation? we stayed in said they were around Wedge Island. It was a really good charter and we caught lots of fish. We stayed there for 3or 4 days. We actually saw a White Pointer when it came by to check out the boat...amazing creatures that can just appear out of nowhere. What is the situation regarding Snapper fishing in SA these days? Has the ban been effective and when is the ban likely to be lifted again? We had a great time over there. Excellent fishing, although the accommodation was pretty ordinary, not that it bothered us much. Cheers, bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 I thought the ban finished next year... but... Has it been effective.... A local EDITHBURGH reckons he catches 10 small snapper for every whiting.... 6 weeks ago I put my boat in the water for first time in 18 months, and headed to my spot.. Usually get a big range of fish... whiting, herring, garfish, snook, snapper, shark, mackeral to name a few. In 3 hours we got 12 snapper (all undersize), 1 squid, 1 cuttlefish and 2 wrasse.... Seems it is very effective and hopefully the big snapper will be there in 2026.... Our biggest worry is that the Govt will again let in long-liners to decimate the stocks at the expense of the amateur fishers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 GPX file sent... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpEdgeAdventure Posted September 30 Author Share Posted September 30 Thanks for the marks Don! It will be great to have somewhere to start, as I have no clue! Thats a nice groper. Looks like we will have to wait a bit longer to keep snapper, hoping they don't extend it. What are the launching facilities like on the west side of yorkes? Thanks for all the help guys, really appreciate it. I'll let you know how I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 Pondalowie Bay is a beach launch, generally solid sand. open only to N-NW winds, reef in close LHS of ramp to beach. Not sure about Corney Point. Between Corny Pt and Point Turton, numerous beach launches, generally shallow Pt Turton has a marina, but the mouth can be shallow at low tides Hardwick Bay, beach launch, generally shallow Port Minlacowie, a few km north of Hardwick and not very well known even by 'locals'. A single lane concrete ramp, no pontoons, in to a "basin in the reef". Shallow at low tides, rocky bottom, You need to see it at a low tide to understand its orientation, at high tides it can be difficult to pick the reef. Pretty well protected to anything but NW winds. No facilities up to The Bluff, a small protected bay wirh hard sand beach launch Port rickaby, beach launch Port Victoria, marina Balgowan, beach launch Port Hughes marina Wallaroo marina That wil give you something to think about !! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpEdgeAdventure Posted October 2 Author Share Posted October 2 Yeah thanks! We used to fish around Moonta and Port Hughes a bit as we had family there. good ramp but not heaps of ground. Though wed try something new this year. Pondie sounds good. Ill have a think. thanks mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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