Elbow slapping whiting

[Richard]

Hi Guys,

Anyone else been getting a lot of big summer whiting lately. here in Mackay we seem to be having a run of them. My last two whiting have gone 35cm and 36cm. Between two of us a couple of weeks ago we took 10 home, only one of them was under 32cm.

We were just using yabbies as bait, the first trip was at night but on the weekend it was just in the afternoon. I've been fishing the incoming tide at the mouth of a creek not far from a boat ramp here in the river.

I'm not complaining at all but have never seen consistently big whiting like this ever i think. There are very few little ones amongst them..


Richard

[noodlemantra]

yeah i've had similiar experiences in the creeks of t'ville mate. i was using fresh peeled prawns (and quite big baits too).

alot of fun

[nonibbles]

Same on the beaches up here (TSV) and just to prove you can't beat fresh bait, I took the kids out for a spot of whiting fishing and bought a packet of tweed bait (first time I've bought comercially packed bait in years) still got bites but didn't bring in anything bigger than about 12cm. Now I'm pretty sure there were larger ones there as I was fishing over extensive yabbie and soldier crab grounds (Ross River mouth). I suppose I shouldn't have expected better, after all I changed from the successful strategy of known location and fresh bait to one of convenience. All up though the boys had a good time. But for now I think I'll stick to those known elbow slapper spots from now on.

[Volvo]

22 today, 35 day before yesterdy and few other days with simillar catches but cant remember the days..
Trouble is they come on the chew fer a wee while n buggar off, just hope they hang about for awhile ..

[Richard]

Yeah, I've got most of mine within probably a 1/2 hour window. You are just about ready to pack it in (after 1 hour of not catching one) then they seem to come on again. They might be just moving around in a school and happen to pass your bait every now and then.

Good fun when they do arrive though, especially on light gear. I reckon if you could get a 1m+ whiting, it would be the best fighting fish because they are pure muscle..


Richard

[Slates]

Richard, the biggest (whiting) I've heard of was reported in a Vic magazine and caught just over the Vic/SA border.
66cm!!

I've seen a few around the 63cm in mags and books that approach 2.3kg and were taken on whole pilchards.

Check out www.fishingwa.com(.au?) - there is one on there that is 2kg or so

All King George though.

Ben a few kicking around locally getting close to 50cm lately - best in my boat has been 45cm and 800g
Awesome eating

Cheers, NS

[Richard]

Yeah, the king george variety are a whole other kettle of fish (so to speak). Compared to our northern varieties they tend to grow a lot bigger. From what I've heard though, they fight and eat just as well as their northern counterparts..

Richard

[Slates]

you bet!
they go like heck, but taste a little better..

[dasher]

Richard, the biggest (whiting) I've heard of was reported in a Vic magazine and caught just over the Vic/SA border.<br>66cm!! <br><br>I've seen a few around the 63cm in mags and books that approach 2.3kg and were taken on whole pilchards.<br><br>Check out www.fishingwa.com(.au?) - there is one on there that is 2kg or so<br><br>All King George though.<br><br>Ben a few kicking around locally getting close to 50cm lately - best in my boat has been 45cm and 800g<br>Awesome eating <br><br>Cheers, NS

Shyte Slates, that really hurts mate. If ya catch anything up here over 8" and throw it back you are considered weird. Geez I miss my KG's. Will be down in Melbourne next week for the little rexie trip to Tambo, but alas I doubt we will target Whiting. How's the fresh looking after you mate. :question

[robersl]

HI RICHARD
I HAVE GOT A FEW AROUND THE DONNYBROOK REGION OF LATE BETWEEN 35-41 CM NOT MANY 1 OR 2 A TRIP
SHANE