# SA - Fowlers Bay - April 2010



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Louise, David and I have just got back from fabulous Fowler's Bay on the Eyre Peninsula about 150kms west of Ceduna. This is a fantastic area with many fishing options from the beach and rocks - and I thought plenty of Kayak options too. So it was an opportunity to combine a bit of beach fishing and kayak fishing with a family holiday.  We stayed in a wonderful spot just under 2 kms east of the Fowler's Bay town ship - as seen from the kayak.








Some views from the front verandah over the dunes.








- and towards Fowlers Bay township (population 12 !).








Fowlers Bay itself has great potenial with fish like mulloway, kingfish, snapper, salmon, whiting, flathead, trevally, garfish, tommies, mullet and snook along with mega squid, regularly caught. The info booklet in our house told of KG whiting caught off the beach and a great snapper spot just 300m offshore. My expectations were high for some great kayak captures. Fowlers can be quite windy at times and there was a small surf at our beach, but I still managed to get out 3 times in front of our place - and another two times from the beach launch spot near the jetty which is more sheltered when the swell is running. This is the beach launch site at dawn.







and looking back towards the township from past the end of the jetty









First up at the snapper spot, a great bite on the SP which I missed - then a pike !  - more bites were missed until eventually...








Lost count of how many of these fella's I caught and released. :shock: Feeling most frustrated, I anchored up and tried for whiting - and was sure I had struck (spotted) gold until this little fella surface. Boy did he scrap well for his size....








But no whiting and no snapper. Resorted to trolling for snook and salmon - but still no hits - except for one calamari on the HB. Mind you, after a number of fruitless yak sessions, he went down a treat combined with some fresh oysters we had picked up from Smoky Bay on the way through - litterally off the back of the oyster boat - at $6 a doz (which meant 14 out that way).

Turns out I was not the only one missing fish. Saw mega Gar and rat kings at the jetty - but despite plenty of offerings - nothing was biting and apart from one mega squid I helped to land with my net, I did not see any one else catching fish - must have just been one of those "slow" periods that often co-incides with my holidays ;-)

Despite the lack of kayak success at Fowlers itself, we did have a successful day trip to kayak fish Clare Bay (see seperate report viewtopic.php?f=17&t=38376&p=399390#p399390) - and some great beach fishing at Cheetimah Beach, Mexican Hat and Scotts Bay. This on the beach at Mexican Hat - we pulled about 20 salmon from this gutter while fighting off the crowds of other people :lol: .









It would be possible to also Kayak fish Scott's and Cheetima behind the fringing reefs at low tide or when there was not much swell. We had midday high tides which limited my options a bit for dawn Kayak starts at these other location with the family to consider. There are lots of other un-named locations in the area which are sheltered and would make good Kayak fishing spots - just need the time to explore the area. We went to Cheetima chasing flathead and whiting - no flatheadbut scored a 60 cm plus salmon which took my half pillie under float just 2m from the shore. On the way back, we stopped at a sheltered beach to the east of Cheetima which looked good for whiting - but alas - only rockcod until an eagle ray picked up my squid tenticle bait on a size 4 circle hook. :shock: I did actually get him to within 6 ' of the shore on my 2-4kg rod and 1500 sedona with 6lb line - until he had other ideas - never lost so much line so fast before ! :lol: Thank heavens my leader knot parted once I began to heavily thumb the spool. 

One highlight was driving the beach at Scotts with David - when we saw a pod of dolphins surfing - and then a school of salmon also surfing ...in front of them. Out with the 12 ft spin rod and a metal lure. We got 5 nice salmon in 7 casts - all released -Gotta love the way those slamon will still take a lure even if they are being pursued themselves. This is david getting a bruise on his "upper thigh" while hooked up to a salmon that pulled like a train.








The last evening, we climbed the sand dune behind the township - to say farewell to this special place.








All in all, a great trip despite the frustrating kayak fishing action - would love to get back there - perhaps early march when the Mulloway are still around .


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## Ubolt (Dec 8, 2009)

wow looks pretty special
pity the fishing wasnt red hot
i think your pretty game kayaking in those parts bit sharky and all


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Ubolt said:


> wow looks pretty special


Here's the view from the sandhill looking the other way








The waters of Fowler's bay to the left and visible over the dunes in the centre of the picture, the water of Scott's bay. Click on the picture to see it better. It is pretty special


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## KhoisanX (Aug 27, 2009)

Wow, what a great looking destination! There sure are some special places to fish in SA, thanks for sharing.


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## Big D (Apr 28, 2007)

Gday Andrew. Long Time no see!

Thanks for a terrific report on that neck of the woods. A place special to me and I've caught some good mullies there to 40-lb over the years. Last Time I was there (about a year and a half ago) when I had the yak but not with me, I saw it in a different light. It certainly is a fishy place but I think like my last trip to Pt Lincoln which is also very fishy, if you don't have the local knowledge you are on the back foot a bit. I would have thought that the Whiting should have been biting in the bay, but obviously not. I think for snapper there (like anywhere) you need abit of a heads up with GPS marks or a certain structure to start with.

On abit more of an adventurous note, I reckon the cliffs around Fowlers Point would be awsome and have caught some great fish from just on the cliffs there, inlcuding the snapper and nannygai. Scotts - yep on a calm day you could get in behind the breakers and paddle right through the schools of salmon. We caught some 8lbers there from shore when they were in range - which would be - a good challenge from the yak - but you'd want to watch out for the 10ft bronzies patrolling the schools as well!

You're right - a bit of time to explore and sus out would make all the difference I reckon. Next time maybe....  Sounds like the family benefited from the time away and you had a great time despite lack of piscatorial action.

Thanks for the report. Catch you later,

Big D


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## gummyshark (Jan 12, 2010)

thanks for sharing, great post and magic photos. 8) 
such a beautiful place, sorry about the lack of fish
cheers gummyshark/ norm ;-)


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## skorgard (Oct 6, 2007)

Hi Andrew. Scotts has many happy and fishy memories for me, I used to go every year as a student. If I had known that you were going I would have given you some pointers. The locals put me on to a fantastic spot - a natural fish trap, where you can fish for giant sambos with a spin stick. I will never forget it. Plenty of snapper in Scotts as well. Big mulloway in the surf. Lots of bronzies if you have the gear. I used to use ABU 10000 with 500 m 20lb line, 500lb steel wire trace and 10/0 hand forged hook and still got busted up and runa out - but landed a few good ones. I would be very careful in a small yak!


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

skorgard said:


> I would be very careful in a small yak!


Know what you mean Paul ;-) - I'd only kayak just behind the reef at the western corner of the bay. Certainly not out wide behind the breakers ! :shock:



Big D said:


> A place special to me and I've caught some good mullies there to 40-lb over the years


Thanks Damian - knew you'd spent some time there - that mully that the "Artist formerly known as Big D" holds looks very far west coast (Yalata lands ?) 



gummyshark said:


> thanks for sharing, great post and magic photos.


Cheers Norm


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## OldDood (Nov 6, 2008)

Great post Andy and some very nice piccys.
The fishing seems pretty quiet all over the state at the moment so you were no orphan.
Maybe its just the change of seasons, but I can not really remember it happening before. 
Mind you, I never do remember the lack of fish only the great views.
I am sure we will make up for it soon.
Regards,
Mark


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