# SA - Clare Bay April 2010



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

A great day trip we did from Fowler's Bay ( viewtopic.php?f=17&t=38368) was to beautiful Clare Bay which is to the east of Fowlers Bay and west of Tuckamore and Cactus Beaches near Penong on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula SA. Clare Bay has a lagoon protected from the Southern Ocean swells by a 2 fringing reefs connected to a small central rock island. At low tides it is almost two lagoons as you can wade to the Island from the beach.








Here is David in the Hobie Sport in the lagoon to the left of the Island







- and to the right with the swell breaking on the reef.







- 
I have fished the lagoon a couple of times before, wading in and casting into the deeper water near the edge of the reef with good results and so my expectations were high for my first visit in the Kayak. Sure enough, first cast with the SP and a hit before I had time to flick over the bail arm - that moment of slack line was enough for the fish to get off. Not long after, another hit as I pedalled through the deeper water and this little chap was reeled in.







I took a while to get him off and all the time I drifted towards the shallow area between the two sections of lagoon - and just as I finally released him, a much bigger fish swam beneath me, clearly visible in about 4' of water. ...Hmmmm..time to up the size of the SP.
Now with a 80cm squidgy fish, I continued trolling and casting in both the deeper section of the lagoon and the shallow areas - next a legal flathead which was kept for breakfast - then a bigger hit and longer struggle - about five minutes or so with many changes of direction in the shallow-ish water until I had 52 cm salmon in the net.














Not the biggest salmon this trip, but biggest from the yak and most satisfying after the frustrations of Fowlers. A few quick pics and he was off swiming free. I soon located a small school in some deeper holes in the "second lagoon" and caught around 10 so - but none as big as that second fish. A couple of "locals" were casting metal lures into these usually productive areas but coming up with zero, emphasising how slow things were up and down this coast at this time. Made my captures even more satisfying.
Before leaving, we drove around to the western point evident on the google image above. Louise and David are watching an Osprey hovering over a school of fish, actively feeding in the bay below - but its a long way down.







To the left is the Clare Bay lagoon - in the centre is Eyre Bluff and then Tuckamore beach streching away to Point Sinclair where it meets Cactus Beach. The post has a rope attached to it which is how the local descend the steep incline to access this productive little bay. We did not venture down there ;-) 
Clare Bay is very beautiful spot and one to which I will return.


----------



## fisher (Aug 30, 2005)

Well done - I've been hanging out for this report since we spoke about it. Did you happen to see any KGW, or do you think there is potential for KGW / trevally etc in Clare Bay? Its a great area - can't wait to get there with the yak.


----------



## gummyshark (Jan 12, 2010)

another great post Solatree, nice work  
beautiful looking location 8) 
cheers gummyshark/ norm ;-)


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

gummyshark said:


> another great post Solatree, nice work


Thanks Norm 



fisher said:


> Did you happen to see any KGW, or do you think there is potential for KGW / trevally etc in Clare Bay?


Have not seen or caught any KGW the three times I've fished there Jeff, but I was not fishing for them. I did speak to a local shack owner (a retired cray fisherman) when we were there and he told me there were plenty of KGW in the lagoon - although apparently there is still some illegal netting of them at times. Not sure about trevally, but can't see why not. I have caught them behind the reef in the western corner at Scotts (along with KGW and the other species found at Clare Bay) and the structure there is similar to Clare Bay - see below








- ie a fringing reef with broken bottom in the water behind - only diff is that there is no enclosed lagoon like at Clare Bay. There are also some pretty deep sandy holes in the western part of the lagoon.


fisher said:


> can't wait to get there with the yak.


 You'll love it ! I Just wished we could have spent longer there. ;-)


----------



## brenton (Sep 1, 2009)

Both great reports fella,you could be a travel writer with those skills.
cheers brenton


----------



## kanganoe (Apr 30, 2008)

Enjoyed your far west reports.Looked like a great trip.


----------



## Drewboy (Mar 18, 2008)

Ah, the anticipation and then the excitement of a hook-up on your first cast in a fishing paradise....priceless.
Sorry it got off Andrew. But then, that helped pave the way for a monster *****.
Nice report.


----------



## shanuern (Jul 22, 2010)

how'd you go getting access down the road?
Last year i went to Claire Bay and they had locked off all the gates.
i have seen salmon 4kg+ commonly caught here and massive whiting.


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Not had a problem when I've been there.


----------



## fisher (Aug 30, 2005)

shanuern said:


> how'd you go getting access down the road?
> Last year i went to Claire Bay and they had locked off all the gates.
> i have seen salmon 4kg+ commonly caught here and massive whiting.


I reckon you might be thinking of the 'short cut' from the Fowlers Bay road - each time I've been there the gates have been locked too. The main entrance to Clare Bay is via a turn off from the highway - no gates to close along there. The road to Clare Bay from the highway is 1 km east of the old Fowlers Bay turn off ;-)


----------



## fishsmith (Mar 19, 2008)

Great report and a top part of the world to fish in, I've caught a few good snapper around those fringing reefs at Scott beach, never fished Clare bay but I reckon there's a chance of snapper and maybe a mully around those reefs too..


----------

