VICTOR HARBOR
BLUES
Steve Hunt and his usual crew are regulars
to the South Coast when the annual
bluefin tuna migration is in full swing. Read
on for some hints and tips to improve your
tuna catch.
I
am sitting here in mid March, banging on the keyboard while quietly
reflecting on what has been an absolute stellar season for southern
bluefin tuna at Victor Harbor. Every year now the tuna biomass migrating
through the inshore waters near Victor Harbor seems to get bigger and
better. Off the grid for over 30 years, Victor Harbor seems to be once again
a permanent stop-over on the annual southern bluefin highway.
This has created a unique sportfishing situation for Adelaide and
Fleurieu Peninsula trailer boat fishermen, with untold tuna now within easy
reach. Large schools of fish can be found only 5-10 kilometres offshore, so
provided you choose your weather wisely, they are there for the picking.
Indeed, rumours had it this year that several tuna schools were located
within 500m of the Bluff.
The general size of the tuna this year seemed to be around 12-16 kilos,
whereas in other years most have been around 20kg. But this is a good
thing, as it shows that these fish are actively breeding and although the
tuna were smaller, there were a lot more of them. Again, this has helped in
getting more fishermen who have never caught a tuna before hooked up
on these drag-screaming torpedoes.
As you move further offshore onto areas like Sanders Bank, Carter
Knoll and Fenris Bank, which are over 80 kilometres from Victor Harbor,
the size of the average fish may well be around 30-35 kilos. Of course, the
schools are a lot smaller, but if you are after that trophy fish, this is the areauoS
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