Ask anyone what the weather has been like in Exmouth for the last week and most likely they’ll say windy, nothing but windy.  While this may suit sailboat enthusiasts it is not usually ideal conditions for the average angler.  Night time wind speeds in excess of 25kts always seem much stronger in the dark, too! 

Ask one particular angler what Exmouth has been like for fishing and probably he’ll say the weather made no difference to his enjoyment.  That’s David Murphy from Balmain in Sydney, with his custom built 14’side console.  This combination has enjoyed some great sport with trevally on saltwater flies.  With barracuda and cods included in the catch, as well as the heart-warming sight of whales and calves in the gulf, David is so taken with Exmouth that 2 weeks’ holiday is not enough: he wants to move here full-time. 

With the wind in the right quarter there have been reports of good catches of spangled emperor taken off the west coast.  Reports include a 73cm beauty landed by part-time local Kevin Cotterel, a truly dedicated angler. 

With a wind-shift into another quarter it’s possible to pick a beach inside the gulf where a handy feed of whiting can be expected.  Just look for sheltered water and the tell-tale glint of light on silver scales in shallow water. 

Tourists are reporting plenty of action among Queenies, and good catches of calamari off the Learmonth Jetty.  And don’t forget that one good thing to come out of New Zealand is Kiwi Fruit for marinating squid and cuttlefish, to tenderise them. 

Sailfish have been chased from several boats inside the gulf, and when sailors aboard the yacht ‘Watharra III’ took her out of the marina to test run the new inboard engine the first thing they spotted in sleaky calm conditions, just outside the marina wall, was a cheeky bill slicing the air amongst a ball of baitfish, predator and prey clearly visible in one of those calm spells before the wind piped up again.  Tantalisingly close and no fishing gear or tagpole on board!