Coral Spawning question : Northern Freshwater Fishing

balou · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:59 am Post subject: Coral Spawning question

I fished Hotham yesterday and had a really quite day of there. There was a fishing comp on at Leaders so there we heap of boats on the water. We fished about 20 marks out there but none produced much. It was dead. At the turn there 8 boats fishing a 50m radius no one hook anything.

I found pockets of Goldies and a couple of Queenies for the day. Good fish showing on the sounder but no bites.

A couple of people we spoke on the water said it was dead because the coral was spawning.

Awesome day on the water but a bit wet coming back into the 15 knot NE.

Chris at the ramp said the same thing about the coral spawning and most parties came back empty handed. Chris reckons it puts the reefies of the bite.

What does everyone think about this theory of coral spawning putting fish of the bite?

If this theory is true how do determine when it going to spawn?

The Gunn point road is great in the 1st and 3rd but middle part all corugated.

balawisway · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

plenty of coral spawnning behind the peron islands...fished batemans and up to cape ford last tuesday -friday, did get onto some reefies, (tricky's, stripey's, cod & goldies) but i've always found the fishing quieter when coral is spawning....but in the channel where there were no signs of coral spawning, the jewies were still bitting hard..??

Tamlin · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:28 am Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

Guys,

If I'm correct then the slicks are a brownish slick that smells like goldfish food (you know the flakey stuff that comes in a little can you feed to gold fish and the like).
I'd almost put my house on the fact that the coral is NOT spawning. It actually dead plankton slicks or as this NT government document calls "Algal Bloom" - http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/environment/waste/factsheets/pdf/whatslickoct08.pdf.

The other common error is for people to call these slicks for oil slicks - these plankton slicks can get VERY thick and leave a scum line on your boat.

There is still a chance that it is coral has spawned but considering we currently not after a full moon phase, the chances are very low. If it's an event for only a few days then it may be Coral but I'm sure it will be around for weeks/months to come... not coral spawn.

For as long as I have lived in the tropics (both out West and the NT) people call dead plankton slicks "coral spawn". I too initially called the brown stinky slicks coral spawn, until I did some research of my own as I could not believe that the coral was spawning for months solid.

As for turning off the fish, you may find that the warmer water current/change (that has caused the plankton to die) may have something to do with the fishing being more difficult to catch. However I have quite often looked for and fished either side of these slicks for billfish as these slicks often indicate a change/current line that holds baitfish.

Catch ya,
Tam

George · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

Yea your right Tam, coral only spawns two nights a year during a particular moon phase. I too use to think that it was coral spawn, and then herd that it was an algue bloom. But the change in current temps killing plankton dose sound very convincing. Maybe next time I'll scoop up some for the fish in the tank at home.

Basstad · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

Definatly not coral spunk.....just algal bloom.......it's the same stuff the media described as an oil spill from the west atlas.......ffft

DOUG · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:41 pm Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

Think with the strong wEsterly winds and currents it is becoming alot thicker in close to main land than it normally does !! Wish the westerleys would p..s off all ready.. it was about 100 km out from Dundee a few weeks ago now it's hard up all around the south Perron and real thick sludgy cr.p

Tamlin · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:27 pm Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

Guys,

There is one more item to add into this event, and that is the big sign saying "Barra breading time". Now I personally believe that these plankton blooms are the life blood for Barra fry. Basically you get these large slicks move inland at the same time as the Barra spawn (not by accident, but a trigger point for the breading Barra), and hay presto, lots and lots of top quality food available for these new additions. I think the full mood (big tides) help push the plankton up the rivers at the same time as the first fresh water triggers the big girls into action. Without food for the little tackers to eat it would be pointless to bread after all.

It's my observation over the years that the plankton slicks inland play a huge part of the Barra breading cycle.

With this in mind, I believe that the build-up Barra sessions with the big girls is about to commence with gusto! Bait (plankton), moon and build-up rain.

Catch ya,
Tam

jeffish · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

Tamlin thanks for the info ,,,,always thought coral only spawn a couple of times a year

cheers

wally gator · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:54 am Post subject: Re: Coral Spawning question

what ever that poop is sporn or alge ........ if its on the water the fish go very quiet dont know why ???? spoke to an old greek fella at the boat ramp one morning as i was going out and he said dont bother mate that brown poop is ontop of the water you wont catch a thing ???? he saw it at tha ramp and didnt even put in !!he just went home again..Silly bugga i thougth i went out and got S F A !!!!! Lesson learnt !!!!!!

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