Fishing has been epic in the last month and we have had a heap of crews reporting catches of dhufish and pink snapper from every outing.
They are not just out wide either - we have seen them caught in less than 20 metres so no need to spend a heap on fuel to get out there.
With the demersal ban almost upon us (closure is October 15 inclusive) it is a race to get out this week as much as possible and luckily Huey has been kind and given us some great weather with low swells.
On the most dhufish have been caught on USA squid - which are now in a worldwide shortage and won't be available again until late November/early December - as well as soft plastics and jigs.
Those who have persevered with jigging have had some luck out of Augusta with some nice size (approximately 8 to 10 kilogram dhufish) being pulled up.
The new lightweight jig rods have proven to not only be the best way to jig - they are also a heap of fun.
Other species that have been in reasonable numbers this month have been nannygai, black arse and even a few flathead.
Beach fishing has been a little quieter except for the last week when mums and dads took the kids to the beach for some school holiday fun.
Herring and whiting are in good numbers with most using prawns, squid and mulies for bait. If you are not so keen on bait then try using the traditional twisties or sea rocks - all perfect for the grommets.
Free Diving
Each week starts and ends with the scanning of weather forecasts looking for that perfect window of opportunity to get in and on the ocean.
There were a couple of days that did allow us to slide under the surface and find clean water and good fish as well.
Good fish was everything from pelagics to demersals and solid buck crays sitting outside of their holes making for easy picking on a breath hold.
As the demersal closure stops us from targeting some of our favourite species along the coast, we can now turn our attention to other sources of protein from the sea.
Personally I favour this time of year to target big offshore sea pike (snook) and yellow tail king fish.
In the shallows I find myself hunting out fat king George whiting and not just western red crays, which we have in abundance, but I start looking for southern fighters.
Be mindful that most of our coastal reef systems are inhabited with very friendly Wobbygong sharks.
They are keen to show who's boss when you start sneaking a few crays out of their home.
Yep, they bite hard.
A reminder from the Busselton Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions office that the Ngari Capes Marine Park is now law.
You must take the responsibility to find out where the sanctuary, general use, recreational use and special use zones are.
They can be contacted on 08 9752 5555 or you can come and collect a brochure from our store.
Safe fishing and diving until next month.