Episode 219: Albany Dhufish With Giddo Mettam

Gideon’s Top Dhufish Fishing Tips

• Precautionary Note: Rock fishing is dangerous. Gideon is an experienced and well equipped climber and often combines his passion for rock climbing and fishing. If you’re not an experienced climber get some advice and training before attempting this style of fishing. If you’re not an experienced rock hopper it’s important to research how to safely fish the rocks and preferably go with an experienced rock fisherman first. No fish is worth dying for.
• Dhufish are a year-round proposition from the stones around southern Western Australia, but this style of fishing is very weather dependant and Autumn often offers the most stable conditions. Swells over 2 metres are not safe for fishing.
• Look for ledges that give you access to clear, reasonably snag-free and deep water (15m) plus.
• Gideon likes to be fishing at dawn, especially when that coincides with a tide change. The tides are not huge in SW Western Australia, but the bigger ones around the full and new moons tend to fish best.
• Go equipped with a cliff gaff if you want any chance of landing a quality fish!

Land-based Dhufish Fishing Tackle

• Giddo used to fish quite heavy for Dhufish, largely because of the bycatch of large groper and samson fish that can smash light gear without blinking. His heavy outfit comprised a 9ft, PE8 rod with a 20000 sized Stella reel, 80lb braid and 140-170lb leader.
• In recent times Giddo has enjoyed going lighter on the Dhufish and has been using a 10ft Shimano Colt Sniper PE3 rod, 5000 sized Saragosa reel, 30lb braid and 2-3m of 50lb leader attached with an FG knot.

Top Dhufish Fishing Lures

• Zman 8″ Streakz XL in pink or glow white colour on a 2-3oz jig head is good option fished on Gideon’s heavier outfit. Cast long, allow it to sink to the bottom and then work it back in hops within 5m or so of the bottom. Gideon recommends trying different retrieves and mixing it up as different approaches work on different days.
• An Abrolhos Tackle McPaddle soft plastic lure fished on a 2-3oz jig head in the same way as the Zman is another good option. It’ doesn’t matter too much which lure you start with, but if the first one isn’t working then switch to the second.
• When fishing with the lighter outfit Giddo likes the 5″ Jerkshad on a 1oz jig head in coconut ice colour. This worked the same way as the other lures, but on the lighter outfit. You’ll pick up a good bycatch of breaksea cod and other great sport and eating fish using this lure.