“Tumby Tom” Tierney
Fishing Journalist And Author
Tumby Tom is a well known fishing personality on South Australia’s west coast. He’s been writing for SA Angler Magazine for many years, has made multiple appearances on various fishing television shows and has traveled the world with his fishing rod. Tom’s been fishing South Australia’s west coast for six decades!
Tumby Tom’s Top Tips For Australian Salmon
- Tumby Tom looks for days when there isn’t too much swell. Salmon in his part of the world school in massive numbers well behind the main break but small pods break off and move into the gutters close to shore if the water is clean. If there is plenty of sand stirred up close to shore the fish won’t come within casting range.
- An offshore wind helps flatten the swell out and assists with casting. Swell and wind condition are far more important than tides for this type of fishing.
- It pays to climb onto the frontal sand dunes and observe whether fish are present before starting to fish. Look for fish that are already in the gutters within casting range, but be aware that fish move in on an incoming tide, so big schools of fish behind the breakers on an incoming tide can signal good fishing ahead.
- Throwing berley into the gutter can also help bring fish within casting range at times when they might otherwise be out of reach.
- Avoid casting lures into the middle of a school of fish or you risk spooking them. It’s better to judge which way the school is moving and cast well in front, bringing the lure back across the leading edge of the school.
- In the winter the large schools of salmon tend to disperse, with fish tending to move about in small schools in pursuit of bait fish.
- A peaking tide coinciding with low light around dawn and dusk is a good combination for salmon fishing on the South Australian West Coast.
Tom’s Salmon Lure Selection
- Metal slices are the number one lure choice when surf fishing for Australian salmon with lures. There are numerous brands and most will work fine as long as they cast well and have plenty of flash and a pilchard-like colour.
- If he’s fishing from a boat Tumby prefers to use hard body lures like minnows, jointed minnows and stickbaits that cause less splash and are less likely to spook the fish. Salmon are aggressive, so working the lure with a few twitches is all that’s required to get a strike. Berleying them up will keep them around and within casting range.
- Soft plastic lures such as Squidgy Flickbaits are a good option when salmon are within close casting range. Cats them out, allow them to sink a little, then work then briskly past the leading edge of the school of salmon.
Episode 584: Trolling Moreton Bay Squid With Greg Lamprecht
Usually trolling isn’t the first technique that comes to mind when we talk about catching squid, but for Greg Lamprecht it’s proven to be a deadly technique.
Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John Didge
John Didge Radio Personality, Sponsored Angler John has over 40 years experience fishing Corio Bay. He's co-hosted various fishing radio shows for the Geelong region for over 30 years, written articles and presented fishing from stage. John is a soft plastic lure...
Episode 543: Gold Coast Squid With Clint Ansell
The biomass of squid on the Gold Coast is extraordinary, so for anyone keen on pleasant a day out on the water with a tasty seafood treat at the end is in for a treat! Clinton Ansell is a GC based fishing guide who really knows his way around the squid – and so will you after listening to his interview!
Episode 532: Top Brisbane Landbased Fishing Spots In Winter With Beau Rixon
Brisbane offers an astonishing range of land based fishing options to suit anglers of all skill levels, ranging from the hunble flathead right through to tailor, squid, bass and jewfish. Local fishing tutor and land-based guide Beau Rixon spends a lot of time fishing the area from the shore and teaching others to do the same, so for today’s episode I invited Bea to jump onboard and share some of his favourite land based spots.
Episode 530: Phillip Island Squid With Nev Hayes
Squid are a great target at Phillip Island at any time of year, but today’s guest, Nev Hayes, reckons the winter months are when the really big squid come out to play. To qualify this statement, he caught a 50cm hood length squid just a week before this interview!
Episode 527: Best Botany Bay Winter Fishing Spots With Gary Brown
Botany Bay is an incredibly productive system and in the winter months the crowds thin out and the fishing goes off! Gary Brown has written numerous books and articles on fishing Botany Bay and in today’s ALF episode he shares his favourite winter fishing spots.
Episode 584: Trolling Moreton Bay Squid With Greg Lamprecht
Usually trolling isn’t the first technique that comes to mind when we talk about catching squid, but for Greg Lamprecht it’s proven to be a deadly technique.
Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John Didge
John Didge Radio Personality, Sponsored Angler John has over 40 years experience fishing Corio Bay. He's co-hosted various fishing radio shows for the Geelong region for over 30 years, written articles and presented fishing from stage. John is a soft plastic lure...
0 Comments