FISHING FOR BLUFF BRUTES

Jordan Saliba provides some hints and tips on fishing one of Victor Harbor’s most popular venues.

My first ever fishing memories were catching small tommies, flathead and squid from one of South Australia’s most iconic spots, Rosetta Head, also known as the Bluff’. This picturesque location is the home to many squid, and is famous for the regular ‘krakens’ anglers come across during late winter and early spring.

I have caught my equal personal best squid here, measuring 36cm and putting up an awesome fight on my ultra-light egi set-up. In this article I will be running through some general tips and advice on fishing this spot, such as what equipment I use, what to be aware of before you go, the best times/tides and most ideal conditions to look for to maximise your catch rate.

THE MOST COMMON CATCHES

What I love about the Bluff is its variety of catches and surprises it brings to anglers throughout the year. Some of the species I have caught here are tommies, flathead, trevally, garfish, Australian salmon and, of course, the southern calamari.

However, over the years 15plus years I have been fishing this spot I have seen a dramatic decrease in numbers for many of these species, such as the flathead, which seem to be somewhat of a rare encounter these days. From the last couple of years my most common catches have been tommies, Australian salmon and squid.

RISK IT FOR THE BISCUIT

If there is one thing I have learnt about the Bluff, it can be either be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on your luck. It is one if those spots where on a bad day it can be very challenging and going home with a donut is a likely occurrence (unfortunately, speaking from experience). However, on a good day you can expect to pick up a nice bag of squid and come across a few absolute monsters! So, one thing I always tell people before they try this spot for themselves is to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best!

THE FREE WILDLIFE SHOW

The bluff is one of the most scenic fishing spots in South Australia, and it’s not just anglers who love this beautiful location. It is also the home to many seals and dolphins, which are awesome – until one of these cute little seals realise they are in for the easiest feed of their life by stealing your catches! I have had many occurrences where the bite has been red hot and the company of one or two seals has spooked everything and anything within casting range, which can be extremely frustrating! So, if you see these guys coming up to say hello, just respect their space, as it is their home we are fishing in at the end of the day!

The author with a couple of typical Bluff brutes

EQUIPMENT

The zones to target at the Bluff are not very far out, so having the most flashy and expensive gear is not essential. I have found my 8’3 Daiwa Emeraldas rod paired with a 2500 Daiwa Freams to be the perfect all-rounder for squid and fish. There is no right or wrong answer on what gear to use when fishing this spot, as the opportunities are so varied.

The Bluff grounds are covered by a lot of reefs and rocks, so I would recommend using 12-15lb braid and 12lb leader to give you that bit more confidence when pulling out your rig or squid jig out of a snag.

In my tacklebox I will normally bring with me a wide variety of squid jigs to suit the conditions, a selection of metals and soft plastics, and then some pre-made paternoster rigs to throw out in hope to catch some salmon, tommies or trevally.

I also never leave the house without some warm and rainproof clothing, as the weather can turn very nasty extremely quickly on this side of the coast.

THE SQUID JIGS TO USE

I have used numerous colours and sizes off the Bluff over many years and the most effective ones I have found are a red foil or UV body with a white cloth, all in size 3.0. After finding out how good these colours worked here, I decided to dedicate these designs to my own squid jig range at www.jordansafishing.com, which I can always count on to bring home some squid!

I think the red foil is very productive at this spot for me as I like to fish it on overcast days, which is when that darker jig comes into its own, creating a bold silhouette for the squid to see. The 3.0 size allows the jig to have a reasonable sinking rate, as it gets quite shallow the closer you get to the jetty.

BEST CONDITIONS TIMES AND TIDES

The most productive times for the Bluff I have found are overcast days, very minimal wind and a fast-moving tide. My most successful session there, where I caught a 34cm, 35cm and 36cm hood all in the space of an hour, was on a very overcast and dark late winter afternoon. I have found that the squid become a lot more active and aggressive in these times, gaining some more confidence to use their stealth powers. However, having clear water is the number one priority in any squid spot, so make sure you do your research before committing to that long drive!

I have tried both incoming and outgoing tides for the Bluff and haven’t found a clear winner. Both seem to produce well, given some clear water and some cloud cover. But if it is a dodge tide, you may struggle, as this spot is very tide dependent I have found.

Cuttlefish are always a welcome by-catch

During the summer I tend to stay away from the Bluff, as it is normally quite slow like a lot of other squid spots during the warmer months. However, from late winter into early spring is when this spot lives up to its hype of genuine hovercrafts.

THE HONEY HOLE

After spending numerous hours at this one spot, over time I have found some specific areas that always seem to produce at least one or two squid. In the Google Earth picture you may see a white box that I like to call ‘Donut Saver’. This spot is much deeper and drops off rapidly, which is why I think a lot of squid like to use this as their preferred hunting ground. I have tested this theory multiple times trying to cast on the other side of the jetty, but it never does anywhere near as well as donut saver! So next time you are down there, definitely give that zone a good try and you may be reeling in a monster sooner than you expect!

In conclusion, I hope you have learnt a thing or two for your first or next trip down to the Bluff. We covered all things from what to expect, equipment to bring, best conditions/times and good spots to cast. If you would like to watch my recent trips down to the Bluff you can see them on my YouTube channel @JordanSAFishing where I share all my fishing and camping adventures! Tight lines fishos!