Tasmanian Sambos

by Carl Hyland on 29 Jun 2011 Love them or loathe them, Australian salmon are the winter staple fish in Tasmania. When other fish are not available, either due to wild weather, fresh water inflows or lack of feed, the wily Eastern Australian salmon are usually about!

Wild surf action, native predators, commercial fishermen and recreational anglers don’t seem to put a dent in numbers of these truly pelagic fish that inhabit Tasmanian waters all year round.
During the winter months, Aus. Salmon come into their own and provide great sport, if you can stand the cold. Some of our most memorable trips have been during wild, wet weather on some great surf beaches. In saying that, estuary action is good too, with vast schools of ‘cocky salmon’ coming into estuaries chasing hardyheads or whitetail baitfish.

If you can match the hatch, that is, present a lure, fly or bait, to match what the fish are feeding on, you are in with a show.

Immature salmon are known locally as cocky salmon, that is, they haven’t reached the ‘blackback’ stage and these fish are usually around the 1.5kg range. Mature blackback can grow to 5 kilos.

Cocky salmon are easily recognised as they have spots or dots wheras mature salmon have that distinctive blue/green dark back.

Australian salmon respond well to all manner of flys, lures and baits. My personal favourites are Clouser minnow flys and White Deceivers. The white fly pictured is tied from the bottom hair of a white Maltese terrier. (Nice and curly) and the white body of the fly is a pipe cleaner.

Other lures that work really well are the 45gram Wigstons salties or Salt water Cobra lures. Cobras are a uniquely Tasmanian lure and would I feel, have applications all over the world on all manner of fish, especially big pelagics. Their unique, fluttering action is a sure fire fish attractor and the sambos go nuts over here for them.

Bait anglers haven’t been forgotten with pilchards, whitebait, marinated chicken pieces and pippis all accounting for good fish. When presented in the surf with a surf candy, the baits are the first to go when the fish are on the feed.

Salmon love fast water also and anglers planning on having a crack at this species are advised to try fast water currents , currents that occur with an outflowing fast tide particularly in the Tamar River North and Derwent estuary, South. The surf beaches along the North Coast and North West Coasts are prime locations for this species and the action is usually available all year around!

There is nothing like pulling up to your favourite beach with a camper, tent or swag and getting amongst the action, then retiring with the sound of surf ringing in your ears. Salmon perapred on the hot plate are hard to beat as well and here’s a simple, easy and palatable recipe. Bleed your salmon upon capture.

Recipe:

You will need enough Australian Salmon Fillets to suit your requirements.
A plate of seasoned flour; flour, salt, pepper
Garlic Butter, either store bought or homemade whatever floats your boat.
A dash of Olive oil
One Hot Pan of the frying kind

Method:

Coat fillets in seasoned flour
Heat Garlic Butter in Pan till frothy and bubbling, add the Olive oil
Add Fillets skin side down and cook till flesh turns white about halfway through the fillets, turn and cook for another 60 seconds.
The whole cooking process should not really need to be any more than five minutes unless you have exceptionally fat fillets.
Remove from pan and serve, chips and a green salad would go well I imagine.

(Recipe …courtesy of ‘Dangler’ Tasmanian angler.)

Fishing has slowed in the South West of Tasmania, the big Bluefin are still about, it’s just the weather hasn’t been to kind to anglers. For those who seek calmer action in shallower water, species like the beaut Tassie trumpeter are available.

Until next time, take care.

W. www.fishtas.com