True but i found the size doesn't really show they are spawning that time, in my experience they are alot smaller through the warmer months. Ive caught more of my bigger spawners inshore late autumn to late spring. Having said that ive never caught one in spawn mode so ive assumed they spawn out deep and maybe seek refuge inshore after. Just my theory
I found bigger fish and schools this time of year . My belief is they school up males seperate from females . To see which is most dominant male . Found many big schools within 2 to 300 meters apart . Seen it many times over the years . When the breed I wouldn’t have a clue .
I thought I read Tims Tackle reort pointing out last month...catch reports were high for sure, I pulled a female of Two rocks last week end and it Jizzed everywhere.
I believe dhufish breed generally at certain moon phases, and most months of the year, especially the warmer months around September- June.
I don't believe dhuies "migrate" or "run", or travel too far to breed. Certainly not as much as the pinkies do anyway. I believe they do move a bit, perhaps a couple of kms or so, but I don't believe they travel from the 70m's to 3m, breed, then return to the 70m's.
this is based on my fishing experiences, and various, random bits of fishing literature I've read over the last 25+ years.
From Dongara - Kalbarri-north, the peak spawning months in the shallows are May-July. Much easier to find in the shallows in those months, and they were the times the wetliners would target them. As for snapper, look at the difference in breeding aggregation times of Shark bay vs Cockburn Sound. I don't even bother looking for them (dhu) outside that time, although there are always a few to be had. Which is why I was always "WTF" with the Demersal Ban which was ostensibly to protect fish during breeeding months. It really seems to be aimed at C-zone, (south of 30 deg south, Greenhead) and totally irrelevant to anything north of that .
That being said, we just shrugged up here and said go for it--if you want a closure, its the time of the year that affects us the least, weather is usually crap anyway, and any fishing is done very close to town, in a short morning window. Pure self-interest. With Ningaloo in June looking increasingly unlikely, I may actually get to catch some this year.
Purely in the interests of science , of course. North of Kalbarri, Inshore, one 68cm female in full roe. Caught with her, simultaneously, a smaller but legal male, with undeveloped gonads, ie, not ready to dance.
While I agree with your comment ranmar regarding dhus being in much closer around the winter months around here, I generally find larger schools of dhu around late December to early February. I don't know if this lines up with spawning but it's consistent each year.
scientific research myself soon . Just to see what’s the go .i honestly have not idea on dhue boys . I just like this time of year and when you get 1 there’s a fair few others around
Just me, I'm always curious as to what they are eating and what their spawning condition is. In a global perspective, their is enormous variation in how and where different species of fish reproduce. Some species spawn all year round, seemingly whenever there are nough of them to make it viable. A good example is the Striped ( skipjack) Tuna, familiar to anyone who has ever trolled, probably anywhere in WA. They literally spawn anywhere and everywhere, have been called " the cockroach of the sea" , are enormously important in the pelagic food chain. Due to their breeding habits and distribution, they are not considered under threat. SBT, on the other hand, have a very specific time and place for breeding, and are hence vulnerable. With demersals, Orange Roughy are the same--once they found the spawning aggregations on the seamounts south of Tassie, it was on, and stocks dropped dramatically. Pink snapper are obviously the same. Fish that form really large, area specific aggregations for spawning are enormously vulnerable to over-fishing. Widely distributed reproduction has the advantage of not being easily targeted.
I`v caught plenty of dhuies spawning late January, some say they come in close to spawn, & others say they follow the white rocklobsters as they come in, cheers Don.
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Easiest time to find them in
Easiest time to find them in shallow water is Christmas time till end of jan. Speared plenty in real shallow water during those months anyway.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
True but i found the size
True but i found the size doesn't really show they are spawning that time, in my experience they are alot smaller through the warmer months. Ive caught more of my bigger spawners inshore late autumn to late spring. Having said that ive never caught one in spawn mode so ive assumed they spawn out deep and maybe seek refuge inshore after. Just my theory
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
beau
Posts: 4104
Date Joined: 24/01/10
Have heard Dec-Jan but thats
Have heard Dec-Jan but thats just word of mouth really, have never read anything official
Jackalchub
Posts: 594
Date Joined: 10/03/12
Have found large
Have found large congregations in April/May.. could just be the end of spawn congregation.. No real proof of spawning
VIC DORY
Posts: 308
Date Joined: 28/05/15
They spawn between November
They spawn between November and April
little johnny
Posts: 5330
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Agree with jackalchub
I found bigger fish and schools this time of year . My belief is they school up males seperate from females . To see which is most dominant male . Found many big schools within 2 to 300 meters apart . Seen it many times over the years . When the breed I wouldn’t have a clue .
carnarvonite
Posts: 8627
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Nov - December
Found they used to spawn off Cape Naturliste around November- December
Brock O
Posts: 3163
Date Joined: 11/01/08
I thought I read Tims Tackle
I thought I read Tims Tackle reort pointing out last month...catch reports were high for sure, I pulled a female of Two rocks last week end and it Jizzed everywhere.
scotto
Posts: 2470
Date Joined: 21/04/08
Completely my opinion
I believe dhufish breed generally at certain moon phases, and most months of the year, especially the warmer months around September- June.
I don't believe dhuies "migrate" or "run", or travel too far to breed. Certainly not as much as the pinkies do anyway. I believe they do move a bit, perhaps a couple of kms or so, but I don't believe they travel from the 70m's to 3m, breed, then return to the 70m's.
this is based on my fishing experiences, and various, random bits of fishing literature I've read over the last 25+ years.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
It may vary considerably by region
From Dongara - Kalbarri-north, the peak spawning months in the shallows are May-July. Much easier to find in the shallows in those months, and they were the times the wetliners would target them. As for snapper, look at the difference in breeding aggregation times of Shark bay vs Cockburn Sound. I don't even bother looking for them (dhu) outside that time, although there are always a few to be had. Which is why I was always "WTF" with the Demersal Ban which was ostensibly to protect fish during breeeding months. It really seems to be aimed at C-zone, (south of 30 deg south, Greenhead) and totally irrelevant to anything north of that .
That being said, we just shrugged up here and said go for it--if you want a closure, its the time of the year that affects us the least, weather is usually crap anyway, and any fishing is done very close to town, in a short morning window. Pure self-interest.
With Ningaloo in June looking increasingly unlikely, I may actually get to catch some this year.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Did some field research yesterday
Purely in the interests of science , of course.
North of Kalbarri, Inshore, one 68cm female in full roe. Caught with her, simultaneously, a smaller but legal male, with undeveloped gonads, ie, not ready to dance.
XF347
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 02/06/17
While I agree with your
While I agree with your comment ranmar regarding dhus being in much closer around the winter months around here, I generally find larger schools of dhu around late December to early February. I don't know if this lines up with spawning but it's consistent each year.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
What area are you in?
I did comment that it is starting to look like it may vary by latitude. Not disagreeing, asking.
XF347
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 02/06/17
Dongara mate
Dongara mate
little johnny
Posts: 5330
Date Joined: 04/12/11
I may have to do some
scientific research myself soon . Just to see what’s the go .i honestly have not idea on dhue boys . I just like this time of year and when you get 1 there’s a fair few others around
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
I always look at gut cavity contents after filleting.
Just me, I'm always curious as to what they are eating and what their spawning condition is. In a global perspective, their is enormous variation in how and where different species of fish reproduce. Some species spawn all year round, seemingly whenever there are nough of them to make it viable. A good example is the Striped ( skipjack) Tuna, familiar to anyone who has ever trolled, probably anywhere in WA. They literally spawn anywhere and everywhere, have been called " the cockroach of the sea"
, are enormously important in the pelagic food chain. Due to their breeding habits and distribution, they are not considered under threat. SBT, on the other hand, have a very specific time and place for breeding, and are hence vulnerable. With demersals, Orange Roughy are the same--once they found the spawning aggregations on the seamounts south of Tassie, it was on, and stocks dropped dramatically. Pink snapper are obviously the same. Fish that form really large, area specific aggregations for spawning are enormously vulnerable to over-fishing. Widely distributed reproduction has the advantage of not being easily targeted.
Pete F
Posts: 310
Date Joined: 07/01/18
Fishing Lano, I see semi
Fishing Lano, I see semi mature roe Feb mature in March.
Cheers
donnyboat
Posts: 51
Date Joined: 16/09/17
dhu fish spawning
I`v caught plenty of dhuies spawning late January, some say they come in close to spawn, & others say they follow the white rocklobsters as they come in, cheers Don.