Having a holiday home just a few minutes drive from Innes National Park at the bottom end of Yorke Peninsula can come in handy at times particularly when it's time to go fishing.

On a recent trip down there looking for the last of the winter salmon at Browns Beach, which is one of the very good salmon spots down that way, the road is dirt but still good enough for the family car to travel down the road with ease.  There are stairs down onto the beach but it's a bit of a climb, however the walk along the beach is on reasonably firm sand.  When I go I only take the minimum tackle that I think I'll need for the day as it's less to carry to my spot which is some way along the beach.

As you come off the stairs there is a small rock outcrop in the water.  Good catches have come from here at times, but for the real action a trip up the beach is what's needed.

The beach has a reef running along part of it's lengh and when the surf is up good size salmon come in over the reef into an inner lagoon, and it's here that we want to fish.  The lagoon has 2 parts; The first is closest to the cliff steps and is quite small, but it does hold fish at times.  The second and larger lagoon is where most of the fish can be found when they are on.  The second and larger lagoon is some way up the beach but it's fairly big so anywhere along the beach is good for a try.

As for rigs and bait, well I mostly spin using chrome metal lures as the chrome colour seems to match the local bait fish that are in the area.  I have tried soft plastic lures but haven't had much luck although I put that down to my lack of skill using these types of lures.  I think they'd be worth a bit more of a try.  As for bait, well I guess the good old pilly is the go, on a gang hooked for good hookup.

My rod of choice for the beaches around here is 12 foot surf rod with a large spinning reel spooled up with 10 kilo line.  Fishing Browns Beach you don't need to cast a long way out so a big surf rod isn't needed and the 12 footer is easier to carry along the beach.

More on fishing the bottom of Yorke Peninsula to follow.