Fish the FADs

Fish aggregating devices (FADs) are structures placed in the water that attract fish (hence the name!) . Small organisms grow on the structure , which then attracts small fish, and finally larger fish. These include tunas, sharks, marlin, mahi mahi and yellowtail kingfish.

So far, 5 FADs have been deployed on the East Coast of Tasmania this year: off St Helens, Freycinet, Great Oyster Bay (x2), Tasman (Foxy’s Reef). The exact locations are shown on the image.

There are plans underway for more FADs to be deployed on the North Coast.
Keep your eyes peeled for more information, we will update you once it becomes available.

Here’s a top tip for fishing FADs from Kelly “Hooch” Hunt:

“FADS are a great inclusion to our offshore landscape and their job is to attract bait and, by and large …. bigger predators.

What you don’t want to do is rush in and scare them all off without throwing a lure or a bait at them.

Work out the drift and aim to start above the FAD and drift past it. As you approach you can cast in, at and around it and see if it is holding any fish.

Repeat this process a number of times with a few different retrieve speeds and if there is something hiding in under it, I hope you wake it up and hook it “

Have you fished the FADs?

Image from Fisheries Tasmania.