Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
Fishing the Noosa River has been going off, with a great range of fish to be caught right throughout the system. There have been some great reports of trevally, with big-eye, golden and giant trevally all falling victim to anglers. Some of the prime spots have been Woods Bays, Munna Point, the back of the Noosa Sound and out the front of the Tewantin boat harbour. Soft plastic in prawn profile has to be the most popular with anglers when chasing trevally in the river, try lures like Squidgy Prawn Wriggler tail, Fuse Triple tail and prawn head plastics. These fish have also been taken on the surface by anglers fishing the Noosa River, with surface poppers and walkers getting the job done. Try Duo Poco Poco poppers and Atomic K9 walkers. There are some great sized bream throughout the system with fish over the 30cm mark not uncommon. Fowl Gut and Mullet gut are popular baits for bream. For the whiting anglers, the Frying Pan and Dog Beach are a couple of great places to pick up a feed, with the breezes up a little the fish feel safer feeding on the flats with a little ripple on the surface. Fishing the Noosa River with yabbies, worms and peeled prawns should see you with a feed. Upriver the Jack are still plentiful with nice sized fish holding in the deeper holes, rock bars and around the fallen timber that lines the banks. Plenty of fish have been taken on live baits and strip baits. Lures including Samaki Thumper Tail, Zerek Live Mullet and Jackson Quiet beats have been working well for anglers fishing the Noosa River, either worked slowly along the bottom or cast into structure, make sure you use heavier lines and leaders. Crabs have also been in good numbers with plenty of bucks finding their way into pots, make sure you comply with all the regulations as fisheries are hard at work!
Offshore it is all about the outer reefs with places like The Hards and The Barwon Banks fishing well at the moment, snapper, pearlies, tuskies, spanish mackerel and cobia are all on the menu. There are a few tuna in the bay feeding on Frog mouthed pilchards, small pilchard baits and fast moving slugs have had some good results. Jew Shoal and Halls Reef have been fishing well for quality squire, sweetlip and maori cod as well as the pelagic’s. Sunshine has also been firing with the added bonus of quality coral trout. Burley is the key at the moment so if you can get a burly pot to the bottom this will put the burley right where you are fishing.
On the beach things have started to calm down with both swell and wind dropping last weekend, these conditions have created some great gutters with plenty of fish on offer. Noosa Northshore has been a hive of activity with reports of good size flathead being caught up the top end of Double Island point. Whiting are also coming on strong, try using Black Magic’s whiting snatcher rigs; these rigs make it almost too easy as they come armed with small KL circle hooks and offer a perfect hook up almost every time you use them. Jewfish are still around with reports of a few being caught in the deeper gutters and around the headland. For the rock hoppers there are still plenty of anglers looking for the holy grail of a spanish mackerel off the rocks, if we keep getting good conditions and the weather plays the game we may still see some quality mackerel and long tail tuna landed.
In the Fresh, water quality is starting to clear so Lake Macdonald should see some quality bass taken. Deep diving lures including OSP Power Dunk, OSP High Cut and Eco Gear CX 35HS worked along the drop offs should see a result. Surface anglers are also doing well during low light periods with many fish taking a well presented surface lure like the Zip Baits Fakie Dog or similar Jackson Risk baits. The OSP Fujin Spider is a great option to cast into heavy timber and work back slowly.
Now for all the latest information log onto www.fishingnoosa.com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports, don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World, Davo’s Boating and Outdoor in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting, and remember Tight Lines and Bent Spines!
