Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
High tide, grey skies
It certainly feels as though we’re in for a wet one. With weather alerts reaching mobile phones across the state, the big wet was predicted to fall and it arrived as predicted. This need not mean that fishing is going to be a bad thing, as this can make it excellent if you know where to go.
Offshore saw a very narrow weather window at the beginning of the week due to the wind and swell. With Monday the better day, the bigger boats made the bar crossing and fished closer reefs of North and Sunshine. Cobia, grass sweetlip, snapper and pearl perch featured, along with some chunky goldspotted cod and a few bite-offs from school mackerel. These big bottom-dwelling fish love nothing more than a big slab bait or a live bait fished on 80lb plus leaders. When chasing big fish such as cod, you need some heavy gear. The Wilson Live Fibre overhead rod has the perfect combination of a sensitive tip with piles of backbone. Pair this with a Penn Fathom Lever Drag and 60lb plus line for a chance of stopping them.
With the swell up and the rivers starting to flood, the river mouth area should see fish moving down the system and holding where the cleaner saltier water comes across the bar with the spring high tides. We are a few days away from a new moon and this will see a bigger tidal range making the run out tide dirtier than the incoming tide.
Flathead will probably be in bigger number from the dog beach to the river mouth. The last time we had a good rain, they moved down in big numbers. Those anglers with medium-weight surf combos did well casting out whole herring, hardyhead and whiting bait on running sinkers rigs and a short fluorocarbon leader around 12-15lb. It is always a good idea to use some bait thread when using whole fish bait. This keeps them in place, especially if small fish are picking off your bait or it is slightly soft from defrosting.
For those wanting to fish upriver, you would best to try lures such as smaller 3” paddle tail soft plastics. The dirty water will see fish using their lateral line versus eyesight in dirty water. During this time, lures with vibration are going to be the ones that stand out, especially if they are scented or are loaded with Squidgies S-Factor scent. Try using Keitech, Berkley Gulp and PowerBait to name a few great starting points. If you are using bait or lures and catching catfish then there is too much freshwater in the river and you need to concentrate your efforts further toward the river mouth.
Lastly, with all this rain, you may find prawns and mud crabs on the move again. Now is a great time to pick up a cast net or bag of mullet heads and frames and put some pots out. Don’t forget the bigger spring tides around the moon are upon us, so tie pots or heavily weight them. The additional rainwater in the system will see stronger than usual currents and these can move unweighted pots.
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 Tackle World Noosa, Noosa Boating and Outdoors and Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember, tight lines and bent spines!
