Tackling Moreton Bay

What a cracker month it has been, with so many different species caught in Moreton Bay!

Snapper were readily caught in the bay area, with a few personal bests ticked off the bucket list.

A cracker that Dan landed came in at slightly over 8kg.

It’s one to be proud of, well done Dan – I think it was a close to the boat Blackjack’s PB too.

There are still a few chopper tailor hanging about Woody Point Jetty, the Shorncliffe Pier and in Moreton.

 

They may be throw-back size, but they’re a great way to have some fun with the kids on light gear.

We nailed a few towards the end of Shorncliffe Pier on Bream Bites – Tackle Land’s in-house bait – and baby blues (small pilchard) on small #4 Kumho gang hooks.

They provided hours of entertainment and onlookers were entertained with the way these little fish were striping line off the light gear.

In between catching tailor, we watched flashes of silver chase both baitfish and tailor.

I sent an unweighted blue bait down, slowly lifted it when it sunk and on the uplift, school mackerel of all sizes smashed the bait.

 

I landed only one small fish, which was released, and a much larger mack emptied two thirds of my spool as it headed towards Woody Point.

I managed to get it to the pier so we could have a look, but unfortunately the bream gear wasn’t up to the challenge and the fish cut loose.

Here’s a first… Harry was at Baxters Jetty fishing very patiently with his mum and pop when he was realised he was down to his last prawn.

Thinking it was going to be a dud fishing trip, he put the prawn on, cast out and started packing up when his reel began to scream.

Harry quickly grabbed his rod and did battle with a 65cm flathead.

 

His pop, seeing that it was a cracker, helped Harry by netting it for him.

An awesome team effort Harry and Pop.

And we can’t forget Mum, who had picked the bait up.

Also, this was the first flathead Harry had ever caught – what a cracker for his first!

It just goes to show, even when you think it’s all over and time to pack up… boom, fish on!

This will be one to remember.

 

Many times, you’ll head out for a fish and have the species you’re going to target in mind.

You set out, catch some herring and send the bait out.

So, I don’t know that Eric was ready for what destroyed his live herring.

Eric had only just settled in when a beast of a jewfish decided to amp his adrenaline up by torpedoing toward open water.

After a decent battle, Eric came out triumphant in the end.

 

It was a well fought and a well-deserved dinner he took home that day.

Well done Eric, a great fish and a great story to go with it.

As school mackerel are in good numbers at the moment, Geronimo and Oliver got into the action too and took home a good feed.

These anglers love fishing from the Shorncliffe Pier and are out every chance they get.

Well done crew – the light gear, live bait and many hours you put in really paid off.

And Oliver was at it again.

 

Fishing Shorncliffe Pier with Geronimo and Cullen, it wasn’t long before Oliver found the fish once more.

Adding a very nice 65cm flathead to his recent catches.

Good job Oliver, I dare say we haven’t seen the last of your great catches.

One of our junior female anglers had an awesome day out on Moreton Bay with her family during a good weather window.

Vivian landed a solid 50cm snapper on her faithful pink rod.

 

Her dad Ben said that when they’re out fishing, Vivian’s pink rod seemed to do all the damage, and by the looks of things, it again brought dinner home.

Nicely done Vivian, I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of your fishing achievements in the near future.

If you want to have some fun off rock walls, piers or jetties, grab a small selection of shallow diving lures or small plastics with light jig heads and test out the shallows.

It is a great way for kids to be able to see what action different lures or soft plastics have when retrieved at various speeds or how they react with the occasional twitch or flick.

Surface lures are awesome weapons to have in the tackle kit.

 

It’s pretty cool seeing how surface poppers such as Sugapen, Nomad Maverick and little Chug Norris lures work, as well as hearing the amount of noise they can make.

And the first strike or hook up you get on a surface lure is a memory that is burnt into your brain, such an awesome feeling.

Spice up your trip and step out of your comfort zone – throw some topwater lures, you won’t regret it.

Speaking of throwing lures, Eric and Xuan recently cast out Daiwa Double Clutches in Chrome, chasing whatever was boiling up the baitfish one morning.

After a few casts, with a new Tairyo rod, Eric was blitzed by a cracking little mack tuna.

 

As with jewie, the tuna made him earn the right to do battle and fought him all the way.

Eric was very fortunate to land this fish because most head straight for the pylons and snap you off.

Another dinner was provided from the incredible Moreton Bay.

Well done Eric and Xuan.

Oliver seems to be starring in this edition – not only is he catching great fish but, and this is a first for me, he nailed a samson fish from Shorncliffe Pier!

A sambo!

 

I just can’t believe the incredible number of different species we can catch around our local waterways.

The other week we caught an Australian salmon and now Oliver caught and landed a juvenile sambo.

It was one of those ‘if there wasn’t a photo, it didn’t happen’ scenarios.

I can’t wait to see what Moreton Bay will throw our way next.

An awesome job Oliver – now go back for its big brother.

Be safe out there and enjoy every moment on or around the water.