WELL, the spotted mackerel have shown up in reasonable numbers and have been found mainly in the paddock, with bird activity showing the way, especially from the sandhills across to the measured mile. While doggy mackerel are around in good numbers and a fair few were trolling up using paravanes in the Rous Channel and near the Amity Banks drop-offs, …

MORETON Bay holds heaps of shallow water areas. When we fish the shallows, we look for rubble patches and any other good-looking structure that holds bait on a high tide. What that means is you fish the shallows on a high tide and retreat to the drop-offs on a low tide. Moreton grassie Peak bite times are dawn and dusk, …

I SPEND many hours exploring and pursuing shallow water snapper in Moreton Bay, and nothing comes close to matching the aggression and brute power these fish have. I use the term shallow water to describe the water I fish, as it’s not often I find myself casting a lure for snapper any deeper than 1.5-5m. Shallow snapper A huge variety …

AS summer kicks into gear, species such as estuary cod, mangrove jack, threadfin salmon, snapper, grass sweetlip, spangled emperor, tuskfish, moses perch, trevally and other pelagics come into play. Most of the reef species can be found around the bay islands, artificial reefs and in the Brisbane River, while pelagics are found in more open waters. The shipping channel, Rous, …

THE Brisbane River is home to a huge array of fish including  bream, flathead, snapper, cod, king threadfin salmon and jewfish. The trick with the river is knowing how and where to target these species. In this article I’ll cover how to catch big jewfish in spring and summer, as there are less soapies around later in the year. summerjewfish …

THESE two outfits offer volunteer marine search and rescue services to the boating public across 2700km of Queensland coastline. For a paltry $77 per year you can receive these services with no other charges. If you are not a member, it can cost a fortune to have either of these services called out to your boat in distress, especially the Volunteer …

HERE’S a rundown of my two months fishing Moreton Bay, mainly targeting pelagics and whiting (I did very little reef fishing), with most of the departures from Whyte Island and Manly. The end of December was the beginning of our two months fishing Moreton Bay and the lead-up to the new year got off to a good start, with plenty …

PEEL Island is inhabited by a variety of sea life including dugongs, turtles and dolphins, jellyfish following the currents and, of course, plenty of fish and the odd shark. The island is a popular overnight and weekend anchorage for vessels, and Horseshoe Bay on the southern side is a great spot for sheltering from northerly wind, particularly during summer. If …

THE shipping channel stretches from the mouth of the Brisbane River all the way north to Caloundra and offers a diverse range of bottom structures. There is very little reef but a lot of coffee rock and some wrecks, along with the man-made beacons. It also offers a diverse range of fish species, from bottom dwellers to surface feeders. Northern …

FISHING around the shallow reefs of Moreton Bay will probably see two types of sweetlip turn up. The grass sweetlip (minimum size 30cm, max possession of 10) and spangled emperor (minimum 45cm, max possession five) are some of the tastiest fish getting around. They are also some of the best fighting fish you’ll encounter for the size. Grassies inhabit the …