Bundaberg – weekly report

BUNDABERG  INSHORE & OFFSHORE Bundaberg weekly fishing report

If the weather plays ball this weekend hopefully we can send it out wide and chase some nice reds, nannies and trout! Due to the recent fresh that has been pushing out of the rivers, plenty of debris like logs and branches have been common obstacles waiting for an unsuspecting boatie. Be cautious when travelling from mark to mark as one of these can ruin a perfect day’s fishing. There hasn’t been as many tuna and mackerel busting up in close at the moment but with this dirty water I try to troll or cast some lures where the dirty water meets the clean salty water.

One of the stand out lures I have been using is an Ocean Legacy slow sinking stick bait. Another way is to throw a Flasher lure in the 20-50g and just rip it in like a baitfish in destress looking for its school. With the building moon this weekend we should see a lot of the reef fish turning it on for the people who can get to the spot for that first light bite.

One of my favourite ways of catching coral trout is slow pitch jigging. This technique is super fun as you really have to work to get the trouties from burying you in the reef. My go-to setup is a PE2 or PE3 rod, 50lb leader and a Samaki prawn in golden carrot colour paired with a 7/0 jig head. Depending on the current and depth of water you can use a 1/2oz and upwards weight to get the lure to sit in the strike zone for as long as possible.. Bundaberg weekly fishing report

 

 

BURNETT AND ELLIOT RIVERS

The Burnett River has and still is seeing a lot of water being pushed through from the top reaches which has moved a lot of the bait towards the mouth. I would be focusing my fishing around this area and even along the beaches at high tide to get away from the fresh. My pick for rivers to fish would be the smaller systems that don’t have all the fresh running down them from out west. The Elliott River and Coonarr Creek are two great options. The Elliott River has seen a good amount of tailor being caught on small 10g Samaki vibelicious and even the odd barra being caught along with the usual flathead, whiting, bream, grunter and dart. There has also been a few mud crabs around so throw those pots out away from the fast flowing water, up the creeks is the best bet. Bundaberg weekly fishing report

 

 

BAFFLE CREEK AND KOLAN RIVER  Bundaberg weekly fishing report

Baffle has seen a lot of fresh in the past couple weeks and with Monduran Dam still spilling over the wall, the Kolan has copped a bit of fresh too. Two species that seem to be on the hunt has been the grunter and flathead. Both these river systems have seen great numbers of grunter and flathead patrolling the shallow flats towards the mouths. A good way to catch a feed is on the run in tide, sit on the side of the flat that the current is coming over as the bait is getting pushed in that direction. Predators that are aggressively hunting will be on the flats whilst they can, hunting bait in the ultra-shallow water. More fish will be situated in the deeper water surrounding the flat. Try the pressure edges created as the current hits a shallow flat. These always hold bait and therefore the bigger fish won’t be far away. The stand-out lure has been the Squidgy Dura-Tough 100mm wriggler in a bright colour which helps to throw a larger silhouette in the dirty water. Also don’t forget to throw those pots out as both of these systems have been consistently producing quality muddies whilst they have been on the move.

 

CATCH OF THE WEEK

MONDURAN DAM

With the weather warming up slightly, especially through the middle of the day, fishing into the afternoon has been the go. Bays where the water is a couple of degrees warmer have been holding more feeding fish. I would definitely be targeting my fishing around these warmer points and bays. That’s when a good sounder comes in to play to find the water temp and side view to see where they are sitting. Not only does the side view help you find fish, but it also helps read their behaviour by where they are sitting in the water column. This helps you choose a lure perfect for the barra. Staying in the strike zone for as long as possible is key. Bundaberg weekly fishing report

That’s all folks. Stay safe on the water and be mindful of your fellow fishers.

Josh Mortenson
Tackle World Bundaberg

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