Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
BUNDABERG OFFSHORE
For those anglers who enjoyed the week of fantastic weather around the Bundaberg area, it’s time to do a bit of maintenance as the weather for the coming weekend is looking like it might be a little bit rough for the offshore fishing. It’s time to change those bearings you were going to change a month ago, and fix those things that need attention, to be ready for the next window of great weather that comes around..
BUNDABERG INSHORE
For those who don’t mind a little swell there has been a few mackerel and tuna caught around the mouth of the Burnett River. Casting Flasha lures or trolling large hard bodies should do the job. “Find the bait, find the fish.” For those who want to have a go at snapper or large grunter, cast out Samaki Vibe soft plastics.
THE BURNETT RIVER
Is it the fishermen, or the fish? That is the question. There are plenty of blue salmon in the Burnett River, but being there at the right time is the key. Some anglers have been catching ten to twenty fish, but then others are not even getting a bite. The guys catching them are using soft vibes or metal vibes.
Rain, rain, rain – we definitely need it.. With the water being so clear due to the lack of rain, the bait in the rivers has been scarce. The run-off from rain brings nutrients into the rivers which in turn brings in the bait fish, then in come the predatory fish further into the rivers chasing the bait. As the old saying goes, drought on the land, drought in the ocean.
THE KOLAN RIVER AND BAFFLE CREEK
When fishing for flathead and bream in the local river systems, finding areas such as rock walls or a rubble bottom where there is a food source is the key to catching more fish. Prawns, mullet and whitebait are just some of the baits used for targeting these species. Flathead are ambush fish – they lie in wait on drop-offs or deep holes. Drifting can be very productive until you find the fish, then anchor away. For those who would like to have a go at soft plastic fishing, flathead are one of the easier fish to target. Casting 3” to 5” soft plastics will work, just hopping off the bottom of a sand flat or deep hole where the big girls lay in wait.
LAKE MONDURAN
Lake Monduran is still producing the goods. Frequent reports have come in during the past two weeks of good fish in the 80cm range. Afternoon session bites are producing better results as the water warms up during the day, making the fish more active. Also, bass up to 50cm are being caught as a by-catch. Try casting Jackall Squirrels and any other suspending lures that you feel confident with, remembering to have that pause up to twenty or thirty seconds. This is the key in the colder weather.
LAKE GREGORY
Lake Gregory at the moment is fishing very well. Crank Baits and soft plastics cast around the edges are the stand-out lures for those bigger 40cm to 50cm donkeys. Fishing the deeper water casting Blades and heavier soft plastics is producing those schooled fish up to about 30cm to 40cm. Using your electronics to sound the fish up and casting over the top, let the lure sink to the bottom, then slowly retrieving back to the boat should produce plenty of fish. Water levels are down a bit, but it’s still okay to launch a boat.
Keep on casting
Shane Anderson
