Fishing Tips

RECENT trips offshore have seen more days of slight current, which has resulted in good snapper being caught on the 29, 33 and 35-fathom reef lines. While I haven’t had snapper success beyond this depth lately, the quality of pearl perch in depths anywhere from around 75-105m has more than made up for this. COVID fishing Float lining for better …

IN the spring, a young man’s fancy turns lightly to thoughts of surface fishing… I may not have quoted Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem word for word exactly. In the realm of sportfishing anglers, almost inevitably they will find a few scenarios to which they are drawn repeatedly. Surface strikes For several it’s a preferred species, for others it may be …

WE certainly had the weather turn on for a week or so during the recent school holidays and the fish even decided to play the game as well. Adam and Jet headed off Cape Moreton with a couple of friends on one of the better days to do a bit of trolling around. They found big mahi mahi in plague …

MY final article on destinations in southern Cape York focuses on the magical Cape Melville area, tucked away in a remote corner of the east coast. This place of stunning scenery features picturesque coastlines and islands set against the rugged backdrop of the Melville Range’s huge granite boulders. The main camping area is within Cape Melville National Park at the …

OCTOBER is a month of mixed emotions. It’s one of the best months to chase saltwater barramundi on the Capricorn Coast, but sadly it’s the final month of the season. East coast saltwater barra closed season starts on November 1 through to January 31. This means October is the time to grab your barra gear and head out for a …

OCTOBER is an exciting time to explore Cape York. Fishing will fire up as water temperature continues to increase. Better weather windows will also present with the build-up to the wet season. This allows avid boaties to travel further and access exceptional fishing. Spanish mackerel will certainly be one target species, which will increase in numbers in the coming months. …

OVER the past few weeks, we’ve had plenty of tourists through Tin Can Bay. Many came for a day visit to feed a dolphin, others to dust off the caravan and stay a few days, and plenty for a fish and to explore the Great Sandy Straits. The hard stand in the marina has been pumping! Boats have been in …

IN this month’s article I hope to give you a few tips on what species to target and the best techniques to target them with. I call October a transitional month, because several winter species start to slow down and local species that relish warmer conditions start to fire. Whiting thrive from spring through to summer, particularly during the weeks …

WITH winter behind us, water temperature is increasing and the species list on offer is improving. Estuaries will see packs of whiting and bream during the day, with flathead one of the biggest targets and there are huge models out there. Offshore we can expect to find large jewfish, trout, cobia, pearl perch and even early pelagic action. In dams …

MY second Fraser Island trip this year was a particularly challenging trip for a few reasons. We had weed along most of the eastern beach, while on the western side we had regular strong northwest or southwest wind blowing in our faces. But all was not lost. On the eastern beach, we tested the water by doing quick gutter hopping …