Fishing

AS I predicted last month, April saw longtail tuna, jewfish and tailor dominate catches along the Iluka/Yamba breakwalls and most of the headlands here on the mighty Clarence Coast of Northern NSW. Catches of spanish mackerel from the walls have come to a grinding halt, however given the large numbers of tuna about, they would have to be quicker than …

THE popular Lure Show (as Garry Fitzgerald’s Australian Lure, Fly and Outdoors Expo is affectionately known) isn’t a stranger to moving location. From its birthplace in Fernvale in the Brisbane River Valley, it first migrated downstream to Ipswich after a couple of years of seam-bursting crowds. From there, Ipswich seemed to be a great fit for the show, which attracts …

A GROUNDBREAKING project led by Deakin University will soon begin mapping Queensland’s blue carbon resources to provide scientists with a new weapon in the fight to help save the Great Barrier Reef. Deakin Associate Professor in Marine Science Peter Macreadie, Director of the University’s Blue Carbon Lab, said the project, funded by the Queensland Government’s Land Restoration Fund, will reveal …

THIS May will see the 2019 OzFish Unlimited Wynnum Fishing Classic come to Moreton Bay. It is the only competition of its kind for Moreton Bay, with all proceeds from the event being directly invested back into the region to support habitat restoration and in turn, raise fish populations in the bay. OzFish Unlimited Moreton Bay Chapter president Robbie Porter …

AUSTRALIAN east coast spotted mackerel, scomberomorus munroi, is a pelagic fish species that forms a single genetic stock in New South Wales and Queensland waters. Spotted mackerel exhibit schooling behaviours that form prominent spawning and feeding aggregations between Cairns and Port Stephens. When present, their highly aggregated, near surface, and catchable behaviour makes them susceptible to overfishing. Catches of spotted …

WE’VE all had hooked fish taken by sharks! It’s part of the fishing equation – the ‘taxman’ in his grey suit getting his share. Sharks will always make up a significant proportion of a healthy marine environment. But lately we’ve seen numerous complaints of increasing numbers of sharks mauling hooked catches. Facebook and similar social media sites have been riddled …

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 …

MONTHS of intelligence gathering and high-level collaboration between NSW, Victoria and South Australia has resulted in the apprehension of a 36-year-old Pomona man for allegedly taking and illegally selling 12 tonnes of golden perch worth around $200,000. Operation Weelsby was led by NSW Department of Primary Industries Fisheries over a 20-month period, and included the Victorian Fisheries Authority, Primary Industries …

THE water levels in our two dams are slowly dropping and this has been happening for some time. It’s hard to ignore but it’s a simple fact of life when you’re going through one of the worst droughts in quite some time. Boondooma Dam currently sits at 35 percent and Bjelke-Peterson Dam at 8 percent. Despite the low levels enough …

FINALLY southeast Queensland has got some much-needed rain and relief from the heat and wind. Dropping water temperatures and the influx of fresh water should fire up the prawns and fish over the coming month and make for great fishing. Tuna Longtail tuna have improved in numbers and regularity, feeding off the surface throughout Moreton Bay since cyclone Oma. Unfortunately, …