THIS month has been a bit of a mixed bag, with some days quite productive and others simply hard work. The better fishing has occurred on the lead-up to the full and new moons in the shallows. One thing I have noticed is even with the right tides, the fish have been rather finicky. All the little things such as …
Read More »Jewfish catches jump as sharks split
FISHING along the Clarence Coast of northern NSW during July saw anglers reap the rewards of braving the cold chilly nights, with good catches of jewfish, tailor and bream taken from the river, beaches and headlands. Inside the Clarence River, bream are spread far and wide, with Grafton angler Toby Scullen landing nice fish to 980g in Carrs Creek using …
Read More »Exploratory sojourn to Swain Reefs
A FISHING trip to Swain Reefs had been on my bucket list for many years and was continually reinforced each time I read a BNB scribe’s epic trip report. As mentioned in last month’s editorial, I got the call up to accompany a select crew put together by Wilson Fishing including Troy (Dicko) Dixon, Clint Fannin, a number of tackle …
Read More »Bass on the chew in the dams
Over the past weekend I headed up north to chase some Australian bass in Lake Gregory, Bundaberg. This is a small dam that’s quite easy to get your head around if you already know a thing or two about bass. Most fish were sitting deep and eating 10g spoons and small blades. It was a hot session both days, with …
Read More »Having a ball on Lake Borumba
I’VE had one hell of a month fishing Lake Borumba with multiple clients. At this time of year we experience some of the best fishing you can experience at the lake. The bass move into the deep water to school, just as they would in saltwater estuaries. But because they can’t get to salt water, all they do is school …
Read More »Brisbane threadfin and jewfish captures continue
THIS month will see winter coming to end. Towards the end of the month the weather generally starts to warm and we might even receive a couple of afternoon northerly breezes. In years past I’ve had good success on mangrove jack in late-August. Most anglers believe it’s too early for mangrove jack to be getting active, but if you’re willing …
Read More »Piecing together the Double Island Point puzzle
THERE is nothing quite like the feeling of your alarm going off at some stupid hour of the morning (like 1-2am). For most people, they would grunt and groan at the thought of getting out of a nice warm bed at such a time, but for fishos, especially the ones like me, excitement gets the better of us. When I …
Read More »2019 Frenchville Barra Bash wrap-up
BREAK out the winter woollies because it is now officially July. Before we get into all the good oil from the Frenchville Sports Club Fitzroy Barra Bash, we’ll take a sneak peek at what’s been happening locally and what we can expect to see. In the estuaries two species have ramped up. The first is blue salmon. These guys can …
Read More »Cool time for impoundment bass
AS a freshwater angler, much of my fishing calendar revolves around the warmer months of the year, with hiking trips for cod, surface fishing for saratoga and sojourns into the tropics chasing sooties all being more enjoyable with higher water temperatures. One freshwater fishery that remains productive during the coldest months of the year is our local impoundment bass scene. …
Read More »Brad Smith’s tactics for targeting flathead – part 2
G’DAY everyone, in last month’s article we discussed locations for finding flathead and this month we will discuss options for targeting flathead with lures. Deepwater jigging or ‘tea bagging’ soft plastics and vibes is a very effective way to target flathead in both deep holes and channels 5m and deeper. In last month’s article I shared a screenshot from my …
Read More »