Fish Species Guide

Fixated on flathead in snapper closure

WELL, another month has passed and, with the tricky weather and the forecast all over the place, it’s definitely been difficult to plan trips. Let’s hope by the time this issue comes out the weather has settled into a nice winter pattern. With the snapper ban on, most of my charters have been focussed on chasing flathead because there’s a …

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Collecting bait for beach and flats

AS we enter the final month of winter, the beach fishing season in Queensland and Northern NSW is seriously heating up. So too are the shallow estuary flats, particularly as we head towards the full moon in August and into spring. When it comes to light line bait fishing from the beaches or flats, fresh live bait is best. Let’s …

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Dealing with windy weather

IT has been incredibly tough weather so far this winter. I cannot remember such a windy year and a few of us commented about it via Messenger one woeful day. From the Sunshine Coast to Bundaberg – yuck, just yuck. As if COVID lockdowns didn’t make it hard enough already, and just before our school holidays. woeful wind Throw into …

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August options on Capricorn Coast

HOW time flies – it seems only yesterday we were dusting off the winter woollies and now it’s almost time to pack them away again. I believe we have been very lucky – we have received only a couple of fairly cold snaps but apart from that Jack Frost has been all but absent. This means we are probably in …

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FNQ mackerel numbers discussion

LIVING on Thursday Island, I’m fortunate to be able to explore remote parts of Cape York and the Torres Strait regularly. One of my favourite species to target and cook up is the magnificent spanish mackerel, which has certainly been making headlines recently. Spaniards tick many boxes because they can be caught using a range of techniques, they grow big, …

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No fishing in lockdown – anglers turned around at SEQ boat ramps

water police fishing in lockdown

‘Fishing for food’ not an excuse – no fishing in lockdown Boaties and anglers are being warned to abide by the south-east Queensland lockdown restrictions, with rules on the land also applying to the sea. Authorities say they’ve had to turn people around at boat ramps across the south-east, with some trying to take advantage of “wording loopholes” for a …

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A lesson in patience

MY favourite pastime is having a joke with people. Interestingly, I always find it funny, however occasionally my quarries do not. As an example, when I hide their phone or car keys they begin to panic and worry. For me that’s the fun – to see the look of fear on their faces is priceless. patience lesson Also, I often …

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Soapies at Iluka despite swell and gusts

IF nothing else, fishing along the Clarence Coast of northern NSW has been consistently inconsistent, thanks mainly to the recent spell of 30-knot gusts that have been blowing from all points of the compass. Sure, there have been the occasional few good days to get out among the fish – along the beaches and headlands – however, large swells have …

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Bundaberg region – weekly fishing report

yellowtail kingfish

BUNDABERG INSHORE For the boats that want to get out over the weekend, the reefs in close aren’t looking too bad. Good size grunter have been reported using large fresh prawns. If you don’t mind a good feed of whiting, north of the Leeds and near the lighthouse spoil grounds is where most schools hold. Using beach worms, cut up …

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Sunshine Coast Noosa – weekly report

coral trout

Sunshine Coast Noosa – Well that’s another month gone as we push into the last month of winter. Last week certainly turned on the beautiful days and strong winds. Although strong, the winds featured mainly west in them which made for great land fishing or close inshore work. Beach With winter associated with tailor and jewfish it would appear that …

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