Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
Hi everyone, hope you are all having a nice week. At the time of writing my report, we were once again under the threat of heavy rainfall and strong wind this week on the Gold and Tweed coasts. We can’t seem to get a break from this weather pattern. I do hope that everyone stays safe, and we see some sunshine to dry the place out soon. Fishing options will depend on how much rainfall we receive and the amount of run-off we get in the local rivers – which have barely had a change to clean up from the last soaking we received. Let’s have a look at a few options depending on the latest weekend forecast.
If the forecast rain eventuates, setting a few crab pots up a protected river to chase a feed of mud crabs might be about the best option to explore. Make sure you have the latest forecast and check the water for debris before launching the boat. We also have quite a few good land-based options to try if you can’t get out on the water. Mud crabs have been quite prolific this year with the rainfall and May is still a good month for crabbing, with some good quality full crabs on offer. Try having a look at either the Tweed River, Tallebudgera Creek, the Nerang River, the Coomera River south and north arms, the Pimpama River, Jacobs Well and the Logan River. I always recommend working a few test pots in different depths of water, in the creek mouths or further up the rivers to find a good spot that is holing better numbers of crabs and to then concentrate your efforts in that area. Fresh bait is always best – whole mullet, fish frames and chicken pieces will all do the trick. A bait bag is also a great idea – it limits the number of small fish, eels and crabs from destroying your bait before it gets to attract your target species. Gold Coast Coomera
If we get less rainfall than forecast, the water quality isn’t affected as much by run-off and once the wind eases, chasing tailor will be an option. Some good catches were reported last weekend until the wind blew everyone off the water. Jumpinpin Channel fired up with some big schools of fish showing up the last couple of hours of the run-in tide and the first hour of the run-out around the Pin Bar mouth, Crusoe Island, Kalinga Bank, Millionaires Row and the mouth of Tiger Mullet Channel. I always recommend keeping an eye on the sounder for baitfish and also on the water in case the baitfish have been pushed to the surface. Also, watch out for any tell-tale signs of birds feeding – this is an indication that tailor may be actively feeding on a bait school. The Gold Coast Seaway entrance and the northern channel from the Seaway mouth through to Sovereign Islands have also been seeing plenty of early season action, as the water starts to cool and baitfish move into the area. If things are quiet and you have to search, trolling a range of diving lures to find fish is a productive method to try. Once you can locate fish, it is best to try and match your lure to the size of the bait they are feeding on and then try casting metal slugs or surface lures, which is an exciting method of fishing and is very visually pleasing when you get a good surface hit.
Last weekend the Gold Coast Game Fish Club held a one-day marlin tournament off the Gold Coast, with good numbers of blue marlin and a couple of striped marlin tagged and released, along with a few nice dolphinfish also being landed. Once the weather eases and the swell drops off, it will be well worth a look out on the wide grounds, if you enjoy chasing billfish. The current will start to ease as we get closer to winter, so taking the deep drop gear will be a good idea and if the marlin are slow, you can always bring a nice feed from the depths home. Gold Coast Coomera
Brad from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reported before the rain and wind returned… I decided to explore further up the Tweed River to areas that I have not fished for many months due to the floods, and some of the old haunts paid off. With a combination of trolling the edges of the channels with Pontoon 21 Crackjacks and Hurricane Slam deep divers, as well as jigging the deep holes with Samaki Vibelicious and Ecogear ZX 40 vibes, we caught an array of fish – including bream, flathead, whiting, grunter, trevally and some small jewfish. The numbers of small school jew that have entered the river since the floods have been amazing and hopefully shows some very positive signs for the future of this much sought-after species.
Clint from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reported… Some great action before the wind and rain on my Broadwater charters and until the small neap days turned the fish off. Wading the flats and casting and cranking Daiwa Pro Double Clutch 60mm lures resulted in catches of around 25 flathead per session, and whiting and bream. This is such an exciting way to fish in shallow water that I now offer it as a charter trip. Currently my favourite colour Double Clutches are Amber Ale, Motor Oil Gudgen, and Lazer Ayu. Tailor busted up in the main channel north of the seaway, which was heaps of fun. There were larger fish around the big school that were hard to stop – they were biting lures off and snapping leaders. We did catch heaps of school-sized tailor on 20-35g Samaki metal lures before leaving them biting and moving on to catch whiting, flounder, flathead and tarwhine on yabbies, Ecogear ZX 40s and Samaki Vibelicious, Sax Scent UV Prawn smeared on the lures. This coming week we have the threat of rain again. We hope it doesn’t end. We can only wait to see what happens and then fish near the mouths of rivers.Gold Coast Coomera
Gavin from Sea Probe Fishing Charters reported spanish mackerel were still biting in close before the weather got worse. Using downriggers being the best option with live bait or dead slimies. Also, on the 36 and 50-fathom lines are still plenty of dolphinfish on the fish aggregating devices and yellowtail kingfish, amberjack, pearl perch and snapper bottom fishing, with jigs and livies doing the job for the king and AJs. Gold Coast Coomera
If you have any great catches or photos you would like to share, please email us and let us know how you went, brett@coomerahouseboats.com.au or brett@fishotackle.com.au
Stay up to date with all fishing regulations in Queensland https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries
Fisho Tackle and Coomera Houseboat Holidays now have Hire Tinnies follow the link to view https://www.coomerahouseboats.com.au/our-fleet-type/hire-tinnies/
Seabreeze is a great website to access a local forecast http://www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/
Click here for more Gold Coast fishing reports!!
Good luck with the fishing.
Brett
