Latest News

Return of spotted mackerel to Brunswick Heads

spotted mackerel brunswick heads

IT’S nice to see the return of spotted mackerel to Brunswick Heads after they’ve been absent for a few years. These crazy little fish are as frustrating as ever but when they decide to bite, they can really turn it on. A lot of people I know around Brunswick Heads don’t like spotted mackerel as much as the larger spanish …

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Tilapia fishing around Brisbane

tilapia fishing brisbane

EVER since I can remember going fishing as a youngster, tilapia were a regular catch from Oxley Creek and North Pine Dam. Unfortunately, tilapia have rapidly spread in the past decade and seem to have infested almost every waterway. I live near Oxley in the western suburbs and while riding bikes with the kids have observed the populations of tilapia …

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When the fishing gets tough

fishing gets tough

“That’s why it’s called fishing, not catching,” I said with a resigned face after a quiet day on the water and not landing any fish. Fishing gets tough! For fishos, few things are more frustrating than fishing your reliable spots and coming away without a bite. It’s disheartening working hard to fruitlessly fish the same tides and times that have …

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BIA welcomes loosening the restrictions on recreational boating

Cruise Craft

The Boating Industry Association today welcomed moves by Queensland and Western Australia to loosen the COVID-19 restrictions on recreational boating following encouraging signs of containment. Darren Vaux, BIA President, said yesterday’s announcements by the two States were good news for the boating public, businesses and jobs while maintaining a conservative approach to the protection of public health and safety. “Recreational …

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Freshwater flush essential for a thriving ecosystem

freshwater flush fishing

IF you’ve been on the east coast of Queensland in early 2020, it shouldn’t come as a shock when I say we’ve had a lot of rain, providing a solid freshwater flush. The southeast Queensland estuaries changed from the nice clear water we enjoyed for ages to a brown tannin colour as far as the eye can see. It’s not …

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Beach whiting tactics part two: technique and baits

beach whiting tactics fishing

IN all fishing styles it is often the small things we don’t realise we are doing wrong that cost us the most fish. This can all change when we learn from the good days on the water and think about why and how we got things right. Last month I covered what to do and not to do in relation …

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White spot disease found in southeast Queensland again

white spot disease southeast queensland again

WHITE spot disease has returned to southeast Queensland more than three years since the disease was first detected. Biosecurity Queensland undertook routine surveillance for white spot syndrome virus in Moreton Bay last month with mangrove swimming crabs returning positive for the disease. Subsequently, samples from two prawn farms on the Logan River in southeast Queensland also returned positive for white …

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Recent spike in Great Barrier Reef zoning offences

gbr zoning offences

DESPITE issuing a pre-Easter warning, Great Barrier Reef authorities were disappointed to encounter a high volume and array of illegal activity, including zoning offences, threatening the health of the Reef, and the communities dependent on it, over the long weekend. While data is still coming in from partner agencies, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Great Barrier Reef Marine …

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Fishing Peel Island and surrounds

fishing peel island moreton bay

PEEL Island is inhabited by a variety of sea life including dugongs, turtles and dolphins, jellyfish following the currents and, of course, plenty of fish and the odd shark. The island is a popular overnight and weekend anchorage for vessels, and Horseshoe Bay on the southern side is a great spot for sheltering from northerly wind, particularly during summer. If …

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The fresh flush has set up fishing for autumn

Fresh flush fishing autumn

WELL I was talking about rain and pretty much every creek and river from Hervey Bay to the NSW border was running after the fresh flush in March. It’s great news because the fresh flush was much needed to improve fishing, and the majority of dams have seen good increases or are overflowing. In the short term, fishing options will …

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