Hi Everyone, hope you have all had a good week, some great conditions mid-week for getting out for a fish on the Gold and Tweed Coats was well received by local fishos. It looks like we will see some storms and much needed rain over the coming weekend and week, this will be great for fishing in the coming weeks as the weather heats up. Let’s check out what’s been on the bite.
As the weather heats up Mangrove Jack have been more active on the Gold and Tweed Coast, with a few storms forecast to roll in over the weekend this is a great time to target these hard fighting estuary thugs as the atmospheric pressure changes just before the storm hits. Customers have reported a few Jacks showing up in the Coomera River from the Weir downstream to Coomera Waters in the North Arm and the South Arm to Paradise Point around Sovereign Islands. These areas will start to fish better when the bait fish get flushed out when we receive more rain as we head towards summer months. Structure is essential and these areas offer multiple options to fish such as rock walls, bridge pylons, natural rock bars, and pontoons with or without moored boats. Spots like these are all prime target areas as they will hold bait fish trying to shelter from predators in the main river. Throwing soft plastics is a popular method, popular plastics are Zman Minnowz in the 3 or 4 inch range matched with heavy duty TT Headlockz jig heads. I still enjoy bait fishing and it is my go to option if things are quiet on lures, live Herring, Mullet, Silver Biddies and Winter Whiting are great bait. If you have trouble catching live bait Mullet Fillet will also work well. The Nerang River, Tweed River, Tallebudgera Creek and Logan River all offer great structure to target Jacks, Cod and Trevally.
Good catches of Big Snapper and quality Jewfish again this week has been the norm on the shallow reefs with local angler Ben White (see photo in report) coming up trumps with an impressive 89cm Snapper he landed from the close reefs off the Seaway. He also found a couple of great sized Jewfish later in the week. With storms on the forecast and the wind set in increase just make sure you have the latest forecast at hand before deciding to try your luck offshore.
In the Broadwater and around Jumpinpin try your luck for a mixed bag of Whiting, Flathead and Bream with some great catches coming in last weekend during the week. Yabbies have been by far the best bait for all three species and worms are always a favourite for the big Whiting. A few spots to try are the Nerang River, Marine Stadium, Wave Break Island, Crab Island, Tipplers Passage, Jacobs Well Shoals, Bedrooms, Tiger Mullet Channel, Canaipa Passage and the Logan River worth a go to try and score a mixed feed.
Brad from Brad Smith Fishing Charters Reports this week was once again highlighted by some excellent top water action with the surface lures producing a lot of fish. Double hook ups on Whiting and Bream were a common occurrence using a combination of bassday sugerpen and mmd splash prawn lures. The exciting news is the topwater action is here to stay for months now through to April and is something that all anglers should get a chance to experience. To mix it up and show my clients some variety we have done some shallow and deep water drifts with zx 40s and samiki vibelicous vibes and caught some Flatties, Bream, Whiting and Trevally.
Clint from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reports this week at the Broadwater the highlight was some excellent fishing for Sand Whiting and Bream. The yabby banks were the place to be with the bigger new moon tides, and we caught up to 30 Sand Whiting a session with the biggest measuring 44cm during the day. On 3 lb line they are awesome fun, as are the healthy Bream that feed in the same areas. My tip is finding where the stingrays are feeding and you’ll find the fish. It’s hard to beat live yabbies locally as bait, but surface lures such as MMD splashprawn in honey bee colour will work well early in the morning before the water traffic increases. The snot weed is clearing again, but Northerly winds this weekend could bring it back. There’s no doubt our local rivers need a rejuvenating flush of flooding rain, and it will happen fairly soon.
Gavin from Sea Probe Fishing Charters reports out on the shelf there are Blue marlin, Yellow Fin Tuna and some Big Mahi Mahi, try using up to 15-inch skirted lures. Back in closer to the 50s Amberjack, Kingfish, Snapper and Pearlys are still biting. Just be mindful the current is running hard up to 2.5 knots at times. On the 36 fathoms Dolly’s around the fads and still Trag, Snapper, Tusk Fish and Pearlys
Hope you all have a good week and stay healthy and safe. If you have any great catches or photos you would like to share, please email us and let us know how you went.
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 http://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/
If you have any great catches to report or fishing photos please email them to brett@fishotackle.com.au Good luck with the Fishing. Brett
