Hi Everyone, hope you have all had a good week, bit of a mixed bag of weather hanging around the past week with plenty of wind, a few showers and a couple of weather windows for keen Fishos mid-week to get outdoors for a fishing mission on the Gold and Tweed Coasts. Let’s see what’s been on the bite.
As the weather cools down chasing a Jew Fish particularly at night-time becomes a great option. I have noticed some good-sized Mullet schools have started to show up on the southern end of the Gold Coast, which is a promising sign as quality Jew Fish will be hunting close by. I prefer to fish the Gold Coast Seaway area at night as the Jew Fish tend to rise up in the water column and can hit the Mullet on the surface, the day time boat traffic will spook the both Mullet and Jew Fish. During daylight hours you are best to anchor up over the pipeline and drop-down live baits or fresh mullet fillet as the fish will be feeding in the deeper water. Jumpinpin Bar is another great area to target big Jewfish chasing mullet schools, especially around the entrance on the Northern side which has some great deep holes for bait and predators to hide in. Large soft plastics and big soft vibe lures work well when drifting through the area. I find the best time to target a big Jewfish is the last 2 hours of the incoming tide, the tide change and the first hour of the run out is the prime bite time. Big Jewfish can be a bit illusive but if you put in the time and effort the rewards are well worth it.
Following the mullet schools, we’ve had reports of some nice Flathead being caught in the Tweed River, Broadwater, Jumpinpin and joining estuary systems. Try drifting and throwing soft plastics in the 3” to 4” size range like Zman Minnowz and StreakZ on a 1/4 to 3/8 jig head or working soft or metal vibes depending on water depth. Drifting enables you cover as much territory as possible until you find an area holding good numbers of fish to concentrate your efforts on.
Brad from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reports the Tweed is still offering up nice Flathead, Whiting, Bream and School Jew. Now the water has cleared fully, the deeper holes in the middle to upper reaches are fishing best. Try the flats during lower light periods or cloudy days by trolling hardbodies or twerking with vibes.
Clint reports in the Broadwater bit of light at the end of the Covid tunnel? I reckon we’re very lucky to live in Australia. Especially Gold Coast! Water and fishing everywhere, it’s not hard to get out and enjoy it with so many options available. I’ve been doing a few trips on the Broadwater while the wind was light and tides were neap. Fishing the run-out tides is most productive, or the deeper water on the run in. I’ve been using Ecogear VX45 and Hurricane blades alongside the usual trusty Ecogear ZX40’s and Samaki soft vibes. The VX’s are very good lures and mimic small baitfish very well, while the Hurricane Sting 37 blades in Bling prawn colour are super deadly! All of the above are accounting for School Flathead, Squid, Squire, Whiting, Tarwhine and lots of Flounder. Many great eating fish are plentiful in our local waters this time of year.
Gavin from Seaprobe Fishing Charters reports after the weather settles down get out there and try the fads for Dollies using pillies and live baits. Out on the 50s also try live baiting for Ajs, Yellow Tail Kingfish , Snapper and Pearl Perch, in close on the 24s try for Snapper ,Trag Jew and Silver Jew.
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
