Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
With the new moon just around the corner, the bite offshore has been quieter, however reports have still featured Snapper around the 4-6kg range as well as some cracking Pearl Perch out wide around the Hards and the Barwon Banks.
Along with the snapper and pearlies we have seen some nice jew and cobia also coming over the side. For the angler that headed out last weekend the jump up in swell and wind made crossing the Noosa bar just that bit tricker. Most anglers took advantage of the morning tides and the lull in the wind and headed for the closer reefs. Sunshine Reef is producing plenty of Coral Trout, Venus tusk fish, Moses perch, various cod species and a lot of juvenile Red Emperor with the odd keeper in the mix. Fishing hard on the bottom is still one of the most popular methods along with one of the many rigs made instore by Chicko. These rigs take the guess work out of what to do when on the water. Don’t forget to grab a bulk pack of 8 ball sinkers when going out wide as these run with a 5/0 shogun or Tru-Turn gang hook will get you hooked up with a well presented pilchard bait. Burley is also key; come in and get some pre-made burley mix and a bottle of tuna oil if you are fishing at anchor. The bigger Snapper can be caught at all depths and will regularly come up from the reef following a solid burley trail so having a floater out is also important.
In the river, with the stronger winds we have seen a bit more colour in the water, this in turn makes using heavier gear easier for the land based anglers. There has been good numbers of trevally including golden, diamond and giant trevally which are responding to a range of smaller soft plastics, and baits. Why not try a small set of gang hooks and a small strip of fresh mullet if bait fishing. For the lure anglers the ultra-soft Keitech plastics are very popular as is our Entice range which are on special. Big Flathead still dominate the system and are getting caught on baits like frog mouthed pilchards, prawns, hardy heads and white bait. If trolling then the Jackson Divitis, Strada Dredge and Lucky Craft Pointer Divers are all popular choices. Bream are in big numbers in the river and are great fun for the kids to catch, light lines, small sinkers and prawns or mullet flesh is all that is needed at the moment to get the kids catching. For those avid lure anglers the Soft vibe range of lures are very popular when the water isn’t clear. Trevally, flathead and tailor will all happily take a soft vibe so having one in your arsenal is a great idea, They are easy to work, achieve great casting distances, emit a lot of vibration and allow you to cover a lot of ground. Jackson Quiet Beats, Fish Candy Curly Tails and Samaki Thumper tails are all great options and come in a wide range of colours and sizes.
For the beach anglers; it’s all about big casts and deep gutters this week with the rise in swell. Using a Black Magic paternoster rig and a break away lead will hold your baits firm if you find your gear is getting washed up the beach. For those angler looking for tailor and jew the top end of the Northshore is where a lot of the action has been happening. Ensure you use a fresh strip of mullet or large Pilchards ready for that early morning fish. Whiting, dart and bream are in good numbers in the inshore gutters so take your lighter gear down to the beach and try presenting small lures and baits on very light weights and lines to get the best action. Zman 2 inch grubs, Atomic Crank and Jackson Pintail tune divers are consistent fish catching lures in the shallows.
With the return of the Keitech Madwags to the shelves now is the time to get onto the Bass. These lifelike worm presentations work best with small jigheads and long pauses. The new Zman Nedhead Jigheads are in stock and are designed for Bass fishing in conjunction with worm style soft plastics. The head is designed to stand upright and show your lure off to any nearby fish. They also reduce the chance of snagging in heavy cover. If you are chasing bass at Borumba Dam then be sure to scan around the boat ramp as often you will find them schooled up nearby. The various arms are still holding Toga and Bass but be sure to get onto the water early to get the top water bite.
Now for all the latest information log onto www.fishingnoosa.com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports, don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting, and remember Tight Lines and Bent Spines!
