Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
As we welcomed in the start of November, the warm spring days have been replaced with cool rainy conditions. Reports from offshore have been encouraging, with good catches of snapper, pearl perch, tuskfish and various other reef species abundant. That’s not to say they have come easy, as some anglers can tell you – with some finding it difficult to locate quality fish.
These species will take single and double hook paternoster rigs, with pilchard and squid bait the most popular. If drifting, jigs also work well, with good reports of amberjack and yellowtail kingfish appearing in anglers’ happy snaps.
Sunshine Reef has been a little tougher but, for those heading out there, you would be wise to slow your drift by way of a drift anchor or electric motor. You can still fish live and dead bait here, and of course soft plastics and lighter jigs too. Load up with live bait before heading out that way. Another option is to deep drop your live bait and drift it above the structure. This could trigger a reaction bite from a hungry reef fish as it passes overhead, so hold on. If on anchor, be sure to let out plenty of rope to help soften conditions if it’s a bit choppy. We should start to see a few mackerel show up soon, and a pilchard floater will always be successful if drifting or on anchor when conditions are favourable. During other times, you can troll a wide range of lures from Halco, Nomad or Rapala or a simple rigged dead bait can be effective. Be sure to have a few of these in your kit when it’s too rough to travel at speed, as you could pick up a cracking fish when you are underway and thinking of heading home.
Off the beaches, the reports of tailor have been a bit patchy, but those willing to find the productive gutters are getting results. If tailor are hard to find, then a light setup can be a blast on whiting and dart, and even a standard 7’ estuary rod can be used. Come and grab some beachworms along with a few sinkers and hooks and you’re into the action.
In the river, we have seen some flathead coming into anglers’ nets. These fish have been caught not only in the day but at night. If after a big one, don’t be afraid to go big! A fish in the 80-90cm range will have to eat and when they do, they will snack on something worth their time. Besides live bait, there are a multitude of lure options – a big paddle tail plastic such as a Z-Man SwimmerZ or the MMD Whiting Glide Bait fished slowly over some shallow yabbie flats.
Traditionally, we begin to have warm and humid conditions fall on us and this means mangrove jack! If after jacks, get up into any little creeks, inlets and fish around structure!
If using plastics, go weedless and slow roll or burn them back out and use appropriate leader and braid strength. Whiting, bream and flatties can also be found together, so look around the Frying Pan, dog beach and river mouth. Small cube style bait of mullet, pilchard and prawn all work well here, when allowed to drift lightly around. Whiting fishos would be best to use peeled prawn, squid strip and live worms – all lightly fished for maximum bait presentation. Elsewhere, trevally can be found and will take everything from a prawn to a plastic or metal jig.
The freshwater impoundment scene has still been a little slow, with constant influxes of run-off and fish loses making a trip to Borumba Dam or Lake MacDonald a hard task, but those willing to persist should start thinking about surface presentations. Head out early and look around the timber and lily edges. Once the sun comes up a bit, switch to smaller jerk baits such as the Jackall Squirrel 67 and put in a long pause!
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, Davo’s Boating and Outdoors in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember, tight lines and bent spines!
