Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
With a week of blustery winds, easterly swell and showers the fishing was all about the river and freshwater with a good mix of species keeping anglers busy.
Starting around the mouth, flathead can be located around the many drop offs that litter the lower river area. These fish respond well to drifted whole fish baits like whitebait and froggies. You can gang hook or snell two hooks for the best presentation and even fish these with little to no weight and allow the current to do the job.
As the weather starts to cool around the river mouth rocks and the snags of the dog beach you will find sizable bream as well. This area is best fished from a boat or kayak as fish will instinctively run for cover. Around woods bay in the mornings and high tides you can expect to find trevally and even queenies mixed together. These fish have to be experienced using a surface lure. Look at the new MMD splash prawns for a skipping option these species love to chase down. Around the coastguard you can expect to find golden trevally, flathead and whiting in the shallows. Whiting love a live beach worm on a running sinker rig and some red whiting tube to help with attraction.
Away from the lower river toward the ski run the continued run of flatties and trevally continues with the deeper holes on the Northshore side of the river a great place to throw smaller 2-3 inch soft plastic grubs and paddle tail plastics. This week we are in the new moon phase and as such the currents will be stronger in the river so fishing around the last of a tide and the turn will be your best option to avoid lots of current. The mouth of lake Cooroibah is a favourite spot as you can sit out of the main channel and find those fish taking shelter. You will need to increase jighead weights if running plastics and like the lower river area, fishing unweighted baits works very well here. snapper presence felt
On the offshore scene, most report came in on the Sunday as this was the first opportunity that anglers got to head offshore, snapper are really starting to make their presence felt, with some quality fish boated. Sunshine Reef has fished well for Pearl perch, cobia, tusk fish, big sweetlip and of course snapper.
With some good conditions forecast larger craft will do the miles to the Barwon Banks and the Hards which should be fishing extremely well. The Banks is likely to producing snapper, cobia, tusk fish, moses perch and pearlies, hussar and Maori cod. snapper presence felt
North Reef is another on the radar with cobia, pearl perch, moses perch, snapper and tusk fish. For those doing the run to the Double Island Reefs expect to see snapper, red emperor, tusk fish, pearl perch cod and cobia all in larger sizes. snapper presence felt
For more Sunshine Coast snapper content, click here!
Freshwater saw things warm up with hotter daytime and evening temps early in the wee. Both Lake Mac and Borumba have seen fat bass smashing the bait and putting on a bit of size. These fish are still down deep with smaller fish coming midwater in tight schools. Break out anything that vibrates and around 50-70mm in size. The new Samaki Redic 60mm turbo mullet looks like a baitfish and is sure to get the bite for those working jerkbaits. If you are working the deeper schools then try Keitech 3” easy shiner in Holts Herring colour with a fine wire TT headlockz jig head around 3/8th weight. If wanting a saratoga, keep eyes peeled with your polaroids on. A small surface lure cast in their vicinity will get their attention. They have an amazing lateral line and pick up on the smallest vibration. They will take their time before they take your lure off the top but when they do its well worth it! Look at Jackson risk bait and Chasebaits cicada.
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!
