Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
As anglers many of us watch the moon and tides as well as the weather for the best times to go. After a moon phase we see the tides drop away only to start building a week later as the next moon phase begins again. These building tides can be a big trigger for fish to feed hard making now a great time to go fishing. Sunshine Coast Noosa
Offshore
Offshore, the week saw some heavy rainfalls with the swell on the bar making for a few wild crossings. The weekends forecast of light winds didn’t disappoint with anglers enjoying a lower swell on the bar. Snapper are still on the catch menu with the bigger fish sitting in the deeper waters of the Banks and the Hards. This makes owning a decent sounder/GPS a must. We have a great range of sounders in stock which suit inshore and offshore in the deep. Soft plastics work well out here, but heavier jig heads of 2oz plus will really help get your offering down fast. Look at the Nemesis range in the larger sizes which snapper and other reef species love. Bait anglers can enjoy the run of super clean pilchards found in the freezers which work well on 4/0-5/0 gang hooks. Sunshine Coast Noosa
There are reports of spanish mackerel about so be sure to cast a pilchard floater out. You can set and forget one and even use a baitrunner reel which is thrill to listen to when a big fish screams off with your bait. Elsewhere, the close reefs are seeing some big sweetlip, smaller reds, pearl perch, cobia and tuna. North Reef is popular as this sits out wide enough to receive the different currents which often brings bigger fish. Out here, 50lb gear is often used making braid important to deal with the currents and deeper water. If looking for a great deeper water outfit the new Wilson Blade and Tails rods are great value and built tough. Match these with a new Penn Slammer for a hard-wearing big fish stopping combo. Sunshine Coast Noosa
Beach
Surf fishing has seen good numbers of whiting turning up with a few around the bigger 40cm size. These fish are taking live worms so be sure you grab a couple of packs on your next visit. Tailor continue to run but you will have to jump in the 4×4 and head up to Fraser Island. Locally however there are also some good dart and flathead showing up, especially around the mouth.
River
Inside the river a mixed bag of fish are showing up providing something for everyone. If after flathead then you will find plenty of smaller 50cm fish in the lower part around the mouth. This is the time of year where smaller male fish will gather in search of bigger 60cm plus breeding sized female fish. Flatties will take bait and lures making them a great target for everyone. We have small pilchards which make perfect drift baits for flathead and also a wide range of soft plastics suitable for them. Whiting and bream will be holding around the dog beach and of course the sand flats of the Frying Pan on the northern side of the river. As things warm up whiting will be smashing small surface lures. This is by far some of the best fishing as you can wade around in the daytime and still catch fish. Ultra-light rods and lines make for the best fun so check out our range of 1-3kg rods and 2kg lines. Mangrove jack are about but still a little cagey. Daytime anglers will catch them but they can be a fish of a thousand casts at times. Fishing late at night is productive just never underestimate how heavy you need to fish for them. We have many stories of the one that got away on 50lb gear!
Freshwater
Away from the estuary, the everglades are a beautiful location to go and explore on kayak. With beautiful surroundings and wildlife, you really feel like you are in another world. You can also catch wild Australian bass here which although not huge will certainly pull very hard and you along with them. Try small surface lures and suspending hard-bodies such as the trusty Jackall Squirrel in black and gold. Once you have explored here you can take a trip to Lake MacDonald which is another beautiful area with many arms to catch big bass, yellowbelly and saratoga. Be sure you pick up a SIPS permit online before you go and troll your lures out the back if just enjoying the exercise as bass will smash diving lures.
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 Tackle World Noosa, Noosa Boating and Outdoors and 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!
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