Adrian got fully stretched by this enormous diamond trevally. They grow huge in Hervey Bay and they pull like freight trains.
This Weekend is Looking Awesome
Last Sunday and Monday turned on the glamour conditions for boaties, and many made the most of it. The forecast was worse than the actual wind since then, so a few savvy skippers made their way out into the southern bay or up the island. Those waters and beyond will be very popular again this weekend. The wind is easing and the weekend looks terrific!
No-one out on the briny today has reason to complain. There’s little more than 10 knots of onshore breeze and a light fog early to remind us that it is autumn. Tomorrow should be even better, with more like 5 knots from the east / north-east (if there is any breeze at all in the morning). A gentle sea breeze late afternoon will cool you off whilst you wash your boat and get ready for another glamour day Sunday.
An early start Sunday should see you out there revelling in the sub-10 knot easterly. Returning by mid-afternoon will ensure you avoid the steadily increasing breeze. The weather gods are certainly favouring the weekend warriors this week, as a gradually stiffening south-easter is building that could be strong enough to blow everyone off the water by mid-week. We could see a return of stiff trade winds by Wednesday night, and no doubt a few showers will be blown our way in such a moist onshore breeze.
Saturday marks the last quarter stage of the moon’s monthly cycle, and that means neap tides for the next few days. In fact, the tidal flow is miniscule, with tiny tidal variations of barely 0.75m during daytime flood tides this weekend. Not appealing at all for inshore pelagics or shallow reef fishing, but primo for some riverine adventures or a wander out wide to deeper waters.
How happy would you be with a lap full of red emperor at this young fella's age.
Whopper nannygai featured in Aedan's catch from rarely-fished grounds offshore.
Pier Still Popular Regardless of Restrictions
Urangan Pier remains fenced off part way across the sandbank as restoration works continue. Being restricted to the first channel and part of the sand bank (when the tide is high) is undoubtedly frustrating to pier regulars and visitors alike. However, a few hopefuls still wander the accessible area tossing baits and lures at fish cruising the shallows during daylight, and then the pier gets even more popular after dark.
The odd school mackerel has been caught when the tide is high, and roaming queenfish also tend to heighten excitement levels when they get within casting range. Flathead are a viable target species over neap tides, and they just happen to favour the first channel. See if you can secure a live bait and send it over the left side into a gently flooding tide and you will soon find out if any flatties are in residence.
Small whiting and tiny bream will continue to entertain the smallest of kids, but it is the very real chance of a much larger displaced estuary predator that could have the more serious fisho doing the pier shuffle. The neaps are less than ideal, but all the same, don’t be surprised if grunter and salmon are caught after dark by folks fishing live or dead baits in the first channel.
Word of the usual highly disturbing nocturnal massacre of prime breeding stocks of our most iconic estuarine species is doing the rounds once again, and raising the ire of all folks who get wind of it. With so many modern-day fishos so focussed on the more important than ever prevention of over-fishing and depletion of breeding stocks, this heinous practice by a limited few is incredibly disappointing. Almost as concerning is the chance that small kids might emulate the actions of others at a time when legal access to the outer reaches of the pier is denied and their nocturnal efforts might end in disaster. Let’s certainly hope not!
Jacko found a school of bludger trevally swirling tornado-style through the water column and couldn't resist tossing them a stickie.
Terry Allwood from Flick It Charters with just one of many Mondy barra he has caught lately.
Mondy's barra are biting well, and regulars like Terry are into them big time after dark.
Sharks Attracted to Our Shallow Margins
The recent flash flooding created a once in a lifetime (we hope) opportunity for numbers of small bull sharks and their brethren to feed on masses of fish and other aquatic life washed out of local pondages and streams. It is almost old news now, but worth mentioning perhaps, if just to illustrate how significant the flushed-out food source was for the local shark population. A mere week and a half ago, there were dead freshwater turtles washing up randomly all along the town beachscape, and eels of all sizes were flushed out in numbers too.
Freshwater eel is considered the numero-uno bait for bull sharks by some aficionados, so no doubt many a bully dined well recently. If only the sharks could control the tilapia population. Hordes of these invasive horrors were flushed from lakes in town and have used the temporarily brackish waters to spread their reign and expand their realm of destruction. Should you catch any tilapia, then despatch them humanely and then dispose of them in a plastic bag in a bin, away from the water. They are mouth-brooders in case you didn’t know, which means their young could survive out of water for a period and they are proven to overpopulate waters very quickly.
Some folks are fond of eating tilapia, which is apparently a major contributing factor as to why the pests are in our waters in the first place. It is hard to believe in this day and age, but apparently some individuals out there are willing to introduce a pest to enhance their chances of catching a fish they desire. Oh, so wrong! Yet, oh so familiar a story when we think back to colonialists and their fluffy bunnies perhaps.
Anyway, back to the point. Shark numbers exploded in our shallow margins for a period after the recent flash flooding. The filthy waters are mixing nicely now and things are slowly returning to normal, but many sharks still cruise shallow waters locally. Take this as a warning for wading, or as an invite to get out there and enjoy a little sporting fun. Small sharks are a real handful for any fisho on light enough tackle, but quite manageable. You don’t really even need heavy wire trace (just ask any reef fisho that has endured drawn-out battles with noahs on mono leader).
Even the much less scary shovel-nosed sharks mooched up into the shallow beach margins to feed recently. A couple of hefty models have been caught from the Shelley Beach rock groynes and others reported from Urangan to Pialba. Blue salmon have also been feeding in the discoloured waters along our beaches of late, as well as along the rocky shoreline at Pt Vernon and the Booral Flats.
Whiting won’t be worth pursuing until the tide has some serious flow in it again. This time next week should be good. The beaches west of town continue to offer the best chance of a feed. Resorting to topwater lures has been necessary due to suspended algae in the water lately, so keep that in mind. We will let you know how water conditions are improving once we get word.
The neap tides will see minimal flow from our local creeks, so shore-based fishos might need to get their feet muddy as they head upstream. Flathead, blue salmon, cod and barra are a chance from local creeks, as are some pretty impressive mangrove jacks. More saline waters will flush the last of the recent run-off from the mid-upper reaches a few days after the tides start to make again and the creek fisheries will again thrive.
Back to the inshore reefs and Tony is feasting well again. Quality grunter such as this one will be on the chew over the dark of the moon.
Nathan is spending a lot of time fishing the local flats on fly. Success is regular these days with minimal impact from netting effort.
Matt scored this solid grunter recently. These fish will be hyperactive again when the tides build.
Recent Rains Flushed Out the Prawns & Crabs
Banana prawn fans can get serious about these tasty little morsels now. Our burgeoning prawn season was gradually building momentum from the most significant wet season rains in a few years, and then the recent localised flooding and other steady rains boosted this fishery. Ensure you have a cast net with you if going anywhere near our creeks or rivers from now on, as you might even trip over a handy feed without trying.
Some effort on your part will ensure success of course, so ready your nets now if you haven’t already done so. Quality bananas are on the run in the lower Mary River and in the Susan. Local creeks are also producing a feed of smaller prawn. More mature bananas will return with better water quality.
No word from the Burrum at the time of writing, but given the recent flush from Lenthalls and the system’s apparent slowly-clearing nature, there is bound to be several serious patches of prawn in there somewhere. Mature prawn may stay buried temporarily whilst the fresh flow above isn’t to their liking, so consider a scan at high tide if necessary. Otherwise, you are bound to find a stack of smaller prawn flushed from upstream during the ebb tide.
The mainland creeks down the straits are starting to produce an improving feed of prawn. The neap tides won’t really benefit prawners down there, or anywhere else for that matter, but that will all change a few days into the makes. Fraser’s western creeks are often last to come online in a prawn season, yet they can also give up some of the most impressive hauls. It is worth a look over there perhaps, but you will only be driving past primo prawn to get there.
Mud crab fans have been busy since the recent flash flooding. A full moon in the mix a week ago added the final ingredient to the perfect crabbing mission. Many crabbers were successful locally, from our major rivers to the tiniest of creeks. Muddies were also potted or picked up from local beaches and mudflats, as so many of their kind bade farewell to their post-summer upstream migration for now and escaped back to more comforting saline waters.
The general quality of the muddies has been very good too. Some have caught excellent crab; stretching the measure beyond 20cm and weighing a chunky 1.5kg. Some crabs so chock-a-block full that it was apparently a chore extracting the delicious white flesh from their swollen shells.
Crabbers might continue to catch a few muddies over these neap tides, but their chances will improve substantially as the tidal flow builds closer to the new moon. With the Mary system, the Burrum system and every other creek in the area worth crabbing at present, the effort is spread, so many a feast will be enjoyed by local crabbers in weeks to come.
Mud crabs have been on the march, and there are quite a few very large models about too.
Crabs, crabs and more crabs. Recent rains have the muddies on the move and they are chockas full of meat.
Inshore Reef Fishos Can Score a Mixed Bag
Squid forced from certain waters, and prawns, crabs and masses of other ‘nutrients’ washed from our local streams, has not gone unnoticed by our inshore reef fish populations. Grassy sweetlip have been ravenous and have been feeding everywhere from the deeper shipping channels to the fringing reefs. Catching multiple sweeties in a session is pretty much the norm right now, sharks permitting.
Sadly, the sharks are still taking a serious toll in many areas, but luckily, they are not everywhere (yet). Stories of unbeatable sharks in as little as two metres of water mirrors the tales of so many mooching about in our skinny margins. Many are large and menacing; relentless in their pursuit of any fish you may hook - but not all. There are even more smaller models hugging the shallows at present, looking not only for the abundant tucker these times offer, but some shelter from their larger brethren lurking in the depths.
Manage to avoid the noahs over these neap tides and you might get a couple of coral trout to the boat amongst a steady stream of estuary cod. Apart from sweeties, bait fishos (and some lure fishos) can expect encounters with nannygai and blackall. Better nannies will be found up the bay and out wider, but the run of fish inshore is quite worthy of some effort too. Expect a better bite from them closer to the new moon.
It is not just the sharks that you need to avoid if you want every fish you hook to make it over the gunnels. There are plenty of beastly big giant trevally lurking around more prominent inshore structures at present. These brutes love snatching sweeties, squire, trout and other reefies just as they love scoffing mackerel etc. They lurk around local shipwrecks and other artificial reefs, as well as along some of the more dramatic ledge country. Avoid them if you wish, or take the fight to them and see if you can wrangle them away from their lairs.
It was two at a time when the sweeties were on the chew for Stuart.
Coral trout are on the chew inshore, so you can be eating well like Carl if you can beat the sharks.
Jacko took time out from chasing tuna to jig this fine bar cheek for dinner.
Prawn imitation softies catch just about everything, including goldies such as this one of Carl's.
Happy Days for Mackerel Fans
If you like mackerel, then you are going to love the scene out on Hervey Bay at present. The second annual closure for spanish mackerel concludes at midnight tonight, and they are out there in abundance. Apparently, the species is in strife in Qld waters, but that doesn’t seem to be the case in these parts.
You can find your next spaniard at the Fairway, at Rooneys, at the Gutters or at the 25 Fathom Hole. You might find one (your bag limit these days) before you even get out there, or trip over a school working baitfish on any number of reefs in the central bay. There are plenty in Platypus Bay at present, but of course, they are a permanent no-take species within those waters due to the high ciguatera risk. Catch and release doesn’t always go that well for spaniards, so probably just avoid them when up that way, or after you have your bag or boat limit elsewhere.
Numbers of fat broad-barred mackerel were reported off Coongul Point only a week ago, so, even without more current data, one might assume they are still inshore here somewhere. If you can’t find the broadies, then surely you will find some schoolies. They are thick apparently, with big numbers caught recently around the Fairway and out at the 25 Fathom Hole. They are “everywhere there is bait on a reef” up the island, and also scattered throughout our inshore shipping channels. If you can’t find them, then go for a troll, and they will find you.
A true bonus for mackerel fishos was the late run of sizeable spotties in the bay post T.C Alfred. It seems that Alfred’s path down the pacific created seas sufficient to send a heap of spotties back into the bay for shelter and they have been a semi-reliable source of fun and protein ever since. How long this belated run will last is unknown, so get out there and into them if you are a fan.
Large spotties have been reported from up Rooneys way and within the central northern bay. Schools were abundant from not far off Gatakers Bay to the 25 Fathom Hole a week earlier too, so they’ve been widespread. Many schools are fast-moving and hard to stay with, so a couple of intrepid locals put their favoured Nomad DTX Minnows to work last Sunday and trolled-up quality fish they were unable to get a cast to otherwise.
Hervey Bay spaniards are a bonus bycatch when dancing GT Ice Creams across the top chasing tuna.
Caleb Knight caught this queenie and a string of nannies during an enjoyable day on the bay. No photo of the monster cobia lost at the boat though.
Tony has finally recovered from a dose of septicaemia from a fish hook in his arm, and this hard-fighting shovelly sure tested him.
Massive Numbers of Longtail Tuna in the Bay
That same howling wind and big sea that warranted a return visit from the spotted mackerel also steered a massive number of tuna into Hervey Bay waters. From the Arch Cliffs 6 Mile to Rooneys, there is an abundance of mac tuna schools, yet they are actually out-numbered by longtails in many parts of Platypus Bay. Whilst many of the mac tuna are quite small, it seems there are vast schools of longtails where individuals are averaging 80-100cm. There is enough even larger longtails being spotted beyond the fringe of the feeding melees to suggest there are trophy fish out there for those folks so inclined.
Baby long toms are a highly visible food source for the tuna. Most visible as they are seen so often skittering away to avoid the menacing longtails. Given that a lot of the baby long toms are a mere 20cm or so, they are easily replicated by any number of stick baits that we stock these days. A firm favourite for many is the GT Ice Cream Skinny, but that is just one of a host on offer if you care to drop in before your next tuna mission.
Bait balls of juvenile herring and other baitfish species are also being devoured by the tuna hordes. Should you be fishing bait balls then metal slugs and the ever-reliable jighead-rigged jerkshads are more often sent into battle. Not only do such profiles match the baitfish being balled-up, but the cost of losses doesn’t hurt the pocket so bad either should the noahs be attending. The same goes for the wicked new Vexed Jig Wig Bon Chovi skirts that are a simple yet very clever synthetic skirt that sleeves so perfectly onto a jighead.
Some crews had a ball catching numerous longtails not far out from Wathumba with no carnage from sharks whatsoever on Monday. Fun times were had with abundant trevally found schooling in the area too, with no taxman to be seen. We can only hope that this shark-free tuna fishing caper continues as better weather sees more boats on the bay, but alas, its unlikely. Make the most of these happy days and get those stick baits dancing past the bigger tuna before the bullies and their cousins spoil the party.
GT Ice Cream Skinnies are one of Jacko's go-to tuna lollies.
Hunter Murray got amongst the Hervey Bay longtail tuna population.
Stuart used the Samaki Redic Stickbait 85 to tempt this Hervey Bay longtail.
The longtail tuna schools are abundant in the bay and entertaining plenty of fishos like Zac.
Offshore Fishing Well Post-Alfred
No word on the pelagic scene offshore, but it sounds like the reef fishing is pretty good at least. After such a torrid period of massive swells courtesy of T.C Alfred, the vast reef systems east of Breaksea Spit are alive with quality reef fish and not too many sharks. The noahs weren’t totally unavoidable this week, but we are yet to hear of any real disastrous sessions, which is great.
Crossing the Breaksea Spit after a period of sustained large swell meant all skippers were extra cautious. Sunday’s residual swell stood up across the shallower bar crossings, and ones such as the 4 mile experienced some serious sand shifts. Regular users of that passage in particular have suggested caution as the dog-leg has moved and it is now very shallow at low tide. If heading that way in the near future, give yourself time to sit back and watch the sets (a task made harder staring into a rising sun to the east as you know). You can always steer further north and cross the deeper 9 mile or 13 mile, or just go around the long way.
Fish-wise, there were quality reefies caught from the lutjanid family, along with plenty of tuskfish. The hussar were widespread and absolutely ravenous, making it hard to get past them in some waters. The current was a manageable 2 knots tops, so drifts were quick enough to cover terrain but slow enough to get baits to the prime reef country below. No word from deep droppers at present, but maybe they will have a crack this weekend.
Down south, Greg from Double Island Point Reef Fishing Charters has been back to work. He says the reef fishing is great once again, after a lengthy hiatus caused by Alfred’s wind and swell. The sharks aren’t nearly as bad as they were pre-Alfred, so it’s all good news for his future clientele and anyone else considering a trip beyond the Wide Bay bar this weekend.
Coronation trout are quite prolific offshore north-east of Fraser Island. Aedan caught this one in stellar weather early this week.
Big nannies bit well during an all-too-rare spell of great weather earlier this week.
Mitch with yet another big nanny from a recent trip offshore with Aedan.
Monduran Fired for the Classic Last Weekend
Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association (MASA) members must still be cheering after such a successful 2025 Lake Monduran Humminbird Classic last weekend. A big field of tournament fishers descended on the lake for the annual event and good timing moon-wise, good weather and good strategies saw the most impressive catches, by far, in the competition’s short history.
Yes, that darn live scope was integral to the success of just about all involved, yet it was local experience and a host of proven techniques that boosted the victors to the winners’ podium ahead of the also-rans. Congrats to all the successful entrants, and to the winning team. Congrats also to MASA and all involved for running such a successful comp.
There were some serious numbers of barra caught at Mondy last weekend. Fish after fish, nearly all bettering the metre mark, were biting quite consistently. Refusals were commonplace (that only scopers would realise) and yet quite a few folks scored multiple big barra from even more hook-ups. If you want to suss out the final results, then click on https://masa-fishstocking.org.au/?page_id=2308 and scroll through the impressive catch cards etc.
Now maybe the rest of us mere mortal regulars can get back to fishing our favourite lake in relative peace. Warm days and still warm nights are highly conducive to impoundment barra fishing. The days are getting shorter and the nights longer now, so make the most of the prevailing warmth if you need a freshwater fix and relish the daytime bite so less prevalent in cooler times.
Alternatively, you could always duck out to Lake Lenthalls if you prefer. It continues to fish well for smaller barra in the 55-80cm size class. They may not be the big fatties of Mondy fame, but their sheer numbers and the fun lakeside fishing amongst lilies and laydowns is very special, all on its own. Experience the ultra-impressive topwater fishery at Lenthalls and you might come to appreciate why so many locals favour that little lake over the big drawcard up the road.
Good luck out there y’all …… Jase
Cody headed to Lake Monduran and got amongst some solid barra.
Leon was one of many to catch big barra in Lake Monduran last week.
Andrew wouldn't want anyone to know how many barra he lost to catch this one. Good old Mondy saves the day again.