Finding Hervey Bay goldies to drop jigs to isn't too hard at all right now.
Autumn Rains Hinder New Moon Fishing
We trust you all got out and enjoyed the sensational boating conditions last weekend, as this weekend looks decidedly less appealing. The last couple of days have been wet and a bit windy, courtesy of a prevailing onshore flow. Today’s 15-20 knot easterly will drag more showers onshore and most likely lead to more consistent rainfall into the weekend.
Saturday looks wet. It could be quite windy early, then ease dramatically as the trough creating this weather event passes our region. Heavy rainfall has been predicted to peak Saturday, then ease substantially Sunday. The wind is likely to swing to the west Sunday morning, most likely north-west. It could ease dramatically by midday, and the rain could clear, but even if it does it will be a day for crabbing and prawning more-so than fishing for those willing to get the boat wet.
The working week looks interesting, potentially. Monday could see barely more than 10 knots from the east-south-east, followed by 10 knots or less from the east Tuesday. Rotating anti-clockwise and remaining light thereafter, the breeze could be very light all week. Watch the formation of the low in the Tasman to see how this week actually turns out. Lows south of us are good news for boaties, even if we will have to put up with continuing showers all week.
It is a new moon this Saturday. This means spring tides, and quite substantial ones at that. Just as the neaps last weekend were particularly minor, this weekend’s tides will be huge. Morning highs will peak at just over 4m, whilst afternoon lows bottom out a smidge above 0.4m. This means a stack of run in the tide and good things for several fisheries as well as being extra special for crabbers and prawners.
This week's forecasts are changing so frequently, maybe we are just better off getting one of these.
Tim went deep dropping and got amongst the deep water codlies.
Flamies are still out there over the shelf for anyone keen to get back out deep dropping.
Tasty treats are on offer on the shoal country east of Breaksea. RTE's like this one of Tim's are hard to beat on the plate.
Boat Limits Galore at Woodgate Last Weekend
Many a prawner and their families and friends enjoyed a feast of succulent banana prawns from Woodgate last weekend. Word from efforts on Friday spread quickly through the grapevine and a big crowd descended on the prawn grounds Saturday morning. It was chaos at the Burrum Heads boat ramps apparently, with queues waiting to launch or retrieve at times, and all carparks and nearby curb side parking chockas.
We assume everyone returned to the ramp with their quota of prawns, as it didn’t take too much effort apparently. Sunday was just as busy early, but much more sedate at the ramps for late starters. The prawns weren’t as easy to get Sunday with a residual north-east swell and slight onshore breeze less to the prawns’ (and prawners’) liking. A bucket was just a matter of time and effort though, so long as you ignored the gathered mass of boats and drifted grounds further north.
Last weekend’s prawns were aggregated just off the southern end of Woodgate township. Where they will be thickest next time is an unknown, but not hard at all to decipher. Using your sounder to identify the prawn before casting is mandatory. Don’t waste your time and effort constantly throwing for no result, or minimal prawns. Many did from what I could see last Sunday, with seemingly dozens of boats casting constantly within “a patch” for next to nothing, whilst there were plenty of prawns located mere hundreds of metres away with virtually no-one in attendance.
Sure enough, when the bananas gather in massive numbers off Woodgate, like elsewhere, there will be super-thick patches and scattered prawn elsewhere. The tiny neaps last weekend meant that the prawns were scattered along stretches of hundreds of metres and fairly constant, rather than balled-up in the seething sounder-blacking-out masses we all look forward to finding.
Bycatch was quite minimal which was pleasant. Occasional herring and other tiny fish were scooped up amongst the prawns, but you could easily avoid the more abundant fish by simply monitoring your sounder. Too much red or orange means fish, whilst blues and whites mean prawn (on a standard traditional sounder palette at least). Down-scan confirmed the prawn versus fish when zoomed in on fancier sounders, and I am sure some even watched screen visions of their net descending over the prawn at times.
As usual, the prawn wasn’t far off the beach in 4-5 metres of water. The quality of the bananas was not up to the usual Woodgate standard, but it is early days yet. The prawns were large enough to keep everyone happy, but a lot of smaller medium-class prawn was in the mix. There were no extra-large (10 inch) prawns caught as far as we know, not even close. On Sunday morning, most prawn had white legs, with only the odd cast producing red-legged prawn. The green-legged models came thick and fast when the tide turned and topped up a boat limit quite quickly.
This weekend’s new moon is absolutely prime for prawners up and down our coastline. Once the onshore breeze tends offshore or drops right out to nothing, there is bound to be a fleet of eager prawners headed for Woodgate once again. The big tides should see the bananas on the run and gathered in select patches. Just how well it fires will be known only by those that go for a look. Word will be out in no time again thereafter no doubt, so a steady stream of boats could be Woodgate-bound right into mid next week.
Andrew was one of the first on the scene at Woodgate late last week. A boat limit was easy enough, but no 'footballs'.
Chris joined Andrew for a session on the Woodgate prawns. Happy boys and happy families on their return with a boat limit.
Not what you want in your top pocket when prawning at Woodgate.
The author's boat limit of 20 litres of banana prawns from Woodgate last weekend. Not as big as they usually are, but quality all the same.
Banana Prawns and Mud Crabs on the Move
This rain, coupling with a new moon and massive tides spells fiesta-time for prawn and crab lovers. The muddies have been hyperactive since recent heavy rains and minor flooding and are turning up within and beyond our rivers and creeks. The muddies are in some instances amassed in select zones within our streams, often at or near the junction of intersecting or feeder streams. Masses of crab pots line our creeks and rivers, and there have been plenty of folks crabbing out on the flats as well. Catch rates are excellent, and the quality of the crab just as good.
Prawning effort within the lower Mary and Susan has been primarily limited to the large gutter systems. Large tracts of waterway that close off with the ebbing tide to form an oversized blind gutter offer some of the best prawning right now. A bucket limit is very much achievable, with the better prawn considered quality ‘boilers’ or medium-class at best for now.
The neap tides meant prawners had to send their nets into or immediately adjacent to drains to fill their bucket, or plough their tinny into the muddy shallows. This weekend’s springs will be vastly kinder to prawn fans, as the big ebb tides drain the drains and force the prawn into deeper water nearby. Focus on the last of the ebb and you will do okay, but it might be the early flood tide that sees your nets fill quicker, as the prawns gather to move back into the shallows.
Quality top pocket cast nets are the go for all your deeper water prawning. Dedicated top pocket-only nets, sporting chain bottoms for better casting and maximum ‘noise’ not only spread easier and scare up better numbers of prawn, but these nets also minimise bycatch of fish etc as they lack the bottom pocket that catches so much trash. These nets have very limited application in shallow waters, below 2 metres for example, as it takes some liberal boat-driving to keep the top pocket in the water whilst the prawn tracks up the net.
Cast nets adorned with both top and bottom pockets remain the most popular, and probably always will. These nets can be used in both deep and shallow water. Yes, they will catch bulk bycatch, but for some folks that is actually a bonus. Those folks gathering prawns and other critters for bait fall into this category. Some buy top and bottom pocketed nets as an allrounder, as they can gather mullet etc when necessary and won’t be let down if they stumble onto the prawn.
For constant use in super shallow water, you cannot beat a drawstring cast net. These aren’t nearly as popular as the other types above, but they are undeniably the most effective in skinny water. Unlike other nets, they have no pockets, as the whole net collapses on itself and becomes one oversized pocket when retrieved. These nets are the ones to use over rocks or in mid-water where you don’t want to hit bottom and risk snagging.
Basically, if a critter is under your drawstring net when it touches down or is drawn closed, then you catch it. Many prawns escape other nets by scurrying back to the mud when the net is retrieved, which is why standard bottom pocket-only nets are so minimally effective as prawning nets. Fine for mullet and herring etc, not so for prawning.
Regardless of your chosen net, some liberal jerking of the rope to bounce your leads/chain and create a racket is mandatory when retrieving for prawns, as opposed to the simple slow draw retrieve for fish. If possible, a jerk or two should be followed by pauses then repeated, as often a number of prawns will swim part of the way up your net and hang on unless further prompting scares them into the pocket.
Don’t be in a hurry to fully retrieve your net as its ‘circle’ is being drawn closed on the sea floor either. Some of you are yet to experience first class prawning and have yet to feel that rattling sensation through your net rope as scores of fat prawns rock up your net and crash into the top pocket. This is one of the greatest pleasures of prawning and one worth relishing, as each jerk can send another rattle of prawns skyward during subsequent pauses.
Swimming prawn that is above the mud will ride up your net within the first couple of jerks. Buried prawn, belatedly scared from the muddy bottom might only come within the last couple of jerks prior to complete withdrawal. Paying attention to details such as these can enlighten you as to the prawn behaviour below, and then their leg colours might set off a light bulb too.
Many of you will enjoy success on the prawning front in coming weeks, and perhaps months. Our rivers will give up a feed and so will our local creeks. Mainland creeks down the straits continue to be a better option for now than Fraser’s western creeks. This rain could see masses of prawn wash past key points that landlubbers can access, and our mudflats are bound to come alive in places over the darks too. It’s a medium-sized prawn lovers delight out there right now, and the big fatties won’t be far off - so go get some!
Tim with a longtail taken on a 160mm Venom V-Stick stickbait.
Zayda and Bryce had fun chasing longtails on the bay.
Gatakers Bay boat ramp was awash with gravel after the recent flash flooding. It was still manageable for 5m boats at low tide over the neaps.
Big Tides Challenge River Fishos
Catching prawns and being in the right spot casting lures at prime time is challenging and always has been. You want to be on the prawn when the tide is low or just starting to flood, but guess when you should be fishing for our major estuarine predators too?! These bigger tides will make that issue less dramatic, as you will have time for both if you work the tides well. The fact that a lot of fish are feeding more consistently during the flood tide due to fresh ebb tide waters happens to be a bonus at this time.
The Mary remains home to some very impressive barramundi, and these fish are feeling no urge to escape the influx of freshwater that they do in breeding season. The River Heads area might see fish caught this weekend that were devoid of fish only a week ago, but generally speaking, putting some miles between you and the ramp will serve you well.
Big draining tides favour those keen for a little drain-bashing for threadies. The fish will be highly visible as they create havoc amongst the tiny morsels washed from small drains with the ebbing tide. Ensure you don’t rely on just your favourite old drains this season, as you might be bitterly disappointed when you drive there to find it and every other decent drain in the area is hosting a crab pot. Mud crab fans favour drains as prime crab highways at present - much to the dismay of lure-chucking fishos.
A few big queenies have been working the abundant baitfish in the mouth of the Mary this week. They have been tearing into the bait a couple of hours into the flood tide along South Head and may continue these antics. Don’t be surprised if the queenies are replaced with sambos and the odd barra this week though.
The Burrum system remains quite fresh too, yet the waters at the heads were a ‘clear brown’ last weekend at low. You don’t need to wander far up from Burrum Heads to find yourself amongst quality barra. However, the big tides might make working those waters a little challenging. It is time for the Burrum’s biggest jacks to migrate downstream and beyond the river system in coming weeks, so make the most of the current conditions and get amongst them in the mid-lower reaches.
Focussing on the Great Sandy Straits in lieu of our rivers whilst the tides are huge is a sound idea. The nature of the terrain down there lends itself to big draining tide success, and the flats fishery when the tide is in can be highly productive too. Think queenfish, goldies and GTs; barra, salmon, cod, grunter, jacks, flathead and jewfish. Find a creek system spewing baitfish and prawn in the right coloured water and you could find the motherlode.
The kids have been having fun targeting jewfish over at Kingfisher Bay Resort’s jetty this week. Soft vibe and prawn imitations can achieve success for those willing to test themselves beyond the use of live baits. Flathead and a feed of whiting are possible from the nearby shallows over there whilst passing GTs and even longtail tuna are possible.
Master Mohr with a cute little goldie from a trip out on the bay with his dad, Tim.
Baby sharks are prolific inshore around any major bait schools. Scott suffered several captures like this, one after the other.
After missing or losing such a sad number of barra, we thought we had better share this pic of Andrew's fatty two weeks in a row.
Tuna Schools Highly Mobile
Hervey Bay’s massive longtail tuna population went from abundant and almost everywhere to hard to track down in a matter of days last week. Stories recalling huge numbers and multiple hook-ups urged a veritable fleet of tuna fans to head north-east into Platypus Bay last weekend, yet alas, many came home almost empty-handed. Many failed to find the tuna during the miniscule morning tides, then failed to linger for the bigger tides and bit of breeze that triggered a ‘rise’ later in the afternoon.
Trollers picked up longtails trolling rather randomly around bait schools and reefs up the island, where no tuna could be seen on any horizon. Others found small patches of fish, put they were highly mobile and flighty when approached. Some folks, accustomed to catching plenty of tuna most times were stymied by the meagre tides and the ultra-calm conditions last Saturday it seems.
The ‘makes’ since then have seen the longtails turn up well inshore, right up onto our local beach flats, and even in the lower reaches of the Burrum apparently. Schools of fish made their way down through our shipping channels into the straits during the makes, but they were once again highly mobile and quite flighty. Plenty of tuna were indeed caught this week, just not the massive numbers many were expecting following on for the previous week’s efforts.
Mac tuna schools continue to roam the bay, for those who care, but we have had no more word of spotties since that T.C Alfred-sponsored run of big fish a couple of weeks ago. A general shortage of surface action has been supplemented quite easily by jigging and vertical spinning sessions on the bay’s abundant trevally schools. It seems that even though we lacked spotties and marlin last summer, many of the spring trevally clans decided to linger.
There are queenies and goldies up the island, and both species are well represented inshore as well. Fish the flats or select reefs or ledges, or; if you get the chance over this set of darks, then try the Picnics and the other bay islands. You should find queenies on the current lines and island verges, with goldies on the flats if not near the queenies. You might even get to mix it with some XOS GTs, or their smaller brethren, as they crash tackle the baitfish running the gauntlet to and from the nearby flats. Some got to witness big GTs tearing into schools of large mullet on the beach up Rooneys way last weekend which was apparently very cool.
Champion junior fisho, Finn Welch with his first ever tuna. Just one of many more to come eh mate.
Scott Welch snuck this longtail in to prove to Finn that he can catch tuna too.
Brett scored a bigger-than-average longtail from a recent trip up the bay.
Paul found some longtails last weekend. They weren't as active during the neap tides, but have fired up since.
Mackerel Galore Inshore
Whilst tuna fans might have been disappointed with their results recently, mackerel fans certainly weren’t. There is an ongoing abundance of school mackerel inshore. It can be as simple as a spin to the Bait Grounds or the Fairway to secure a feed, or a little more fuel could be burnt across the banks towards Coongul. There are plenty up the island working herring schools on numerous reef systems, and still enough wandering our shipping channels to keep late season pencil squid chasers nervous.
Out-classing the schoolies has been the stonker broad-barred mackerel roaming our inshore waters at present. Typically thinned-out methodically in the past by local gill-netters, this year’s run of large broadies has been quite remarkable. Fish to 10 kilos have been caught this week from Coongul to Boges Hole. Big broadies have visited the semi-closed off Urangan Pier too and passing boaties have been tempted to take a swipe at them without having to contend with the attention of fishos from above (well, mostly).
Spanish mackerel are back on the hit list and they have been very easy to find in the northern bay. In fact, they have been hard to avoid some say and have taken a serious toll on lure collections for those trying to get jigs to and from the bottom. Whilst Platypus Bay spaniards remain out of bounds permanently, a troll, a spin or a live baiting session west of there towards the 25 Fathom Hole or south to the Outer banks will soon have your solo spanish mackerel bag limit achieved.
Jeremy with a brace of schoolies from a trip out from Gatakers Bay ramp. There are cleaning tables there for anyone unfamiliar with that facility.
Spanish mackerel are back on the hit list. Your bag limit of one fish won't be at all hard to fill in the central or northern bay.
Mick caught this fine spaniard in superb conditions recently.
Reef Fish Prime for the Dark of the Moon Bite
Inshore reef fishos have been managing a reasonable feed. That feed could be quite a good one if it wasn’t for the constant attention of those flaming sharks. Catching a fish or two and moving on has been necessary, as many folks lose way more fish than they actually get to keep. This unfolding disaster will only get worse now with so many tuna in the bay so please do your bit to reduce the wastage.
Coral trout are on the chew big time, as are the local estuary cod. Nannygai continue to turn up on many inshore reefs and they will bite particularly well over the darks. Not all the nannies being caught lately are the desirable large-mouthed varieties, as it seems a run of small-mouthed nannygai are also quite well spread. Happily intermingling and feeding together, you can catch both from the same site, but all who know their nannies know which ones they keep and which ones go back. ‘Pink blackall’ was a seemingly poignant moniker for smallies years ago, yet a broadening population of fishos in the bay seem to be far less fussy these days.
The March run of grunter from our inshore waters is well underway. Quality fish are turning up from many of the usual haunts, from the Outer Banks and the Burrum reefs to the Fairway and the bay islands. The dark of the moon will have them on the chew both day and night, if only we could get out there amongst them. Perhaps the Gatakers Bay – Pt Vernon reef system will give up a run of March grunter. It is the dark of the moon after all, the creeks are spewing prawn, and that strip has significant history of great grunter catches at this time.
Fail to find any of the upper echelon of inshore reef fish and you can still fall back on a handy feed of grassy sweetlip. These critters are almost everywhere right now, and absolutely revelling in the post flooding conditions inshore. Bigger sweeties bettering the 50cm mark are quite common, but they take some extracting from shark-infested waters. The usual run of 35-45cm fish is hard enough to haul up past the noahs, so a fish packing more resistance can be a challenge.
Not much word from offshore fishos this week, apart from a string of photos and stories recounting quite good days deep dropping along the shelf east of Breaksea Spit. The usual assortment of deep-water fish including pearl perch, flamies and bar cod featured in catches from depths averaging 200-250m. Quality RTEs, maoris, tuskies and hussar galore devoured baits drifted across the shallower shoal country. The sharks didn’t bother the deep droppers, and the shoals fishos were able to spot-hop to avoid them when necessary.
Ant Gibbs headed to the Gutters and did battle with this enormous spangled emperor.
Nannies for dinner for Stuart. These fish will bite well over the dark of the moon.
Sonia Watson getting amongst the bay's prolific inshore sweetlip population.
Local Beaches Worth Fishing in the Rain
No-one really likes fishing in the rain, but when the tides are right, some can be tempted. Whiting will be a reasonable target west of town proper, with a minimal to at best modest feed possible in town. Grunter fans have prime tides for chasing these ghosts of the flats this week, and could be tossing prawn imitations or the real thing out into an early rising tide if they see a break in the weather. Blue salmon are likely to respond to the enhanced tidal flow and work the local beaches and rocky shores.
An upside to the recent flash flooding has been the extraordinary run of flathead along our town beaches. From Pialba to Urangan, there have been numbers of flatties parked in prime ambush positions that have been quite easy to tempt. They really fired over the recent neaps, so should be even easier over these springs. Beach walkers wading in ankle-deep water have commented on the numbers of flatties scotting away from them, so imagine a concerted effort with a suitable lure or two and a flick rod.
Those fishing the first channel of the Urangan Pier can confirm the abundance of flathead right now too, with unseasonal numbers of fish caught or observed out there this week. They can be a bit trickier from that elevated platform over the springs, but are bound to be easy again next set of neaps. There are pike in the first channel to catch for live bait, and even schools of garfish milling around for those keen to get amongst them.
Good luck out there y’all …… Jase
Kane with just one of the many sizeable flatties that have been lurking in the Urangan Pier's first channel.
Kane's better half with a nice flatty from a local beach.
Flatties were thick in the first channel beneath the pier this week. Dude, seriously, drop in for a decent cap on us.