Goodbye South-Easter Hello Northerly

Boaties have been very restricted over the past week, with minimal opportunity to head anywhere beyond sheltered waters due to fairly strong onshore winds. Some will be lucky enough to get out today, and should make the most of the opportunity, as the wind is about to return from the north and curtail any open water activities for several days again.

Today’s light onshore breeze will tend northerly overnight and strengthen gradually through the day Saturday. You can expect as much as 20 knots by nightfall, but an early start could see you out and back before the wind gets too vigorous. Expect more of the same Sunday, with a more consistent 15-20 knots from the north-north-west. Obviously, such a breeze will bring the heat, so many of you should consider this forecast a blessing for estuarine activities, especially if it is the bigger estuary predators that you seek.

It looks as though the north wind will persist into the working week. 15 knots or so from the north-west early, then due north from mid-morning onwards. Perhaps the recipe for a stray storm or two mid-week, when a south-east change is expected to relieve us from what some may consider rather warm conditions. There is every chance that the next south-easter will only be short-lived and more spring-like conditions will return quite quickly. 

It was a new moon yesterday, so the moon is waxing once again. The nights are very dark and the tides quite large at present, which is a good enough trigger for many species to feed-up right now. Diminishing tidal flow in coming days may indeed reduce that urge in foraging species whilst other more predatory types position themselves to intercept the former as they retreat with the tides. There are definitely good times ahead for estuary anglers in particular. 

 

Headlands Now Open to Fishing on Fraser Island

The annual fishing closure on Fraser Island has concluded and the Waddy Point and Indian Head headlands are once again open to fishing. The season opener saw spanish mackerel caught spinning lures and live baiting with tailor on slide-baiting rigs apparently. Good conditions were very short-lived though unfortunately, as those on the spot only really had Monday to fish before a near-gale blew in and crashed the party.

The south-easter has been blowing ever since, and with seas to 4.5 metres recorded off D.I. and even higher off Cape Morton, surf beaches and rocky headlands were no place for fishing. Luckily, Waddy Point offers some protection from the south-easter for the die-hards keen to fish the gutters immediately to its north. Big swells made for challenging conditions along the full length of the island however, and many holidaying fishos were forced to retreat to the shelter of the western side to wet a line.

There were tailor caught in good numbers in the Happy Valley area prior to the blow, and undoubtedly from many other stretches of beach too. The tailor run this season has been a ripper, and those keen to sample the remainder of the season can confidently expect to mix it with the best of the bigger greenbacks in coming weeks. Dart numbers and size have been very good in recent times too, as regular readers will know. Get the weather right and a trip to Fraser’s surf beaches this October could well be a trip to remember.

Apex predators such as spanish mackerel, giant trevally, the odd jewfish and sharks have been drawn to the better surf gutters by the substantial biomass of spawning tailor in recent weeks. Will they linger after a big onshore blow and the resultant shifting sands this week? Let’s hope so. These larger predators certainly have added another level of excitement to the surf scene and put a serious working curve in many a long rod this season so far.

 

Still Fish at the Pier Despite the Wind

You had to be keen to wander out to the end of the Urangan Pier in the worst of the blow this week. Luckily, it didn’t howl consistently, so ample opportunity arose for those keen to mix it with the pelagics feeding off the deep end. Latest reports suggest the herring returned in good numbers and attracted a mix of predators.

There were broadies caught this week, along with golden trevally and queenfish. School mackerel were surprisingly scarce for periods, though those waters won’t be mackerel-free for long this time of year. Throw in the chance of a flathead or two and your standard live-baiting sessions have been productive. 

Spinning with metal spoons will always be the favoured approach for many of the more energetic local fishos keen to mix it with the mackerel, and our Flasha sales certainly spike at this time. The 35-gram model is the ‘main actor’ for those of you that didn’t already know, yet 50gm spoons are also popular with those sporting heavier tackle, whilst the 25gm version suits those with lighter rod tips. All these three Flashas are essentially the same size, just different thicknesses. 

There are smaller models that suit lighter spin tackle offering a very tempting profile to fish focussed on smaller herring or hardy heads. Bite-offs might be a little riskier with the smaller profiles, but the success of the 15gm Flasha elsewhere (and on a host of other species) cannot be denied. Indeed, River Heads fishos keen to spin up mackerel, tailor or blue salmon are well served by the Flasha spoon range. The 15gm lure being very underrated for blues, mimicking the very same action as the larger and most popular 35gm lure.

You are still in with a chance of a feed of whiting from local beaches and the Urangan Pier. The bigger tides right now have them feeding better than they might in a few days’ time, so take advantage of the easing breeze and have a crack. Even when the tides lose their oomph, the return of the north wind and the wave action it creates along our north-facing beaches might just see the whiting bite prevail. The northerly might even boost their activity over coming days, so don’t put the noodle rods away just yet.

The beach south of the Urangan Harbour has been producing good catches of whiting on tiny topwater lures of late, wind-permitting. Focussing on the lower stage of the tide and the slightly deeper gutters on this relatively flat yabbie-riddled beach/mudflat has been prime. When the tide rises too far and reaches the more dramatic gradient of the sandy beach, the whiting are scattered and the water too deep, so its off elsewhere or home with a feed to fillet.

 

Warmth Will Enhance the Estuary Predator Bite

Whether you’re an active landlubber keen to wander the banks of a local creek, or a boatie bursting to get into the biggest of our estuary predators, the week ahead could be a special one. The bigger new moon tides right now will favour many landlubbers as they meander their way into the back reaches of local creeks looking to mix it with mangrove jacks and barra. Lake-fed streams can really fire, whilst the lakes themselves will also experience an enhanced bite.

You could just take the easy option and tip toe around the muddy verges of the lower reaches of our creeks if you prefer. Chances are you will find a few flathead for your efforts, especially after this breeze eases and they return to the shallow flats. Eli and Beelbi Creeks’ flats offer prime opportunities, as does O’Regans and to a lesser extent, Pulgul. Throw in the chance of a queenfish, a barra, some bream and perhaps quite a few whiting and a session on shank’s pony could be a good one in coming days.

Dedicated mangrove jack fans will be monitoring this weather pattern and keen to get into the first serious session for the season. Yes, there have been quite a few jacks caught from our local streams already this spring, but one would expect even better catches this week. As the tides retreat post-new moon, many of the creeks down the straits and along Fraser’s western fringe will be the places to be (if you can get there). Many of these creeks are running clearer water than our rivers and offer the lure fisho more options. 

The Burrum system’s four rivers all house substantial jack populations and these fish will be increasingly active this week. It has cooled a bit over recent days, so prolonged periods of sunshine and a north wind will do wonders. Those lucky enough to avoid working next week may well benefit the most as water temperatures rise from the weekend warmth. Local bait fishos accustomed to fishing the Burrum system should head home with a tasty feed, so long as they focus on waters alive with baitfish. The mid-reaches are typically a good starting point at this time.

Barramundi will be too distracting for many though, and a substantially easier target species. The Burrum is giving up some fine barra already this spring and things are looking good for the remainder of this month. Come October 31st it is all over for barra fishing in coastal waters for three months, so make the most of coming weeks. Some might go for a troll, but most fishos are sporting side scanners if not live scope these days, so finding and casting at barra is much more popular and appealing.

Ensure you cover all the bases in the lure department if you seek ultimate success. Many of us favour our hardbodies, and for darn good reason, though that doesn’t mean we would consider a river trip without an arsenal of soft vibes and plastics. Prawn imitations have caught more barra for novices than any other form of lure in these parts, and will continue to do so. To make such presentations more interesting these days, there are very large prawn lures perfectly matched to big strong hooks, weedless or otherwise, that can take on the biggest of our saltwater barra. Suss ‘em out next time you are in store. You can’t miss ‘em, they are huge!

The Mary or the Straits – Choose Carefully

The north wind might seem quite daunting to the inexperienced when it comes to ventures down the straits. Crossing the channel from River Heads to Fraser can be wild in a 20-knot northerly, but substantially less so early in a flood tide. If your departure was early enough on the right day, then your return would be at such a time, just after you have enjoyed a great low tide session on the barra, the threadies and others. If your boat is just too small, your crew too anxious, or your timing less than ideal, then stick with the vastly safer and more comfortable option in the Mary or Susan River systems.

Recent reports of threadfin salmon catches within cooee of River Heads suggest you might enjoy success without burning much fuel, but ensure you have plenty anyway. Big miles can be the key some days, be that in one long run, or to and fro as you traverse the river sussing out various spots at differing stages of the tide. The Mary is still quite dirty upstream, courtesy of the unseasonal August rains. This coloured water further exacerbated by the larger new moon tides. Trust your sounder and keep on the move until you locate your target species.

There is going to be quite a few very big barra caught in the Mary system this season. It might be you struggling to hoist them aloft for a happy snap if you get lucky. Make sure your tackle is up to the task, and beef everything up when it comes to hardware on your lures, leader, and drag settings. Big fish need more than just luck to land, and the bigger they are, the more they break your heart when lost. Get out there now whilst the crowds are drawn to the hype on the impoundment barra scene and capitalise on what can be the absolute ultimate time on our rivers.

Of course, you could just take it easy and chase some flatties, seek some grunter, or have fun with the ever-present schools of blue salmon. The straits or the lower reaches of the Mary/Susan should satiate your urges in that respect. Kick back soaking yabbies and you are bound to take home a feed of whiting too if you get a wriggle on before these tides drop off too much. A jewie, some cod, mackerel, or a few queenies from the flats – all possible for those that might wander the straits this week.

Slipping some crab pots over the side on your way could add some culinary delights to your days’ end too. There has been a decent run of sand crabs down the straits in recent weeks and they pot well on the bigger tides. Anywhere from the bay islands down through the Turkey Straits into Long Pad is worth a look right now. The crab will keep on the move, so other areas will come online as the above go stale. Many of you will have ample whiting frames frozen in readiness, and you would struggle to find a better bait.

If you are heading for Kingfisher Bay, then word is that the baitfish have been coming and going with the varying water quality. When the baitfish are abundant, there has been numbers of small mackerel, and schools of mac tuna sometimes swimming within casting range. The jetty’s most reliable target species of late has been flathead though, and some large models can be sight-fished from above. A couple of fishos have enjoyed catching the flatties with soft plastics this week, be that from the jetty itself or terra-firma. Boaties fishing nearby have boasted of decent squire and estuary cod, and you can be assured there have been other species caught from reefy ledges in the area.

Double headers of golden trevally are not uncommon in Hervey Bay. Watch out for the sharks from now on though.

 

Mackerel Inshore & Marlin Up North

School mackerel have been pushing deeper and deeper into the southern bay and the Great Sandy Straits. The 8 Mile off the Burrum coast has been one of the standout locations of late, and sharks-permitting, an easy feed of schoolies, broadies and spaniards has been on offer. Limited effort in recent days due to the windy weather should mean those next to fish it will be in for a good time.

The Bait Grounds has also been giving up mackerel from the abovementioned species list as well as golden trevally. This shallow rubbly reef system hosts substantial bait schools at times and is within easy access for boats departing Urangan Harbour, hence the moniker. It just so happens to get visits from very large giant trevally at times such as these when the schoolies are in abundance and you would be hard-pressed to find an easier spot from which to land one of those brutes. 

Alexander was very happy with this mackerel. They are in the bay in bigger numbers now so go get into them.

Reef fishos lingering inshore have the choice to take on the ever-growing population of sharks in the deeper waters or resort to the shallows in the hope of coral trout, sweetlip and cod. You are still a chance of a snapper or some squire from the deeper reefs and artificials. Squire in particular are likely catches from the deeper waters adjacent to the shallow reefs after a blow such as that we just experienced. They won’t be common in the near future, so make the most of them and then focus on trout, cod and sweeties when our waters get too warm.

Up in Platypus Bay, there has been a number of spanish mackerel off Wathumba. Being a no-take species in that part of the world has ensured their release unharmed of course. Trevally are still reasonably abundant on some yakka-rich reefs, and there are random schools of mac tuna doing the rounds here and there. This set of darks possibly offers the last viable prime period for snapper fishing up that way, but opportunity to do so is pretty much limited to those up there today and tonight.

Marlin fishing opportunities were somewhat limited this week, which is unfortunate given the phase of the moon. Not that it probably matters to the juvenile blacks that are turning up in the bay anyway, as these rambunctious little tackers are like lively puppies and keen to gorge themselves on anything that resembles food. Word is that someone caught a couple of marlin for a little effort prior to the blow, but the fish were tiny at barely 5 kilos or so. Such baby blacks are quite possibly progeny of spawning fish from just north of Fraser and not samples of the fish migrating our way from up north.

Coming weeks and months are prime time for Hervey Bay marlin, so ready your gear and take any opportunity you might get to head up the island for a look. The majority of the fish caught recently (that we know of) came from somewhere off Rooneys, which is not atypical of early in the season. Blows like this recent one can see fish move further into the bay unannounced though, so keep that in mind. Let’s see how this week goes. It will shine some light on how the season ahead looks.

 

Heading South When CRFF Closure is On

The first of our two Coral Reef Fin Fish closures concludes at midnight tonight. Those on the water today should be aware and avoid traveling or fishing north of the boundary. Bar crossings are unlikely due to the big offshore swell at present, and the returning northerly will make any but the biggest boat skippers think twice about heading north. 

Considering recent restrictions and the like, a quick call to Greg Pearce of Double Island Point Fishing Charters seemed prudent, and as always, a very interesting conversation ensued. Greg’s charters of late have revealed that there are still plenty of quality snapper down his way, and schools of cobia have joined the party too. A mix of other quality reef fish have also made their way over the gunwales of late too, but cobes and snapper have been the standouts.

Interestingly, Greg said that he had been down to the Gold Coast and caught a few flatties. Quite the understatement, when he admitted that he actually took his young 8-year-old son, Ollie, and first mate Jack down for their inaugural entry in the 2024 Flathead Classic. Being new to those waters and tending to buck the trend somewhat, Greg’s crew made their mark on the event in a big way.

Their team took out Champion Visiting Team and young Ollie took out the Champion Small Fry trophy whilst also coming runner-up in the junior division. Quite an achievement for someone so young, competing against others up to 17 years of age! The boys were right in the running at stages and featured right up the leader board early in proceedings, to finish 10th overall. Their tactics were simple enough. Troll Zerek Tango Shads tight behind the boat across likely terrain away from the crowds and then turn and pepper the area with casts every time a fish was hooked. 

When asked if the stories of Gold Coast flathead being so accustomed to boat traffic that they actually seek out the boats was true, Greg confirmed the rumours. Yep, they troll lures that close to the boat that a lift of the rod could see the leader connection come clear of the water! Apparently, the fish track in behind the boats as they are used to boat traffic spooking the morsels they seek from the weeds etc. Something in that for us here in the bay or the straits? Well, we can only hope our waters never get as busy as the GC, but the way things are going ….

Long Weekend Madness at Mondy

There are a lot of fishos eyeing off this long weekend’s weather with a view to heading for Lake Monduran. Such weather should mean a great barra bite, so long as they don’t get too gun-shy. The boat ramp carparks are already overflowing and some have had to suffer a very long walk back to the ramp in recent days. With so much traffic already, the mind boggles as to what this weekend will bring. The camp ground is full and turning away hopefuls.

The same long weekend last year saw absolute chaos at the ramps and across the lake. What was a dynamite bite preceding turned sour almost overnight as the barra schools felt the pressure. That may not happen this year, with so many fish so widespread, but some areas have already experienced an exodus for deeper waters. 

The main basin and the big bays down the front half of the lake are producing numbers of fish right now and are likely to fish even better when the wind swings to the north. So far it has been scopers focussing on the barra hovering above the deep water, but they are about to be joined by many that favour trolling. If trolling is your thing, then don’t feel you need to run lures that dive deep if fishing after dark. The barra feed right below the surface and will attack a huge range of shallow diving lures as well as large plastics rigged weedless or otherwise. Swimbaits are also popular amongst the trolling fraternity these days.

If you plan to take on Mondy in these busy times, then ensure you have a wide and varied range of lures in your arsenal. Don’t be tricked into mimicking the latest sponsored you-tubers that promote one-trick ponies. There is often a very good reason they only caught the small numbers that they did. The barra are scoffing such a broad range of presentations that you can pull fish after fish from one spot or various locations on a different lure each time. 

Your lure range should include small suspending hardbodies, large floating hardbodies, plastic swimbaits, glidebaits, large paddle-tailed plastics rigged weedless, frogs and topwater. Many brands and profiles will catch these barra, but all need a serious hardware upgrade if you want to stay connected to big fish in the sticks on heavy drag. Stick to open water if the thick timber makes you anxious or your tackle isn’t beefed-up, and make sure you have a lure retrieving pole on board regardless. 

Good luck out there y’all …… Jase

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