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Fisho’s Weekly Fishing Report – 24th January, 2025


Dave Tarr is officially holding 3rd place in the Mondy stakes aboard his boat with this big fat 101. His boys are giving him curry, so he is back up there today.

Cool Change to Help Us Celebrate Australia Day

The heat is stifling and the humidity oppressive right now, so talk of a cool change this weekend is very welcome. We will have to ride out another day of severe heat today. Strong north to north-westerly winds of 25 knots or more have triggered a temporary strong wind warning for Hervey Bay waters, and there isn’t anybody heading anywhere on the bay today.

A storm might signal the arrival of the change this evening, and hopefully cool our climate a tad. Showers are possible over the weekend too. The wind will do an about-face and ease dramatically after the change, with 15 knots or so from the south-east leaving Saturday fishable close inshore. Sunday will be much better again, with 15 knots from the south-east in the morning, tending easterly at 10 knots for the afternoon.

Consistent onshore winds of 10-15 knots suggest another fine week on the water for those not afflicted with the need to work. Weather-watchers will be monitoring the low-pressure system they say will build to our north late next week. All eyes will be on its movement if it intensifies and heads our way. With the north’s monsoon already tagged a “nonsoon”, all sorts of weather events might unfold late summer.

Take advantage of the building tides if you head out fishing this Australia Day long weekend. The new moon rises next Wednesday, so tidal movement will increase daily until then. Obviously, the moon is waning and the nights getting darker. Many key fish species will be on the hunt during daylight, and nearly as many nocturnal specialists on the prowl during the evening.


Deej with a handsome coronation trout from a recent offshore fishing mission.


Quinny hauled this solid trout clear of the reef and sharks last week.

The Quinn family got amongst the flamies over the shelf last week.

Balin Whitford scored this solid flamie deep dropping in glamour conditions.


Pier Waters Not Impacted by Mary River Overflow

I suggested the renewed fresh in the Mary River system might impact the Urangan Pier over the past week – but I was wrong. The filthy water didn’t push that far up and the pier’s waters remain a stained ‘green’. There is still plenty of herring sheltering between the pylons, but their predators remain scarce.

Queenfish have been the most obvious pelagic to terrorise the herring this week. Small sharks and the odd sneaky flathead have kept a couple of fishos entertained, but the pier is still rather quiet. Should the water quality continue to improve, then so too should the pencil squid numbers. Their run will peak in the Urangan Channel sometime soon, but until then, they remain a worthy target for many folks right now.

The building tides will aide whiting fishos in their quest to catch a feed from local beaches and mudflats. A small number of legal fish might be expected from our town beaches, whilst undersized models continue to frustrate the semi-serious and entertain the kids. Heading for the outskirts of town and fishing the beaches adjacent to creek mouths to the west, or the Booral Flats to the south, will improve your chances as the new moon approaches. 

Grunter remain the main target species for some landlubbers. Whether it be from our town beaches, jetties or rock walls, or from the vast mudflats out of town; your chances of connecting to grunter are high. The size might not always be bragging class, with many more small fish that trophies in some areas, but trip over a patch of quality grunter and you are in for a fat time.

I have said plenty on catching grunter in past reports, so regular readers will know the hows, whens and possibly even the wheres. If given just one lure option on which to catch grunter then it would normally be a prawn imitation, and one from the GULP stable based on past successes. Removing the blinkers and taking note of other fishos’ success with tiny micro jigs has created a degree of interest recently though, that might see one of these nifty little creations tied on for a future prospecting session.

Try our creek mouths and nearby mudflats for a range of estuarine species. Flathead, grunter, tarpon, blue and threadfin salmon are all possible right now, as are whiting and bream for those favouring the ultra-finesse topwater gear. Alternatively, there are still ample small sharks cruising our creek mouths and the fringes of our beaches, so send a large bait out after dark if you feel like some exercise on a hot and muggy night.


Damien found a few barra in Mondy's main basin recently. Trollers might want to get a wriggle on if they want to catch more fish in that zone.


Mondy's barra are on the move back to their usual haunts after being frustrated by the dam wall. Reece with a standard model.

Riley McLeod caught this ripper coronation trout outside in awesome conditions.

The pearlies came thick and fast on the deep drop rigs for Jett Whitford on a recent family trip.

Shallow Reefs Popular Amongst Those Avoiding the Sharks

Gatakers Bay reef fish don’t get much reprieve these days, yet enough keep biting to maintain a modicum of interest from small boat owners. A feed of grunter and sweetlip was enjoyed by some crews this week, and the odd trout made the legal minimum or a bit better too. The howling north-wester today will certainly churn those waters and make for interesting times thereafter.

Pencil squid have been caught not far off Gatakers, as well as from the usual haunts throughout the southern bay. The dirty water stain is a mere remnant of its former self, meaning squid can be caught readily without the need to venture too far. The shipping channels cop the most pressure these days, yet there are plenty of areas beyond that are hosting squid in much bigger numbers. Just head up to Platypus Bay for the night and you will see for yourself.

Reports of shark depredation in as little as 4 metres of water around the bay islands is somewhat alarming. A trend commenced last summer that had the beasts targeting boaties in close, which seems to be repeating to some extent once again. Pre-dawn efforts in the shallows are typically a shark-free affair, apart from the small bait-eating nuisances that are always there. The larger noahs are accustomed to boats and the dinner bell these boats sound as they arrive, so very often, the sharks’ attendance is timed to take advantage of maximum boat traffic.

For this reason, what might initially seem counter-intuitive, ie; fishing after dark (when you would suspect most sharks to be hyperactive) can lessen your chances of depredation and see you heading home with a decent feed. As the sharks tendency to roam the night challenges their desire to await the next boat, they appear to vacate a given reef system temporarily, enabling savvy (or just plain lucky) fishos to score.

Those that experienced the above scenario first-hand had a feed of grassy sweetlip, cod and nannygai to take home to their families. Their squid supply was diminished by the ravenous fish, then re-boosted with minimal effort. Fish the darks this week and you will have do trouble drawing the squid to your lights, meaning prime tucker for you and the fish you intend dropping them down to.

Blackall continue to raise a sweat as would-be reef fishos skull-drag them kicking and fighting all the way to the boat. Some might keep them for a feed these days, whilst others return them with a choice word or two mouthed in their direction. The estuary cod will be very active over the darks, day and night, whilst trout can be caught when the tide is changing during the day.

Grunter catches from deeper inshore gravel grounds will continue. Grunter shifting their focus to the shallow fringing reefs will also feed their pursuers over the darks. The reefs off the Burrum, the Fairway and surrounds, sections of the Outer Banks, the bay islands, Urangan Channel, and certain ledges along the western side of Fraser will host grunter at some time. If you can’t catch them with lures, then squid and herring should be caught and repurposed. 

Luke continues to catch coral trout on the troll. Here is just one of his many recent captures.

The pencil squid are thick. Joe with three squid on two jigs.

Joe extracted this hard-fighting blackall from its reefy lair.

John Browne considered himself lucky to land this Xmas time red from the 12 Mile.

Pelagic Action Aplenty in the Bay

Ask anyone that has been up into Platypus Bay this week and they will tell you the mac tuna are prolific. The Arch Cliffs 6 Mile has been laden with baitfish, but the whole area is lousy with ravenous mac tuna as well. Small flying fish and tiny herring are just two of the bait species on the mac’s menus at present. 

There have been longtails in the bay in small numbers this week, but apparently, they are out-numbered in a big way by the mac tuna they are sharing the hunting parties with, making them hard to single-out amongst so many macs. Opting for stickbaits to replicate the motions of a fleeing garfish or flying fish might see a longtail peel off in hot pursuit ahead of the macs, whilst the usual jighead-rigged jerkshads and metal slugs struggle to swim beyond the masses of mac tuna maws. Hopefully it won’t be long and an influx of the usual longtail tuna hordes will have tuna fans grinning again.

Spotted mackerel can still be found with enough effort. It seems more are failing than succeeding in this quest of late, but stories of random schools across the bay continue to filter in. Reports from the central bay mirror those from off Rooneys and up the west coast; being there one day and gone the next. Nonetheless, ensure you have ample metal slugs on board in case you trip over the spotties on your next bay adventure.

Hit the reefs and wrecks of Platypus Bay otherwise, and you are assured some fun with the queenfish and various trevally species calling these places home. Jigging plastics is just one technique that you can deploy for a mixed catch of these forky-tailed sluggers. Big golden trevally have been menacing the baitfish up that way too, and are clearly visible on even the most rudimentary of sounders.


Daniel couldn't avoid the mac tuna on a Rapala X-Rap Long Cast stickbait whilst fishing with Jacko.


Lochie found a big broadie whilst out on the bay. The spotties might be scarce but the other mackerel species are making up for them.

There is no shortage of trevally lurking around reefs in Platypus Bay and the northern bay. Lochie did battle with this solid turrum.

Spanish Mackerel Closure Looms

Spanish mackerel will be fully protected for a 3-week period, 1st – 21st February. Another 3-week closure will see them off the hit list from the 1st to 21st March as well. These closures were initiated in recent years to stem the decline in spanish mackerel populations. You wouldn’t know it here in the bay, but apparently, the spaniards are in jeopardy of over-fishing.

So, if you are a fan of spanish mackerel, then you have the next week to get out there and catch one. Their bag limit reduction to one fish was also deemed necessary by our governors recently, whilst a boat limit of two fish per boat with two or more people on board was also installed. Seems the spaniards warrant much higher levels of protection than most.

You won’t have too much trouble finding your sole spaniard if you head for the northern bay. They have been terrorising the smaller inhabitants of the 25 Fathom Hole and the Gutters of late. Their presence a few miles off Wathumba is also noted, but of course, they are a year-long no-take species in those waters anyway – courtesy of the heightened risk of ciguatera poisoning.

Mackerel fans will just have to settle for schoolies during the upcoming closures, or broadies and spotties if they can be found. The schoolies are thick enough inshore that roaming the shipping channels and beacons with diving lures in tow can catch them. Their presence in the same waters as the pencil squid is rarely received well by squidders losing expensive jigs one after another, so those folks will welcome you taking a few fish out of the system.


Spanish mackerel such as these caught aboard a Double Island Point Fishing Charter will be off limits in a week's time.


Shaun is a new guide in the bay. Look him up at Saltwater Playground if you are keen for a trip.

A little messy squidding fun for young miss Quinn made for some laughs and a fine feed back home.

Rivers Still Fresh, But Fishable

Unless we receive a massive dump of storm rain in our river catchments today, the option to fish the lower reaches of our rivers remains. All systems are dirty, and largely fresh for most of their length. However, quality fish are taking baits and lures closer to the river mouth for those putting in extra effort.

The Mary’s grunter population paused in the River Heads area long enough to feature in multiple catches. Continued effort over the darks should see more quality grunter caught from the flats and channels that surround that district, and maybe even the odd one from the peninsula itself.

While many folks have favoured the meandering waterways of the Great Sandy Straits over the dirty river in their pursuit of salmon, a few intrepid locals have turned their hand to drain-bashing for moments of success. The threadies are feasting on the amassing jelly prawn and are an obvious target when spotted rounding up their prey. Small lures will tempt them eventually, so ensure you have micro prawns, small vibes, small shallow-diving hardbodies and topwater prawn imitators in your arsenal and you are in the game.

Should the salmon drive you nuts with their constant refusals, then wait them out until the tide turns and commences its run-in. Assuming there was enough visual feeding activity to keep you there, and you are parked near a gutter that drains an appropriately large mudflat, then any threadies unsatiated by their jelly prawn fix might finally turn on your lure with evil intent. This is so, due to the rising tide offering the tiny jelly prawn reprieve from the prowling salmon in water too skinny for them to follow, causing the salmon to refocus on other prey.

Blue salmon are also prevalent down the straits, with a few fish cruising the dirty river waters. Fraser’s western creek mangrove jack population is on the move to some extent these days. They can turn up anywhere from the lower reaches of the creeks to the nearby ledges and reefs beyond the stream’s influence. This heat must have them fully amped, so take advantage of the awesome dark of the moon jack tides and get amongst them.

Those wishing to fish the Burrum system could find themselves amongst the good grunter bite in the lower reaches. Small grunter are an absolute pest at times, but quality fish are also biting, making a shift necessary if the former denies you the latter. The Buxton area would be as good a place as any to start your search, but you may not even need to head that far upstream.

Once again, the Burrum’s jacks are there for those willing to take them on. Bait fishos have the edge over lure fishos to some extent, yet a well-placed lure in dirty water could be smashed at any time. If you get the chance to fish dawn or dusk, then try topwater presentations, as the prawns have been on the move. Commotions on the surface can be attacked without fear of the predator becoming the prey in dirtier waters, so work those rock bars over well and persist until you get the bite. It is worth it – believe me!

Whether it be the Burrum or the Mary system, the presence of bull sharks cannot be denied. Bait fishing with large whole mullet or catfish in deeper channels has resulted in a few battle royales. Manageable sized bulls in the legal-size range (sub 1.5m) have been exciting and exhausting enough in the heat, whilst the odd unstoppable remains at large.

There is only a week to go until the east coast barramundi season is re-opened. For those of you that made the conscious effort to avoid targeting them over the past three very long months, thank you (and the future beneficiaries of an improved local barra fishery thank you). May your good deeds be rewarded with some true monsters come the opening, February 1st.


Jacko, the flathead slayer, with another victim of a Rapala Crush City softie.


Sid Boshammer with a bay goldie. Flats fishos might enjoy fishing for these critters in skinny water like back in the day when Sid was a guide.

Zac Pronk headed to Awoonga and managed a couple of solid barra. The lake has been off the radar with all the focus on Mondy, but still fishing well

Crooked Crabbers Crash the Party

Anyone who spends any time crabbing in these parts, has stories to tell of crab pot theft and crab theft. Most of this despicable activity seems attached to the mud crab fishery, though the odd sand crabber has shared tales of woe in the past too. Stories of pots going missing, others slashed and cable ties cut, do the rounds regularly. Some thieves have even been cheeky enough to leave a stubby behind in a pot, perhaps their way of thanking the owner for the crabs.

A recent yarn came from a recreational crabber checking his pots in a Fraser Island creek. One of the many creeks weaving its way inland from the western shoreline. Not only were his ties cut and crabs removed, but a dead crab was also left in one pot. Some say there are wildlife cameras dutifully placed in prime position to catch the thieves, yet we hear too little of offenders being brought to justice.

Having to experience such an issue so regularly is making some folks very angry, so anyone being caught red-handed might wish it was the law that caught up with them, not the pot owner. To the contrary, listening to a proud dad speak of his sons catching prime mud crabs and feeding the family whilst still letting a few go to catch another day warms the heart. Such attitudes are spawned from a law-abiding father and his influence, so I guess the opposite applies too.

Anyway, watch your pots and hopefully you will be feasting on mud crabs again soon. Stormy weather should have them on the move once again. Yes, the Xmas effort has had a major impact, but our mud crab fishery seems very healthy at present and the crabs keep coming. So too, the sand crab fishery out in the bay. Fortunes are being made by the pros whilst other crabbers score a great feed. 

Talk of prawn has many a cast netter eyeing off the tides and weather. Small prawn from the Burrum aggregated enough down at the heads to warrant some effort recently. Their whereabouts now being known only to those who made the effort to go in search. Small catches from the lower Mary and Susan have given prawners down here a gentle nudge, yet some of us (me at least) will wait until it cools a little and the prawning is easier.


Quillan with a couple of rusty bucks caught crabbing shore-based in a local creek. 4 was enough for dinner, so 3 were thrown back for another day.


Bryce hauled this big cod clear of the reef. Fish this size and bigger are best released to keep our reefs in good nick.

Head for the lakes and try your hand at a little summertime bass fishing if you are keen.

The yellas are always keen to bite in the heat of summer.

 

Fraser’s Surf Fishing Well Despite the Weed

Talking to a Fraser Island local after last week’s report, it was enlightening to learn of the changing face of Fraser’s surf beaches. Gutters are forming up and down the beach, with some of the best remaining low tide options. Beach travel has been pretty good so long as high tide is avoided, as the beach is getting a little lumpy in patches.

It was sad to hear of a weed outbreak south of the headlands. Not the snotty stuff so many surf fishos dread, but a ‘cabbage-like’ weed believed to be dislodged from the bottom by trawler activity not far off the coast. Whether trawlers created this phenomenon or not, it is there. The gutters in the Happy Valley – Cathedral Beach stretch are fishable, as are select gutters sporting varying degrees of weed from there to Eurong.

Fishing-wise, there have been some exciting highlights in past weeks. Probably the most noteworthy being the capture of numbers of giant trevally from the surf gutters. Fish bettering the 2-kilo mark have been thick at times, and larger models have also been busting 40lb leaders if not given their head.

Small schools of chopper tailor have been making raids on some gutters and have been very quick to pounce on metal slugs cast their way. A lot of the choppers have been undersized, so changing trebles out for singles has been a good idea to lessen the damage.

Numbers of large dart have showed up at times and offered excellent sport on the right rods. Sizeable tarwhine have also been caught on pippies, as have a few flathead. In fact, flathead numbers are very healthy over on the island at present, with both the dusky and bar-tailed varieties being found regularly.

15,000 barra fingerlings destined for release in Lenthalls last weekend.


Barra fingerlings being released into the fringing weeds up the back of the lake. These recruits will be over 50cm this time next year.

Jack took time out from stocking barra to catch barra in Lenthalls. This fish went 60cm, whilst others were caught to 80cm+.

15,000 More Barra for Lake Lenthalls

It must be heart-breaking for the dedicated volunteers from the Fraser Coast Fish Stocking Association to see so many of their past stockings go over the wall every time it floods. The consistent restocking efforts of these good folks ensures that the Lenthalls fishery remains alive and well, and they have been at it again.

Last weekend, 15,000 barramundi fingerlings were released into the murky backwaters of the lake. Given that there was still water flowing over the wall, all efforts were focussed on the far away margins, in weedy haunts likely to give the precious tiny recruits their best chance of survival. On behalf of the rest of the local fishing community, I would like to extend words of gratitude for your efforts both this week and in the past. Thank you and keep up the good work guys.

Heading up an arm of Lenthalls almost demands a rod be on board, and a couple of re-stockers took the opportunity to do some stock sampling whilst they were there. Members were stoked to catch healthy barra to beyond the 80cm mark, as well as other smaller fish in the 60’s. Proof that, not only did some of the barra avoid the temptation to head downstream, but that they can be caught in filthy brown water as well. 

So, if you are a kayaker, or don’t mind boating at less than 6 knots, then don’t write-off Lake Lenthalls just because it is dirty. The barra are there, they are biting, and no doubt some of the bass are too. Otherwise, follow the convoy of boats to Lake Monduran for this long weekend, and try your hand against the bigger barra up there. 

The hot weather has all impoundment barra on the chew, yet timing is still ever-important. Mondy’s barra are dispersing back throughout the lake. Trollers can still do their thing and expect to catch a few from the main basin and surrounds, but the massive numbers of early summer have reacted as they always do when they can’t escape, and scattered. 

This means some normalcy has returned, and more and more crews are scattering around the lake looking for fish. Some will find them, some will fail, such is life on a barra lake. Find fish in an area with abundant bait and they have an excuse to bite. Consider the heat and fish the tree tops in deeper water when necessary. The shallows are fishing well again, but not everywhere. As always, lures that the barra aren’t tuned out to can really shine in high traffic areas, and topwater options should be explored in low light or at night.

Good luck out there y’all …… Jase


A Flick-It Charters client with one of many barra from a recent charter on Lake Monduran.


Creative camera work makes for interesting fish photos. Terry Allwood from Flick-It Charter's client with a cool pose shot.

You too can change an average fish photo into a much more interesting masterpiece. Have a play with your camera settings.

 

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