Cooler and Breezy this Weekend

A surprise shower dumped a solid 20-30mm on the Hervey Bay township last Friday night, and after that we experienced a mix of vigorous onshore winds and quite reasonable days. The north wind returned on Wednesday, cranking the warmth up a notch, and it has prevailed until now. Lovely spring conditions really.

That is all about to change however, as a series of troughs creeping our way from the west merge into a potential low just south of the border. Expect a south-east change of at least 15 knots this afternoon, that will crank to 20 knots plus after nightfall. The BOM’s official forecast suggests as much as 30 knots for the northern bay and it has issued a strong wind warning for Hervey Bay waters for Friday. Expect rain today, apparently.

Trying to offer you a wind forecast for this weekend is very challenging. Weather sites contradict each other and are changing their forecasts every few hours. BOM’s call is 15-20 knots from the south, tending south-westerly in the afternoon. Fact or fiction? Time will tell. Similar variants create further confusion for Sunday, though something in the 15-20 knots south-west tending south-east later in the day seems the consensus. You will have to monitor the latest reports and make your own assessments this weekend.

The early part of the working week looks more stable, as the atmosphere settles after the passing of the troughs and low. Expect around 10-15 knots of southerly or south-westerly initially, that tends onshore later in the day Monday. Similar again Tuesday before another burst of south-east breeze strengthens a little mid-week. Sorry that we cannot be more accurate with our take on the weather this week. Like you, we rely on data from the gurus, and their modelling seems challenged whenever low pressure is the dominating feature. The BOM’s little stint in the news this week won’t be their last this spring.

The moon continues to wane as we approach Thursday’s new moon. The tides are building nicely, though the peaks are fairly modest at this time of year. Ideal tides for many piscatorial pursuits. Opportunities will be limited somewhat this weekend, but those lucky enough to avoid working early next week should have a ball.

Hervey Bay Amateurs Fishing Club hosted their annual Junior Whiting Fishing Competition last Saturday morning, and fun times were had by all. There were 84 kids entered for the event and there were some 29 whiting landed to 32cm. Some of the kids caught their first and best fish to date, and pretty much all of them were left keen for more of the action. There will be a couple of pics of some of the winners hereabouts, but there were many others that received prizes on the day. Well done to the club and to all of the families involved.

Toogoom Fishing Club also hosted their major competition last weekend. Run over the best part of three days, Friday to Sunday, there was a good roll-up of entrants that fished on in challenging conditions to bring some nice fish to the weighmasters. Fish numbers were down as can be expected, but as you can see from the accompanying photos, there were some fine fish caught. Congrats to all the prize winners and to the club members for running a well-received family-focussed event once again.

Qld’s Coral Reef Fin Fish Closure is Looming

The first of two annual Coral Reef Fin Fish Closures will take effect from midnight this Sunday 29th September, and remain in force until midnight Friday 4th October. The closure seems extra early this year, due to the timing of the new moon. The closure was initiated several years ago to protect key reef fish species during their key spawning periods over the new moon period.

You are effectively prohibited from taking any species listed within the Coral Reef Fin Fish Plan, which includes all the sought-after reef species such as your trouts, various cods, emperors, sweetlips (excluding grassies), tuskfishes, wrasses, sea perches, jobfishes and others. Google the CRFF Plan on the DAF website for a listing of the species effected. Fish not managed by the CRFF Plan can be targeted and kept during the closure (eg; snapper, pearl perch, grunter, mackerel, cobia, whiting, bream, flathead etc etc etc).

The closure only impacts Qld tidal waters above latitude 24˚50’ south. This is roughly a line drawn from just south of Bargara on the mainland eastwards to just north of Station Hill and Ngkala Rocks on Fraser and beyond. Stay south of that latitude and you can catch and keep ‘Coral Reef Fin Fish’. Travel north of that line with such fish on board though and you are asking for trouble. Fisheries is very active at this time and won’t hesitate to hand out fines for non-compliance.

As I tend to do each and every year at this time, I will again air my concerns that the protection afforded all the key reef species north of the abovementioned latitude is not extended to the very same species that happen to reside south of that latitude. Same fish, same need to spawn. If we are to enjoy a sustainable fishery in a post-COViD Qld and stem the dramatic decline in availability of reef species, then a review might be worth considering.

Surely this issue is even more poignant with a rapidly growing population of hungry fishos in the south-east of the state, where less numbers of the very same species exist when compared to the vast Great Barrier Reef to our north. Why not extend the closure to the NSW border and protect our coral trout, reds and so on for the mere 10 days a year it takes to offer them a vastly improved chance of spawning in peace? Perhaps you disagree, and have every right to, but someone needs to enlighten an old fisho like me as I must be missing something.

There will be a second 5-day closure from the 29th October to the 2nd November inclusive, so keep this one in mind if planning fishing missions north of the bay. I imagine there will be experts expertly assessing the spawning and recruitment potential from dates designated so much earlier this spring. We can only hope that the fish do their thing during the allotted periods of protection and don’t delay until the new moon December 1.

One Door Closes and Another Door Opens

Eager beach and rock fishos will be watching the weather for the chance to be first to fish the hallowed waters surrounding Fraser Island’s headlands after the past two-month closure. The closure will conclude this Monday 30th September. Those keen to spin from the rocky headlands could land some serious pelagics, not just tailor, so this is shaping up to be a season opener to remember.

If the headland waters are anything like the surf gutters south of there, then they should be teeming with tailor and many other fish species. The island’s tailor fishery has been absolutely outstanding in past weeks, and hordes of fishos have gathered in big numbers in the central sector of the island. Some continue to soak their humble gang-rigged pillies, but more and more are realising the benefit of spinning metals and/or stickbaits, and experiencing the convenience and increased effectiveness of such presentations in a hot bite.

Scenes reminiscent of those old photos from eons ago, with long rods bent double in picket-lines of fishos standing almost shoulder to shoulder along a gutter have been common during these school holidays apparently. 4WDs parked up in numbers akin to a parking lot have been magnets for even more to join the fray. There hasn’t actually been a need for everyone to gather in such compacted groups, yet so is the scene on Fraser in holiday mode. 

There are actually good gutters containing quality tailor scattered right along the surf beach, both north and south. The concentrated effort in the central sector has left some fishos grinning from ear to ear as they enjoy hassle-free and crowd-free fishing elsewhere. The tailor have been on fire and feeding with such gusto that they have actually been hard to avoid when targeting other species.

Talk of spoolings from ‘huge tailor’ have left doubt as to the actual culprit that emptied the spool. Sizeable spanish mackerel, GTs and plenty of sharks have been predating on the tailor schools and happily swiping lures and baits meant for the smaller fish. A few choppers have been smashed before they could be retrieved too, so some scenes have been quite chaotic at times.

Large dart have been quite abundant and offering a handy feed after a solid battle on the long rods. There is still whiting down south for anyone keen to try their hand with the light gear, and the chance of tarwhine and flatties from some gutters. Jewfish fans have the new moon period to look forward to, and there are sure to be a few sneaky fishos soaking appropriate baits after dark this week. Slide-baiters have never had it better, with so many of the surf’s apex predators on-scene. So, basically, Fraser Island is going off and you should get over there the next chance you get!

Whilst the average size of the whiting, and indeed their numbers, seem to have tapered off somewhat over the past week or so, there is still a much better than even chance of scoring a feed this week. Stretches of beach from Urangan to Pialba are worth a try, as are the flats out the front of Eli Creek or the Booral Flats. The bigger tides are returning with the new moon and this will trigger a stronger feeding response from the whiting.

Most beach-goers will focus their attention on the Urangan strip, or perhaps the Shelley Beach area. Some will favour the groynes, whilst mums and dads will enjoy the platforms offered by the storm water pipes of Torquay. All of these areas can produce a feed of whiting as the rising tide gets some height about it, and again for a shorter period as the tide starts to recede. Better catches are likely after dark for those willing to don a headlamp and enjoy the evening bite.

Something worthy of consideration is the use of bait jigs in a yellow zone to catch whiting. We sell a very handy 3-hook bait jig rig (2 to a pack) as a “winter whiting slayer” that some folks have used to great effect on sand whiting as well. As mentioned in the past, bait jigs are deemed to be one hook if they are left unbaited, but as soon as you put bait on them, they are considered to be multiple hooks. Given that our revamped yellow zones (town beaches for example) allow no more than two hooks attached to a line, using a 3-hook bait jig with bait on the hooks would be illegal. Consider this if necessary, and perhaps snip off a hook if the rig is catching plenty, to stay within the rules.

Our local creeks have been popular during the school holidays, so catching a serious fish is all the more challenging at this time. However, a savvy fisho might chance a few flathead, some bream and whiting or perhaps a queenfish with a little effort. Sneaking upstream into the creeks can add mangrove jacks and barra to the hit list, and there is bound to be some pesky little cod swiping at baits or lures at some time.

Urangan Pier Continues to Impress

It is hard to know who is more excited when a large fish is caught on Urangan Pier during the school holidays – the lucky fisho or the sight-seers wandering the planks. You can well imagine how impressed first-time visitors might be when large spaniards and various other pelagics are hauled aloft. Peering into the water, they can at times see free-swimming tuna, mackerel and queenfish, as well as the odd shark, so the long walk can be quite exciting this time of year.

Just this week, there has been a number of school mackerel caught, more broadies again and the odd spaniard. Queenfish have been roaming both shallow and deep, and a couple of golden trevally have wandered a little too close for their good. Mac tuna schools have been rocking up at times, roaring around with their almost neon backs giving away their identity. 

Flathead continue to feed around the pylons in both the first channel and out towards the deep end, whilst whiting fishos try their luck near the beach end. Their luck should improve as the new moon nears too, so expect a bit of a crowd to gather for the early evening bite over coming nights. Herring have been a bit of a pain to catch when the water gets stirred up by the north wind, so some have taken to pilchard baits as back up for the likes of mackerel when necessary.

Our Estuaries are Set to Fire

Finding barra in our rivers hasn’t been all that hard apparently, yet getting a consistent bite has been. Frustrated fishos donning the latest and greatest in high tech sounders etc are watching negative reactions from fish that simply aren’t that keen on a plastic-based diet. That scene is set to change dramatically very soon, and this spring should be a ripper in our estuaries.

The Burrum system and the Mary system are both hosting good schools of barra, and plenty of smaller pockets of fish here and there too. The king salmon fishery will also take off bigtime, and to be honest, should have already. That out-of-season rainfall in August is leaving a lingering legacy in our larger rivers, yet the future following such a boost to the ecosystem should be reaped in weeks to come.

If a humbler target appeals then you could always spend some time chasing blue salmon in the lower reaches of the Mary system. You can catch them from River Heads itself if you like, where your chances will be vastly better after dark. Flathead and cod are also likely from the rocky shores out there, as are even more impressive fish. You could spin metals for mackerel over the higher stage of tide in daylight and reasonably expect a fish. Beware the dreaded green toadfish if bait fishing or working softies as they haven’t been fair away of late.

The bread’n’butter species are entertaining plenty of folks up in the Burrum. There are jacks being caught too, and they will only bite better as it continues to warm. Small threadies can be found in schools in the mid-reaches of certain rivers up there, but it is the barra that are the primary target for so many. Make the effort if you are keen, as you only have a month to go before the annual 3-month closure.

Fisho’s heading for the Great Sandy Straits have a long list of species they can target. The flathead season has peaked, but they are still a great option. Letting the big girls go to breed is mandatory for 75cm+ fish and highly advisable for fish that don’t quite achieve that benchmark of safety. There is grunter, queenfish, blue salmon, threadies, barra, trevally and jewfish on offer, and there are bound to be a few fishos that tick multiple species from that list off in a good session this week.

The local squid population took a hammering this winter, yet there is still the odd larger tiger poking about. They might be out in the lower bay, but the straits will host just as many at this time. The local whiting fans will be out at night over the darks seeking another feed before the season draws to an end. Fraser’s western flats and creeks are the choice locations at present. Weed is an issue elsewhere, so have a back-up plan if your chosen location is inundated with the snotty stuff.

Over in Kingfisher Bay, the jetty has been producing a number of bream and flathead in the mornings of recent days when the tide is low. Afternoon highs and clearer water have brought in the mac tuna and they have been taking swipes at metal slugs or live baits. Small jewfish have been another regular capture, so careful handling is encouraged to ensure they get the chance to grow bigger.

Sharks Hot on the Tails of the Mackerel Inshore

Warming waters and the arrival of large biomasses of inshore-bound fish has triggered the usual response from the sharks. As school mackerel arrive in numbers on some of the southern bay sites, the sharks are right behind them. Hot spots such as the Burrum 8 Mile are hosting plenty of mackerel, but landing them has been challenging. From what we’ve heard lately, anyone considering an evening session out there chasing snapper might want to think again. Wasted mackerel to shark depredation is one thing, but wasting the more precious old slow-growing snapper is a whole other level of waste.

Snapper catches in the southern bay have already diminished, so those seeking such fish will be best served heading for Wathumba or further up the bay. The 25 Fathom Hole might still host a few, and the Gutters and Rooneys certainly will. How you go with the sharks is an unknown, but your chances are vastly better up that way now than they will be in a month’s time. Remember the impending Coral Reef Fin Fish Closure if heading that way, and perhaps stick with Platypus Bay or you are bound to catch tasty reef fish you have to let go. The darks fish well in Platypus Bay at this time, so, whales aside, it can be a highly productive nocturnal option.

Reef fishing efforts close in shore have been rewarded of late. There have been a few trout on the bite, yet the cod are outnumbering them by a large margin in the deeper water. Grassy sweetlip schools are returning and have already fed many holidaying fishos happy to fish the protected waters of our fringing shallow reefs. Trying to catch sweeties, squire and trout from the reefs in the shipping channels just got harder. The sharks have been drawn in by the increased boat traffic and are once again denying fishos a feed from sites such as the Channel Hole, Boges Hole and other deep ledges in the area.

There are plenty of golden trevally harassing the bait schools sheltering around the inshore shipwrecks and other artificial reefs. No word on the schools of cobia this week, but there are bound to be some out there somewhere. Some of the monster fish from the northern bay often make their way right inshore at this time in spring too, so be prepared should you hook such a beast. Large queenfish are all over any baitfish schools that wander out onto the inshore flats, and the fringes of the bay islands are sure to host a few over the impending darks.

Marlin Season is Underway and Looking Good

Recent baby black marlin captures from Hervey Bay waters have triggered a frenzy from local and visiting fishos keen to get into the action. Many are rigging up for the first time with custom teasers and skirts expertly rigged by the lads at Fisho’s. The dark of the moon is marlin prime time, so if you are keen to get in and get it done, then get the boat ready for the better weather next week.

Rooneys and Platypus Bay are the places to start your search. Stray marlin have turned up in the central bay and at least one from further south, but the waters from Arch Cliffs to Station Hill will be popular this week, as will the more current-effected waters off Rooneys. Best numbers just recently seem centred around Rooneys. The marlin have to swim past there as they head south into the bay after all.

The scene offshore has gone from exciting to mega-exciting, with the heavy tackle fishery set to burst onto the scene. Blue marlin are out there in waters from 200m-1000m at present, and if this turns out to be good season, then numbers of large blacks and stripes will turn up soon too. This week will be very telling – assuming there are crews out there and into it.

Right now, there are football field sized schools of yellowfin tuna averaging 30 kilos a piece roaming the surface waters beyond the 1000m line. The tuna have been found east of the 4 Mile crossing, and they have been ultra-aggressive. Topwater sessions tossing stickies and poppers have been pure dynamite. The same lures can be put to work back in over the shoal country if you so desire, with wahoo, spaniards and GTs all on the cards.

Reef fishos won’t bother heading north of Fraser during the CRFF closure. When not restricted though, the waters east of Breaksea Spit can be highly productive at this time. The south-bound East Australian Current will pick up pace as the north wind dominates and the waters warm to our north shortly, so taking advantage of this time of year out there on the shoal country is a sound strategy.

On a final note this week, we would like to thank all you fishos out there for sending in photos for our fishing report. Many of the pics are gleaned from social media feeds and we do our best to add names to the captions when known. You will notice a lack of names for the kids this week. If you prefer, in future, you are welcome to send your photos direct to us via emailinfo@fishostackleworld.com.au and include the names of your kids so they get the due recognition for their latest and greatest captures.

Good luck out there y’all …… Jase

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