The boys from Lion Fish Landscaping found rusty gold in a local waterway.
Windy Start to Winter
Westerly winds heralded the start of winter 2026, drying our Queensland air and leaving us with clear night skies under a brightly-glowing full moon. It got cold, then mild again as a north-wester in the mix relieved us from the southern chill.
We will feel the chill again for a day or two as a south-westerly wind blowing up to 20 knots prevails through the day today. It will tend southerly some time Saturday morning and ease to 10-15 knots during the morning. That will be the best day this weekend as a 20-knot southerly returns Sunday morning before tending south-easterly that afternoon. Showers are likely to return with the onshore breeze as well, providing a little nuisance factor right into next week.
Pin your hopes on settled weather later next week if you are an offshore fisho; the longer-range weather predictors are great at throwing that little tease in the mix. With the full moon now passed, the waning moon means less tidal flow daily until the half-moon's last quarter phase next Monday. Neap tides over the weekend and making tides into next week mean we have many options inshore and, in our estuaries, so we can look forward to a little fun and fresh seafood this week.
Scott Cooper snared this fine riverine jack in cooling waters. Baits will tempt more than lures will heading into winter.
Scott with one of many barra caught as the chill of winter arrived.
Herring Schools Vacate Pier Waters
It is not an uncommon phenomenon, to have the vast schools gathered beneath Urangan Pier do the bolt when a winter westerly takes hold. Exactly that happened this week, leaving pier fishos reliant on pike, lures, or bait they brought with them for a change.
The herring haven't gone far. Just to the Urangan Harbour mostly. They may return when the winds tend back onshore, but until then, don't expect too much pelagic action from pier waters. Mass exodus of baitfish such as this can also impact other species, yet there are a handful still worth pursuing.
Number one on many fishos' hit list is the humble flathead. A wintertime special and a particularly good target over the neap tides. Catch pike for live bait and lower them to likely ambush positions near the pylons. The same flatties tend to re-position tide after tide it seems, and as one is taken, another moves in to the prime spot. Most success will come for those targeting flathead during the early flood tide, though they can be tempted all day and night potentially.
Jewfish have been targeted by the same regulars at prime times during the past few weeks, and a couple of better fish have been landed. Select lures that can be found on the walls at Fisho's are proven jewfish tempters, and are hard to beat at the right time of tide. Resort to live baits if you have to, but the option for greater glory and a challenge is there for the taking.
Tiger squid may be foolish enough to wander into pier waters throughout early winter. They could turn up at the harbour too, or virtually anywhere along our foreshores where structure (man-made or natural) offers them cover. Make sure you have 2.5-sized squid jigs in your kit for future outings; lest you regret the lack thereof should the tigers turn up.
Bream were caught by the same old pier regulars over the full moon, with fish reaching the high thirties being the best we heard of here. The lack of herring won't assist future bream sessions, and you might even have to resort to less-appealing alternative baits. However, you can always try your hand at lures for pier bream, and there are proven winners you can pick up from Fisho's.
Cranka Crabs allowed to fall naturally down adjacent to pylons near slack tide have proven deadly on bigger bream in the past, and they will again. Alternative crab presentations are now offered that can be coupled with purpose-specific jigheads designed for optimum presentation and maximum hook-ups.
Rapala's Crush City Tricksters can be attached to VMC Rise-R Finesse heads, whilst Marakyu crabs fit perfectly to JML's Ecogear Rig N Go heads. These realistic and life-like softies and matching jigheads appeal to bream fishos looking to target warier old bream that demand ultra-realism, scent and movement. None of these presentations are limited to pier bream. You can use them to target bream from the rocks or the harbour, and even schools of fish swimming past structures along our town beaches.
Artificial crab options available for this bream season include proven winners and new offerings that can be fitted to specialist jigheads.
The bream are running past River Heads at present. Rick Russell decided to dust off the finesse tackle and have some fun.
Winter Whiting Fishos Happy with Their Catches
As each winter whiting season unfolds, we receive various feedback from locals and visitors alike. So far this season, feedback has been largely positive, as schools of plump little winteries feed families up and down the Fraser Coast. The westerlies and the associated chill in the air coupled with the full moon to create a good bite last week, even if the weather restricted access dramatically some days.
Best reports have come from the grounds off Toogoom, the NU2, Burrum Heads, Woodgate and Gatakers Bay. No word from south of the harbour or west of Woody Island at this point, but give it time. Bag limits of 50 per person have been achievable quite regularly, so liberal grading of better-quality whiting amongst the tiddlers has been appropriate when necessary.
Those keen to add a little fun and an extra challenge to their day on the water chasing winteries could consider a session or two hunting bream. A simple last-moment deviation from your return trip to Gatakers Bay boat ramp could see you hauling in big fat bream one after the other mere hundreds of metres from the ramp. Anchor up in 4m of water, deploy a berley trail, and cast lightly-weighted baits back into that trail. It is very simple really. Albeit a tad more challenging than the whiting hunt so many enjoy so religiously.
Aaron Winch was one of many fishos to get amongst the salty barra this past week.
Big barra have been on the chew in local rivers. Trent with a 105cm beauty.
The Hunt is On for Ol' Man Snapper
Westerly winds saw the prime full moon period wasted when you could have been out on the bay chasing snapper. Some tried, close inshore, but generally either failed to find quality fish or were sharked if they did. Given the neaps this week, we old time snapper fishos might scoff at the tides, yet a little cunning dawn, dusk or evening session might see a few slipped over the side during the southerly.
Otherwise, it will be a week's time before optimal tides and (hopefully) better weather enable access to more productive snapper waters beyond the near-shore stuff. Baitfish are gathering and building in numbers out there all this time you've been stuck onshore, so chances are some favoured snapper hotspots will see a few proper knobbies visiting very soon. Here's hoping, as the lack of photos of snapper this time of year tells a bleak story.
In the meantime, smaller, yet arguably even better-eating squire can be found with a little effort close inshore. Fishing the low-light hours will be favourable, and you don't need to be fishing hard reef to find these squire. Yes, they hang around major structure too, yet they can also be found hoovering up morsels over fairly non-descript, seemingly sparsely-vegetated country as well.
Think gravel grounds west of Gatakers Bay; think the rubble of Urangan Channel; think the Channel Hole or Boges Hole country; or consider the Picnics and Fraser's western ledges down Kingfisher Bay way – just as starters. Consider the fact that squire (to 3 kilos at least) have been caught in the mouth of the mighty Mary River after dark late winter in years past, and you might appreciate the wide-ranging nature of a snapper or squire's hunt for food.
Trollers deploying ultra-deep divers have proven the worth of such presentations on snapper (large and small) in the past. Should that same tactic be deployed after dark and a whole new fishery could be discovered. We all know how much snapper roam, and how they feed strongly after dark. Their tendency to do so well up from the bottom, particularly at night, brings a whole new range of lures into the realm of potential new snapper slayers. Someone just needs to get out there and uncover such a fishery.
Mason used a glide bait to tempt this river barra. Glide baits slay them in dams and maybe should be used more in the salt.
Little Lacey may be only 9 days old, but has already started her crab-catching career.
Winter-Loving Reef Species Dominant
Winter means many things to many fishos. To a majority of boaties, it means chasing reef fish; be that inshore or out wide. Obviously, snapper are the number one target species for many folks inshore, and rightly so, yet bycatch or other targets are worthy of note too.
You can still catch grassy sweetlip near our deeper inshore reefs at this time. Less of them than the warmer months, but a substantially better average size. Sweeties in the 50s can make up the majority of your catch if you only score a couple, whilst fish bettering 40cm will make up the remainder if you score a lot. You might find tiddlers somewhere too, but chances are those grounds are far from prime.
Coral trout develop a degree of lethargy, as do the garbage-guts estuary cod. Both can still be caught, yet both need a little extra effort and patience. Where once a jigged prawn imitation would've been met with a crunching strike, it is a live bait dangled in the zone for long enough that will get more bites in winter. We are talking close inshore here, as out wider in the northern bay, both species will bite well on lures right through winter.
Nannygai are excellent snapper/sweetlip bycatch that are welcomed onboard by any seafood lover. You can find a few near artificial reefs, ledge country and over heavy gravelly/weedy bottom. Grunter frequent some of the same grounds, as well as favoured country out around The Banks and up the island. Again, complaints are rare if 60cm+ grunter are your snapper bycatch.
In-bound yakka schools will draw snapper to Platypus Bay reefs in coming weeks and months. Bigger tides and sunset sessions being kind to those that sneak in a trip or two before the whales make return journeys a tad risky. Grunter, nannies and a random cod or two can be found up that way by focussing on reef more-so than bait schools, with a few small tuskfish and perch thrown in the closer said reefs are to Rooneys.
Out wider, all the desirable reef fish bite well into winter. Trout, nannies, snapper, cockies and reds bite just as well as the box-fillers such as grassies, spangled emperor, moses perch and cod. Reef jacks bite particularly well after the sun disappears too, which can be a little weird if you are en estuary jack fisho used to hot water bites.
All-in-all, the winter northern bay reef fishery could be productive – if only for those darn sharks up there! Crews that ventured that way before this blow got hammered and brought home the remnants of a good feed for those of you left wondering. August and September are still the best (only) months of the year worth visiting the Gutters and Rooneys country nowadays it seems.
Lockiey Pearson and a shallow-water coral trout. These fish will bite better out wider in deep water than they will close inshore in winter.
Members of the Lethrinus genus fill northern bay-bound crews' eskies in lieu of the orange, pink and red coloured fish of years past.
Big Cobes and Sub-Surface Ballistic Missiles
Sports fishos had little to cheer about this week, as westerly winds kept them stranded close inshore. There has been action out off the Burrum coastline that saw some pretty impressive pelagics turn it on, but the weather has been too nasty for waters beyond.
Big cobia are roaming Hervey Bay waters right now and could turn up just about anywhere. Anywhere there is clean, clear water and ample baitfish that is, and that is much of the bay. Being such inquisitive creatures, it takes very little to tempt a big cobia. Fairly rudimentary presentations are sometimes scoffed, yet attention to detail, as always, will hold you in good stead. More bycatch than targets for most of us, cobia demand respect when fought, yet certainly do not demand rigorous or heavy rod work.
Smooth drags, set at a reasonable "snapper" setting will be ample to subdue a monster cobe, much larger than your targeted quarry. Mackerel baits or lures are often intercepted by large cobes too, and the tackle in hand is typically up to the task. That is, if you heed the above advice. Try to put the brakes on an XOS rampaging cobia and it will give the pain back to you in spades. You fight; they fight. You go easy; they go easy. Simple – until gaff time!
Another form of snapper bycatch likely to warm the drags of your snapper outfits is the big old longtail tuna tearing about in the bay out there right now. Tending more to predate on the masses of yakkas and herring etc sub-surface rather than the gar and 'rain fish' of warmer times, these big black barrels can take some serious rod work to subdue. Unlike cobia, they will not simply come to the boat to see what all the fuss is about. They will slog it out to the end, so good luck with them.
Pelagic fans have ample queenfish inshore to hunt once this weather settles. The bigger new moon tides will have them firing on all cylinders in a week's time, but you can still catch them now. Queenies and a few members of the trevally clan will be roaming around the bay islands no doubt, and may appear along select western ledges over Fraser way too. Big goldies will trick many a snapper hunter into thinking they have hooked a monster knobby in deeper water too; until that constant tail beat gives them away and the excitement turns to disappointment.
Broad-barred mackerel are a regular feature in catches from the shipping channels down the straits. There are likely still broadies terrorising the baitfish around the bay islands and other flats nearby too. No word on schoolies or spaniards this week, but going on reports pre-blow, there should be plenty out in the bay somewhere.
Not sure if excited or struggling to hold your cobia aloft there Stuart. Looks like your monster got monstered.
Trevally don't come more photogenic than diamonds. A happy Saltwater Playground Charter client with a big one.
Winter Evident in Estuarine Catches
Water temps in our rivers and creeks are still around 19°C after the latest cold snap. Quality barra came from both our river systems as well as the straits this week, but it is the species more synonymous with wintertime that are really starting to shine now.
Jewfish captures are spiking at times, with the River Heads area along with Fraser's western ledges producing the goods. Vibing, jigging prawn imitations and trolling deep divers are all options if you want to hunt jewfish on lures. Shallow divers and big paddle-tailed softies are also worthy if you aren't scared of the dark. Tide turns favour lazy fish like jewies, whilst well-placed lures or live baits can tempt them in raging current too.
Blue salmon are tearing around all over the place in our rivers as well as down the straits. They can be a downright nuisance or a delight, depending upon your take on fishing. Perfect for the kids, blues will eat a huge array of lures as well as live baits and even dead baits. They pull hard and wear through leaders with the best of their neighbours whilst having plenty of stamina. Some say they are good eating, but they certainly aren't for all tastes.
Threadies can be a little harder to locate and tempt, yet they too are a very solid wintertime estuary target. Try the Burrum system, the Mary system or a favourite creek down the straits. Their antics at low tide whilst chasing jelly prawns will give their presence away, even if you failed to find them on your sounder prior. Add grunter in the creeks of the straits and a few in the lower reaches of our rivers, flathead galore in the Burrum and bream on the move around the river mouths, and you have options galore for windy times this weekend.
Adding crustaceans to your seafood feast has never been easier at this time of year either. The banana prawns went absolutely nuts off Woodgate last weekend, with some regulars claiming they were the "thickest they have ever seen". Needless to say, bucket limits were filled in a mere couple of casts. Woodgate won't be the only prawn hotspot to feature over the coming week, but it will be one to consider whilst the breeze is still offshore if you aren't already satiated.
The mud crabs just keep on coming, in what has to be one of the best prolonged seasons in recent memory. Our rivers are all producing, as are many a creek system – even with the huge number of pots in our waters these days. Buck-to-jenny ratios are still acceptable and quality is still great. If the weather would allow, then you could very likely add sand crabs to the menu from a bay crabbing mission too if that appeals.
Andrew Puxty with a lovely jewfish tempted by a Daiwa Baitjunkie Prawn softy.
You've got to be happy with a fingermark eh Andrew. That same Baitjunkie Prawn doing the damage again.
The Puxty crew can tell you why estuary cod get the 'garbage guts' tag. Still keen to scoff a live pike with a gob full of discarded chicken frame crab bait.
Woodgate is firing as you read this. Luke made the trip worthwhile with an easy limit of bananas.
Word from Fraser's Surf Beach Scene
Thanks to a returning Fraser Island regular, we can offer a little insight into the state of play on the island. Since the big southerly that rolled massive swells up the coast pre-westerly, the island's beaches have slowly recovered. There are very nice gutters forming and beach travel is relatively smooth and easy. Exposed rocks demand the use of inland tracks, even at low tide, but that situation might change with time.
Fishing up Yidney way, our intrepid fisho and crew enjoyed fairly relaxed fishing along a beach lacking in general traffic. Small chopper tailor were caught along with undersized jewfish, by focussing on dawn and dusk periods. Whaler sharks to 10 kilos or so added some sport and light-hearted fun to sessions playing with the available surf species.
Tarwhine were being caught around the Maheno wreck and there were whiting being caught nearby apparently. If tailor and crowds hold no appeal to you as a beach fisho, then a Fraser trip during the coming month or so might be worth considering. Whiting are a fantastic target this time of year, as are bream, tarwhine and dart. The island will get busy all of a sudden late winter, so make the most of these very pleasant times if you get the urge.
Bob Jeynes with a standard-issue threadfin salmon from a local stream.
Livescope gives modern-day fishos like Jack the edge on barra in both salt and fresh water.
Good luck out there y'all …… Jase