Fisho’s Weekly Fishing Report – 6th February, 2026

Jacko took advantage of the big full moon tides to claim these fine trout close to shore near Gatakers Bay.

A Week to Look Forward To

Windy weather through part of last weekend and earlier this week meant limited options for boaties. Massive full moon spring tides also created their own challenges for some, whilst generating opportunities for others. All that is in the rear vision mirror now though, as we look forward to what looks like a ripper week to be on the water here on the fabulous Fraser Coast.

The south-easter has eased in recent days and is currently blowing at near 15 knots for those lucky enough to be out there today. The BOM says 15-20 knots from the south-east Saturday and the same strength from the east Sunday. With any luck it will be more like 15 knots, or even less for early risers.

Lighter winds are likely to kick off the working week. Light onshore initially, that will tend more northerly day by day as the week unfolds. Expect a late afternoon sea breeze daily that cranks the breeze to closer to 15 knots, but generally, each day looks quite appealing for inshore fishos. Barra fans keen to make the most of better tides in a warming weather pattern should be particularly excited by next week’s weather.

Showers may blow in before mid-week, but it is all clear until sometime Tuesday it seems. A last quarter moon phase this Monday means neap tides once again. Even the first of ‘the makes’ thereafter will be slow to build, so you will find a host of lure-based fisheries particularly easy to master next week. Read on to discover which fisheries benefit from such minimal tidal flow.

Change of Guard at the Pier

It is amazing what a difference a week makes in the world of fishing. Last week we were talking up massive numbers of queenfish around Urangan Pier, and this week they are nowhere near as common. Other pelagics have arrived to predate on the small herring seeking refuge beneath the pier, and a few larger critters have arrived to predate on those predators too.

Small broad-barred mackerel are one such species to make an appearance. Sadly, they are pretty much all undersized though. Better-quality school mackerel also turned up at some stage, and between the two species, pretty much anything small and moving isn’t safe. Crank a Flasha spoon or swim a live herring and you will see what I mean. Large spanish mackerel have also been reported; very likely there to eat their lesser cousins.

Pencil squid numbers plummeted with the brightness of the full moon, as expected. Less activity from them very likely impacting the movements of the queenfish. You can still catch queenies, and big ones, but just less numbers than a week ago. Darker nights with a much later rising moon should see a surge in pencil squid numbers once again this week, and maybe the same increase in queenfish numbers.

Don’t be surprised if the GTs turn it on with small mackerel in pier waters this week. Remembering that a mackerel used as live bait must be of legal size will keep you on the right side of the law. For those unfamiliar with live baiting for GTs, yes, a live bait of 60cm or more is actually very appealing to those beasts, and such a bait will barely touch the sides on the way down the hatch of a truly big one.

Full Moon Tides Versus Neaps for Inshore Reef Fishos

Gatakers Bay and the Pt Vernon fringing reefs were popular amongst shallow reef fishos last week. The big springs had the current racing, so those grounds – that truly see less current than anywhere else nearby – fished well for the likes of coral trout, estuary cod, grunter and tusk fish. Sharks were thankfully rarely an issue, except for those small models that pestered the bait fishos lobbing larger baits back in the tide.

A good bite triggered by the current in the shallows will not be repeated this week, but you can always try a dawn session for stragglers if you are keen. Better to advance to deeper waters and larger fish and target the very same species above. You will also find grassy sweetlip in numbers, and periods of heightened activity can be expected throughout the tide in lieu of just the tide turns. Shark depredation can also be expected, so take measures to lessen your impact and minimise fish wastage.

Being February, we might expect a few nannygai to start appearing close inshore, but without any real rains so far this wet season, their inbound migration is delayed. Those that venture further up the bay are more likely to find a few, yet quality inshore models can be random captures on select sites that include some of the deeper reefs down the straits.

So, if you get the chance, then tie your favourite prawn or squid imitation softie to an appropriately-weighted jighead and work around the tides to see if you can extract a feed of reef fish for the family. Keep mobile to lessen your impact on favoured grounds and to avoid those dreaded noahs arks. Expect lots of estuary cod bycatch, but with any luck, you will be fine dining on fresh coral trout as so many do this time of year.

Chance to Get Out Wide Mid-Week

Feedback from any of our wider grounds was rather limited this week, courtesy of the weather. Sharks were a nightmare in the northern bay for one crew that braved less than ideal conditions. It almost came to the point where flake was a consideration for dinner - if only the flake-adorned creatures were small enough to be processed!

Large cobia are still possible it seems, yet not in numbers. Catching spaniards is prohibited for a couple of weeks too, so it is reefies and more reefies for anyone venturing north this week. With easing winds and minimal tidal flow mid-week, there are bound to be crews unhindered by the demands of work that will consider a trip to The Gutters or beyond. May they find trout and other reef fish on the chew in sharkless waters (as wishful as such thinking may be these days).

Heading even wider and crossing Breaksea Spit may appeal to those crewing larger vessels. Spit Bommie fished well for giant trevally over the full moon period, but that activity has peaked for now. Assessing the prevailing current flow will dictate which way the skippers head if and when they get out there. The noahs have been reasonably avoidable on the shoal country for now, so if the current is fishable, then happy days. That hint of a northerly won’t help to slow your vessel’s drift rate, so take that into account if planning an offshore assault.

First Longtail Schools Arrive in the Bay

Whilst the majority of us curse the strong south-easterly trade winds at this time of year, longtail tuna fans are eagerly awaiting prolonged spells of those winds to trigger a bay-bound migration of tuna. Brief periods of 20-30 knot winds recently have aided them in their early season longtail quest, with reports of schools of decent longtails throughout parts of the north-eastern bay in recent days.

Given that the tuna will gorge on various forms of baitfish that change with time, we need to be adaptable in what lures we select to cast at them. Smaller baitfish earlier in the season demand smaller lure profiles to match the hatch, and as those fodder species grow in time, then so too should the size of the lures we are offering. So, for now, you might catch tuna galore on small metal slugs and the standard jerkshads, but it will only be a matter of time and stick-baiting will be all the rage.

Wet season rains, if they eventuate, will create their own changes to the tuna’s diet, as the likes of garfish and squid are washed out into open waters. ‘Hatches’ of other fodder such as long toms and flying fish also demand changes to keep matching the hatch. For now though, it shouldn’t be too hard to tempt a longtail with a smaller presentation, and the fish won’t be too spooky as yet either. This will change in time, as they are pressured by us and the attending noahs, so enjoy this developing fishery when next you get the chance.

Keep an eye out for stray marlin whilst on the hunt for tuna too. Slim as your chances may be after such a paltry season inshore, there was a baby black hooked just last week that reminds us to always be ready for anything. The spotties seem to be pretty much a non-event as well, but no doubt there are stragglers out there somewhere, very possibly feeding shoulder-to-shoulder with the tuna.

Inshore Pelagics Post Full Moon

A few schools of tuna might find their way further inshore this week, but that would seem more likely when the tides build later next week. In the meantime, there has been a spurt of school mackerel appearing in the local shipping channels. Beacon-bashing proved productive for a few guys last weekend, when they found schoolies willing to chase down fast-cranked spoons and metal slugs.

Perhaps further joy might be enjoyed from the Fairway to the NU2, or those schoolies might migrate to deeper waters chasing pencil squid in less current flow. A leisurely troll through the area might appeal to some folks, and could prove productive. Steering further east to the Outer Banks area will see if the schoolies have returned there this week.

Spanish mackerel remain off the hit list due to the current closure. You can fish for them again come February 22nd. Remember that the second closure will also see them off limits from the 1st - 21st March as well. There are quite a few around, both inshore and up the bay, so, sneak in a session in the last week of this month if you are keen. Oh, and think twice about keeping and consuming those XOS spaniards that turn up around inshore shipwrecks etc this time of year, as they are an extraordinarily high chance of carrying ciguatera toxin, which you don’t want destroying your good health.

Golden trevally have been taking lures and flies up on the flats lately, and some very large models have also been lurking around bait-rich reefs such as select ledges and the odd artificial. The big GTs remain a target species or a nuisance on similar grounds, depending on your outlook. The big tides that trigger them to feed in shallower waters such as those around the bay islands are behind us for now, so back to the deeper waters you go if GTs light your fire.

The same can be said of the inshore queenfish population. Spring tides created feeding opportunities last week that won’t be replicated this week, so look for them in deeper waters (particularly Fraser’s western ledges) where they stand out like the proverbial on a decent sounder screen. Inshore sports fishos have benefited greatly since netting activity was reduced in the southern bay, so even those that lamented the loss of action they enjoyed in ‘the good old days’ are again enjoying success on various flats-favouring pelagics.

Barra Will Be Hotly Pursued this Week

Raging full moon tides put paid to a lot of folks’ barra season opener plans. Flats fishing options were on offer, yet most effort was centred on our rivers and creeks. The current therein was too hard to handle for the uninitiated lure fishos that struggled to contend with nearly 12’ of tidal flow. No such issues this week though folks, as much more manageable tides will see substantially better results from pretty much all and sundry.

Once again, it will be the Burrum system that will be most popular. Its four rivers are home to excellent numbers of barramundi of various sizes right now, and they should respond positively to better tides and warming conditions this week. The simple fact that the whole system is alive with baitfish and prawns just adds fuel to that fire, so fantastic things are expected from the Burrum barra front this week.

Timing will still be important, as will finding fish that haven’t been relentlessly pestered all closure. So many superb lure offerings are available these days that the poor old barra don’t really stand a chance. We stock what we believe to be the very best lures on the market for our local barra population, with prawn imitations, paddle-tailed plastics, hard bodies, vibes and topwater offerings to suit every conceivable application. This is the week to put your ever-growing lure collection to the test, and you never know, you might be joining the metre-beater or even the 120cm or 130cm club before you know it. 

Your chances of enormous barra get even better by fishing the waters of the mighty Mary system or certain stretches of the Great Sandy Straits. Huge barra exist, and are caught with a degree of consistency by those that put in the hard yards. Lady Luck also plays her hand from time to time and impressive fish are caught by folks totally oblivious to what it ‘normally’ takes to land such a trophy. Maybe this will be your year to achieve the loftiest heights in the ongoing pursuit of barra fishing excellence.

All Estuarine Predators Easier to Catch This Week

It isn’t just the barra that will be easier to catch this week, as smaller tides make fishing for threadfin salmon that much simpler. Given the lack of major rains and resultant run-off, the threadies can be found well upstream in many of our rivers and creeks. Fish in those locales are suckers for soft vibes when hanging in deeper waters, or even a metre or so of water. 

Prawn imitations and hard bodied lures will also tempt hungry threadies, and both can be used to great effect around snags and over rock bars where soft vibes are a bit of a risky option (snagging-wise). Trollers can get their troll on and expect a return for effort. Deeper divers trolled for the last half of the run-out should be cut off and replaced with shallower divers for the run in. Trolling runs that hug deeper waters for the former are then moved closer to the banks for the latter.

Threadies can be found right throughout the whole of the Mary system, and through much of the straits. The mainland creeks offer better fishing than the island creeks for now, but that can change if the rains come. There are stacks of small prawns growing fast throughout the estuarine waters of the straits, so all indicators are green for a great autumn on the threadies, the barra and the grunter down that way. It is fair to say, that as much as we need a big wet to keep our systems alive and self-propagating, such an event right now, with our waters in such a prime state, would down right annoying!

Mangrove jacks will respond to warmer weather again next week after a cooler spell in recent days. Catching them over the neaps is a simple enough affair, yet they remain that one species that we can target with greater confidence with more run in the tide. Look for larger fish in deeper waters whilst the neaps prevail and then chase them back up into the backwaters of your favourite creek after the tides build strength. They are quite prolific and can be found right throughout the Burrum system and the straits, as well as our little local creeks and pondages.

'What's that over there' - Fraser Guided Fishing clients are easily distracted when there is action aplenty on bay charters.

Beau Muscat found a very lonely little billy in the bay this week. Goes to show; they ain't all gone 'til their all gone.

Lake Lenthalls Barra Appeal to Frustrated Freshwater Fishos

Whilst Lake Monduran’s moody barra have taken a chill pill recently and proven harder to catch, the smaller barra in Lake Lenthalls are making up for it with their youthful enthusiasm. It is certainly a different fishery, that will never appeal to true Mondy tragics, but there is no denying the fun a family fisho or indeed anyone can have out there with a small water craft and a selection of suitable lures.

Lenthalls water is a filthy dark brown colour, yet the barra continue to feed unabated. Fish from the tiniest rats to barra bettering 90cm are being caught by newcomers and old hands alike. They have moved the cattle off the ranch, so to speak, so the water lilies have rebounded bigtime and that delightful Lenthalls lily-lined vista is once again the backdrop to some sensational barramundi action.

Small paddle-tailed plastics and small shallow-diving hard bodies remain the preferred lure presentations for successful Lenthalls fishos of late, but the topwater fishery is only a matter of time before it goes nuts. Lenthalls in autumn is a wonderful fishery that can see numbers of barra caught in a session that would only be rivalled by Awoonga or Callide on a good day. 

Lake Monduran has gone through a host of summer cycles this year, and currently, isn’t fishing at its best. Frustrated barra, teased by stormy weather that didn’t result in significant rains, have tended deeper and been less inclined to bite in waters that have achieved the uncomfortable temperature of 34C across the lake and 36C in the backwaters at the peak of the heat.

Cooler conditions this week have ‘settled’ the temperature variation and may see better results very soon. Maybe nothing as good as the incredible topwater bite and oversized swimbait bite of the not-so-distant past, but surely an improvement on the status quo. Catching Mondy barra remains a day-to-day affair, where tuned-in regulars continue to pull barra of various sizes while staying very much under the radar. 

Should Mondy’s barra turn it on bigtime once again, then no doubt social media will be the medium in which it is exposed and we will see the crowds return. Until then, happy days for the rest of us as we enjoy the peace and quiet on our most cherished body of water.

Good luck out there y’all …… Jase