Beating the sharks with an inshore trout of this calibre is more challenging than ever. Ripper fish Brian.
Shower-Laden Breeze Followed by Glamour
Ultra-light winds saw a veritable fleet of boats tearing off in all directions last weekend. Departure was hampered somewhat by a real pea souper of a fog both Saturday and Sunday mornings that created a little pandemonium and nervous moments for skippers in high traffic areas inshore.
Paths beaten north beyond the fog soon saw throttles pushed forward as eager crews headed for the wide blue yonder in conditions better than we've seen for far too long. A gentle southerly built strength steadily into the working week thereafter, before tending south-easterly and ultimately leading to the sustained 15-20 knot south-easter we are experiencing right now.
This onshore breeze is dragging scattered showers our way (that almost seem to be focussed on our Fraser Coast region to date). The BOM reckons more of the same for the weekend, though it really looks more like 15 knots than 20 knots. Manageable for inshore activities and certainly an option for smaller vessels in semi-protected waters.
An easing trend into the working week should see the showers disappear by mid-week, along with the wind. We wouldn't dare to dream - but the forecast for the latter part of next week into the weekend looks potentially very good (for now). A true godsend for organisers, sponsors and competitors keen to see the inaugural Hervey Bay Fishing Classic a success come next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The moon is waxing as we approach next Tuesday's full. Tides are building quickly too as we move beyond the winter solstice and reminisce on the fantastic bite in brilliant weather so fondly enjoyed last week.
Chris with a sample of the school snapper that have moved onto the reefs of the far northern bay.
A feed of fat grassies is an easy option close inshore if you can avoid the noahs.
Quality Reef Fish Found Offshore
A very sloppy and much-changed 4-mile bar crossing on Breaksea Spit created a little anxiety amongst skippers crossing in conditions a tad rougher than the BOM had predicted last weekend. Alternative crossings were favoured by some as the fleet scattered north and south once over the bar.
There was very little current north of the spit, with substantially more to the east and south. Variations in current strength due to time of day aside, conditions were still manageable for those experienced in those waters and the reef fish came thick and fast. Crews were soon reminded of the immense variety of reefies on offer on the Sandy Cape Shoals and surrounds, and eskies came home bristling with colourful and tasty delights.
There were some ripper red emperor caught, along with RTEs, various cod, gold-spot wrasse, tuskfish galore and plenty of less prestigious box fillers for those focussing their efforts between 40-80m. The sharks were avoidable, yet still made their presence felt. The 100m line remains the riskiest for shark activity, which is a crying shame given the absolute plethora of 'life' residing along that cusp of the continental shelf.
Deep droppers plunging rigs down 200m or more scored more than a feed of the usual deepwater suspects. Bar cod quickly filled esky space amongst more sought-after pearl perch, snapper and various jobfish. Cobia were found by the odd crew fishing inside the shelf, as well as on grounds to the north of the Breaksea green zone.
Speaking of green zones, it seems not everyone is up to speed with the regulations. Vessels were spotted merrily fishing within the Breaksea light green zone; some feigning a lack of knowledge when their position was pointed out. Get the apps people – they are free and could save you the shame and costly fines from future incursions.
Harro and Grant headed wide in brilliant weather last weekend and scored a tasty feed.
Ken and crew got amongst the trout, reds and other reefies off Bundy last week.
Northern Bay Fished Well as Sharks Had Whale on the Menu
Such excellent weather was always going to see a fleet of vessels head for the Gutters in the far northern bay. Surprisingly, the sharks left a few crews along altogether, who came home with a very sound feed of quality reefies. It so happens, that in a rare freak event, it seems the sharks otherwise entrenched at the Gutters etc all headed for the beach north of Bargara where a whale had washed up. Suss out social media for drone footage of the melee as what turned out to be hundreds of sharks filled their bellies on blubber instead of our reef fish for a change.
There were quite a number of coral trout caught and a small number of reds. The standard grassy sweetlip bycatch filled eskies for bait fishos and were joined by a mix of venus tuskfish, nannygai, snapper/squire and cod. Debateable keepers such as spangled emperor and blackall had a few thinking they'd hooked quality fish, whilst a steady string of smaller perch mixed up the colours chilling on ice.
Cobia were caught along ledge country, over shoal country and just about anywhere there was a decent fodder source. Baitfish such as yakkas and their cousins are moving in up there and attracting more snapper as well as sub-surface-feeding pelagics. Spaniards are still hanging about up there, and will soon be joined / replaced with hordes of trevally.
Baitfish were visibly quite abundant and reasonably mobile over Rooneys way. This abundance meant cobia were doing the rounds, as snapper, trevally and mackerel followed schools headed for familiar country. It was possible to catch a better-than-usual feed of nannygai, sweetlip, squire, grunter and cod up that way, as the sharks so typically a nightmare up there joined their mates over Bargara way.
Bar-cheeks bit well out wide in the northern bay last weekend.
Northern bay coral trout have enjoyed a prolonged reprieve from effort recently, so crews like Aedan's scored well last weekend.
Young Leo was duly impressed with dad's latest cobia capture.
The trout aren't safe with another generation of Nitchinskis with the fishing bug.
Snapper Finally Moving Inshore
After what has been the paltriest start to our bay snapper season, the winter solstice finally saw better numbers arrive in the south and western bay in waters holding around 18°C or so. Snapper also appeared here and there up the island in Platypus Bay and closer inshore, but you know who has been there to greet them. Avoiding the sharks has been a serious challenge, and will be for some time, but at least there are fish out there now to actively target.
The full moon tides scream snapper for those in the know, so results as promising as last weekend's neaps produced must have plenty of snapper fans cursing the current weather pattern. Hitch a ride in a capable-enough vessel and you can still have a crack inshore or up the island this weekend.
Better weather right before and through the full moon period will let you get into them whilst they are on the chew. The tides are right and the fish are out there, so take your Fishos Snapper Promo tokens along for the ride and send in your happy snaps to go in the draws for the tackle giveaways on offer.
A feed of plump squire and a stray nannygai or two has been possible very close inshore. Our shipping channel reefs are hosting both species, along with plenty of decent-sized grassy sweetlip, estuary cod and the odd coral trout. Sharks will tax you; that is almost guaranteed, but a feed is possible if you keep mobile.
Dane with a western bay snapper. Dawn and dusk feeding periods should not be missed when fishing neap tides.
Some favour bright outlandish coloured softies for snapper; some like natural. You have many options and Fisho's have them all.
Marlin Join Wintertime Pelagics in a Bay Feeding Spree
We all know about the incredible biomass of baitfish that migrate into Hervey Bay waters each winter, and the inevitable drawcard such abundance is for their pursuers. Wintertime pelagics such as cobia, trevally, queenfish and large longtails grow fatter year on year at this time, and this season, they have been joined by some even more prestigious company.
To date, a total of 8 juvenile black marlin have been caught up in Platypus Bay (that we have heard about) in the past fortnight. Almost as many as were caught during the failed text book marlin season last spring it seems. A couple of those might've been caught by less conventional methods (baits fished near the bottom), whilst standard trolling tactics tempted the others. No photos unfortunately, as it is only videos doing the rounds on social media.
Those little billies have only been pups, somewhere around the 10-kilo mark apparently. Speculation is rife as to why they are there. Are they the progeny of late-spawning marlin? Whatever the case, they will grow fast if they hang around, as the bay is alive with yakkas and other baitfish, along with hordes of bonito, juvenile tailor and trevally right now.
Speaking of trevally; their numbers are swelling steadily as various species migrate into bay waters to feast on the abundant baitfish. From the diamonds, goldies and others close inshore to more of the same and other cousins up the island, if you like catching trevally, then Hervey Bay is your oyster from now on.
Queenfish have been turning up around bait schools out in the open bay, and continue to feature amongst catches for sports fishos focussing on the eddies and current lines spinning off the bay islands inshore. Extra-large models are now more consistently working the flats and channel verges down the straits as well, so queenies could entertain a few frustrated fishos whilst the weather is less than ideal over the full moon tides.
Cobia continue to excite and exhaust an ever-growing number of fishos as they roam around the bay gorging on all sorts of tucker. They will scoff anything from sand crabs and meal-sized reef fish to tailor, bonnies, mackerel and of course regular baitfish. One XOS model even took a swipe at a metre-long queenfish one of our Fisho's staff members was fighting last week.
Large longtail tuna in the 20-kilo+ size class are possible this time of year. There were some showing their girth around the bay islands early in the morning just recently. Moreso bycatch than actually targeted sub-surface, they are a real handful on standard snapper tackle and likely to thrill (or annoy) a few fishos this winter. Stand a rigged and ready stick-baiting outfit in the rod holder amongst your other arsenal and you will be ready for the next one that rises to the surface nearby.
Diamond trevally are being caught around the bay islands and down the straits. Jacko was one of many who got amongst them.
Jake did battle with the local golden trevally population. Common bycatch whilst snapper fishing in winter.
Beau Muscat was very happy with his latest golden trevally capture.
Tom with one of the better snapper caught last weekend. Get out there and get yours as the weather improves for the full moon.
Brilliant Wintertime Barra Bite
That notable spike in average air temperature and milder evenings last week didn't go unnoticed by our warm water loving estuarine predators, even though the prevailing water temp in our rivers is around 19°C. Barramundi bit especially well for days on end, and were joined by threadfin salmon and mangrove jacks in what was a super-special wintertime bite. We may not see a repeat quite that good this winter, but who knows.
Our impoundment barra also fired-up over the first quarter winter solstice, turning it on for those lucky/clever enough to be there. Lenthalls produced a few fish in the 80cm+ class, whilst Mondy dished up metre-beater after metre-beater. The bite last week will take some beating, even with the full moon rising early next week.
The mighty Mary produced large fish and plenty of smaller snag-dwelling fun-sized barra. The threadfin salmon population is growing, yet remains quite mobile. They aren't all that hard to catch if you can find some that will linger for long enough, suggesting trollers could get in on the action if they could be tempted. Blue salmon are the usual pest / bonus for regular river fishos; more inclined to bother those of us bashing snags or vibing for threadies than those livescoping for barra with oversized softies.
Flathead numbers are improving in the Mary system, and you won't have to burn much fuel to catch them. Jewfish remain a chance in the River Heads / South Head area, with a smaller class of fish turning up as bycatch further upstream. Riverine grunter numbers will be boosted as winter wears on and river waters get even clearer, but the straits remains a better bet for them right now.
Bream are being caught at River Heads by those soaking baits. A little light tackle lure chucking would see you amongst that action down there too. The kids are spinning for tailor from the rocks during the rising tide, and they seem to be catching enough for a few giggles. They are barely choppers, but legal fish are possible. Spoons typically cranked back at speed targeting tailor could be intercepted by increasing numbers of mackerel in months to come, or even the odd stray blue salmon at this time.
If it wasn't for this weather, the finesse flats fishery would be prime this weekend. Both bream and whiting could be targeted on tiny topwater, or alternatives. Flathead would be fun in the skinny waters, where ever-clearer water offers such appealing sight-fishing. Throw in the chance of grunter, small trevors, queenfish or other bycatch, and you could join other exponents of the flats fishery in cursing this prevailing breeze. Or, you could steer your way to waters out of the wind and just get amongst them anyway!
The author is all about barra and bycatch these days. This 57cm jack qualifies as classy bycatch being so rare in the Mary system.
There is plenty of grunter to be caught on softies if you want to make the most of these full moon tides.
Urangan Pier's Herring Drawing Attention of Predators
As the herring schools linger beneath the Urangan Pier more consistently, they have drawn the attention of passing pelagics and a few other predators. There was a 20-kilo+ spanish mackerel hooked, fought and lost just recently, and schoolies have turned up for a feed too.
Flathead have returned in growing numbers, taking live baits of both pike and herring in the first channel and out towards the deep end. The bream are consistent nowadays, if not a little average in size. There seems to be a run of bream in the 25-35cm size class that is keeping folks entertained and/or fed, with no word of the trophy 40cm+ fish expected at this time. Will the full moon see a better class of fish turn up? Well, you will have to head out there to find out. They are bound to bite well in general, so you will catch bream of some sort.
Beach fishos plying our town waters have talked-up a few bream catches and mentioned flatties around our local creek mouths. Toogoom Beach has been producing a feed of whiting apparently, and at least one guy caught some quality grunter. Otherwise, it has been queenies swiping tiny topwater offerings amongst the whiting within the influence of Beelbi Creek and a few flathead and blue salmon down Booral way for landlubbers.
Tarj Wilson picked up this fine flatty at the harbour on a 92mm Clone Prawn.
Heading wide saw Aedan and crew into snapper amongst many other species.
Leo pulls more than his weight when out wide fishing with dad and his mates.
Winter whiting and prawns can be caught in the same session not far apart up Woodgate way.
Hervey Bay Fishing Classic – Only One Week to Go!
The clock is counting down for Hervey Bay's biggest-ever fishing competition. The inaugural Hervey Bay Fishing Classic kicks off next Friday, running over the 3rd, 4th and 5th of July - and the weather looks potentially brilliant. Let's all hope the BOM have this longer-range forecast right for a change, as an event of this scale could see Hervey Bay and surrounds showcase its incredibly diverse fisheries if skilled fishos weren't limited by weather.
Capitalising on our region's fishing diversity means competition entrants can launch their offshore rigs and go deep-dropping to target species beyond the shelf. The same crews can join others to compete for the prestige of bringing in the biggest red emperor, or the biggest coral trout, whilst probably landing other popular species on the long list of prize-winning species categories.
It will surely take a truly monstrous cobia to top the leader board in that category with so many XOS cobes cruising bay waters right now. The arrival of the snapper will see bay fishos competing with the offshore guys for biggest knobby, whilst so many highly sought after species can be targeted for the chance to win some very special prizes.
Estuary and beach fishos have ample species to target to get amongst the masses of prizes, and so do the kids. Bream are within everyone's reach and there is no shortage of them about. Just one of many species you should look into if you have kids, as even without a boat, you have ample chance to see you and yours getting amongst the prizes.
The fun and overall hype of an event of this nature, of this scale, is deserved by the good people of the Fraser Coast, and we trust will be enjoyed by many distant neighbours too. Fun and games for the kids will have them running around having a ball if they aren't oohing and aahing at all the big fish being brought to the weighmaster. Drinks will flow and fun times will be had by all. A great opportunity for like-minded fishos to gather and socialise, all with the chance to score big from the massive $120,000+ prize pool.
Suss out the latest updates on the Hervey Bay Fishing Classic website, and make sure you drop in to Fisho's Tackle World prior to the event. Get the latest gossip on what's biting and where, the tackle to tempt and subdue your potential prize-winners, and some tips on how to catch them.
It's going to be a hectic week and a huge weekend folks. Do not miss this one!
Good luck out there y'all …… Jase
Riley hauled this whopper ruby from the depths on deep drop tackle. Almost a certain prize-winner if caught in the upcoming HBFC.
Jimbo was one of many fishos to score snapper recently. Snapper will be a hotly contested category in the Hervey Bay Fishing Classic.