queensland 1 1/2 Months Till I Am In Australia!

[Esox_angler]

My wife and I are coming to Australia in December for my sisters wedding. We are going to be staying in Southport for a week before we start heading up the coast, and I would like to get some fishing in. I am from the smack dab middle of Canada and have pretty much zero experience fishing saltwater. So if anybody would like a fishing partner for a day from Dec 8 -14 let me know!

I will be bringing 1 or 2 medium sized rods along with me for jetty and river fishing along the way, but would love to go with a local and get some local expertise for my first time out fishing saltwater.

[Drop Bear]

10 hours ago, Esox_angler said:

My wife and I are coming to Australia in December for my sisters wedding. We are going to be staying in Southport for a week before we start heading up the coast, and I would like to get some fishing in. I am from the smack dab middle of Canada and have pretty much zero experience fishing saltwater. So if anybody would like a fishing partner for a day from Dec 8 -14 let me know!

I will be bringing 1 or 2 medium sized rods along with me for jetty and river fishing along the way, but would love to go with a local and get some local expertise for my first time out fishing saltwater.

Hey Mate,

If the weather is good we could do an offshore trip and try and get some reef fish and pelagics like tuna and Spanish Mackerel. 

They will be around at that time. 

Also there are some great charter boat operators that run out of Southport that would be worth a try. 

There are a lot of options around where you are staying. Some fish you can target without a boat are;

Bream are fun to target around the jetties and pontoons. I bait fish for them with bread on an unweighted 1/0 suicide hook but soft plastics and small hard boddies will catch you plenty. 

If you are wanting something a bit bigger but harder to get Mangrove Jacks are awesome. They fight like bulldogs. Larger live baits are great and larger soft plastics and hard bodies work well. They love structure so cast close to snags.

Flathead are a mainstay for this area. They inhabit shallower water and drop offs. They lay flat on the bottom and ambush prey that swims past. Soft Plastics are a favourite for these but they will bite dead baits like pilchards.

Whiting can get to a nice size in the area too. Live Yabbies are a great bait or even soldier crabs. Live worms are tricky to catch but can be bought from most tackle stores at Southport and are a top bait. Small long shanked hooks at about #5 to #8 with a small ball sinker will get you amongst them. They will be in the shallow waters especially on the incoming tides. They will also take small top water lures like sugar pens and small poppers that mimic Prawns (Shrimp)

Mulloway are a cracking huge fish that are a real treat to catch. Large (10 to 30cm) live baits are great for these and they will bite on large soft plastics and occasionally slugs. Night time is the best to target these in the deeper holes. They like stiller water areas just out of some current. 

The Taylor will have left by December sorry. 

There are lots of other fish you can target like Ludric, Drummer, Trevally but that might be enough to get you started.

Don't pack any warm cloths. You wont need them but you will need lots of sun protection. 

[Esox_angler]

 

13 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

If the weather is good we could do an offshore trip and try and get some reef fish and pelagics like tuna and Spanish Mackerel. 

They will be around at that time. 

That sounds amazing! 

 

13 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Bream are fun to target around the jetties and pontoons. I bait fish for them with bread on an unweighted 1/0 suicide hook but soft plastics and small hard boddies will catch you plenty. 

If you are wanting something a bit bigger but harder to get Mangrove Jacks are awesome. They fight like bulldogs. Larger live baits are great and larger soft plastics and hard bodies work well. They love structure so cast close to snags.

Flathead are a mainstay for this area. They inhabit shallower water and drop offs. They lay flat on the bottom and ambush prey that swims past. Soft Plastics are a favourite for these but they will bite dead baits like pilchards.

Whiting can get to a nice size in the area too. Live Yabbies are a great bait or even soldier crabs. Live worms are tricky to catch but can be bought from most tackle stores at Southport and are a top bait. Small long shanked hooks at about #5 to #8 with a small ball sinker will get you amongst them. They will be in the shallow waters especially on the incoming tides. They will also take small top water lures like sugar pens and small poppers that mimic Prawns (Shrimp)

Mulloway are a cracking huge fish that are a real treat to catch. Large (10 to 30cm) live baits are great for these and they will bite on large soft plastics and occasionally slugs. Night time is the best to target these in the deeper holes. They like stiller water areas just out of some current. 

The Taylor will have left by December sorry. 

There are lots of other fish you can target like Ludric, Drummer, Trevally but that might be enough to get you started.

I just copied and pasted this all to my "Important Australian fishing Info"  document! This is some seriously good info! Thanks so much! 

Mangrove Jacks are close to the top of my list for fish to catch while I'm there! I've read a lot about them being a really fun fish to catch. I am also excited to try using live bait. It sounds and looks so easy. We are only allowed to use certain types of bait here and the only live baits we are allowed are earthworms and leeches.

Are there any Threadfin around in December? I've been watching some youtube videos on them and it looks like they can get to be a decent size and are a cool looking fish. 

I am already getting super excited about this trip! can't wait to check some more species off my bucketlist!

13 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Don't pack any warm cloths. You wont need them but you will need lots of sun protection. 

 In another week I will we able to ice fish here! By the time I get to Australia I'll be whiter then a mayonnaise sandwich with the crust cut off! You better believe I'll be bring a jumbo sized tub of sunscreen! haha

[Fishaman]

Gday Mate

 

When you say heading north how far north are you going?

[Drop Bear]

10 hours ago, Esox_angler said:

Are there any Threadfin around in December? I've been watching some youtube videos on them and it looks like they can get to be a decent size and are a cool looking fish. 

There are threadfin around. We are sort of at the southernmost range of them. We get them in the Brisbane River... well some people do. I have not yet caught one there. I have caught them further north. They are a great fish and will bite on live baits or vibes or plastics. Just not on mine.

 

[Old Scaley]

Coincidentally I watched Hook Line and Sinker yesterday (series 3 episode 8 I think) and they did a night session in the city reaches of the Brisbane river chasing threadfin. That was in winter. By December they will be starting to move closer to the mouth and peak season seems to be in February. They love a nice fresh prawn, live if you can get one. 

@Esox_angler, if you are in Brisbane that week and the weather gods are kind, I would be happy to take you out on a thready hunt one day. Can’t guarantee success but we can have a go.  Would be a daytime session because night time is cocktail hour.

[Esox_angler]

On 22/10/2018 at 2:51 PM, Fishaman said:

When you say heading north how far north are you going?

We are heading all the way up to cairns! 

 

On 22/10/2018 at 3:09 PM, Drop Bear said:

There are threadfin around. We are sort of at the southernmost range of them. We get them in the Brisbane River... well some people do. I have not yet caught one there. I have caught them further north. They are a great fish and will bite on live baits or vibes or plastics. Just not on mine.

I thought I remembered watching a youtube video on some guys fishing in the brisbane river for them at night. Maybe that while be a fish for another trip if there not that easy to catch. 

 

On 22/10/2018 at 3:31 PM, Old Scaley said:

Coincidentally I watched Hook Line and Sinker yesterday (series 3 episode 8 I think) and they did a night session in the city reaches of the Brisbane river chasing threadfin.

I watched some guys fishing for them in the river at night too, but it was not Hook Line and Sinker. It was some redneck looking duo. Thats what have me the idea. 

 

On 22/10/2018 at 3:31 PM, Old Scaley said:

if you are in Brisbane that week and the weather gods are kind, I would be happy to take you out on a thready hunt one day. Can’t guarantee success but we can have a go.  Would be a daytime session because night time is cocktail hour.

@Old Scaley I might have to take you up on that! I'd be happy with any kind of fishing, does not have to be threadfin. Daytime is fine by me. I'm on vacation, I I understand the importance of cocktail hour! haha

[Leroy]

  I am  close to southport so give me a post when in town and we see what we can catch . mackerel  might  be about then.  Fun fish 

[Drop Bear]

On 27/10/2018 at 1:02 PM, Esox_angler said:

I thought I remembered watching a youtube video on some guys fishing in the brisbane river for them at night. Maybe that while be a fish for another trip if there not that easy to catch.

Yes mate you are right. We get them here.