queensland caloundra or mooloolaba

[djw]

hi guys.

looking at putting the tinny in to go out to some close reefs off the sunshine coast. only have a 14 foot tinny so not going too far out.

just wondering if anyone knew of any reef close to the caloundra and mooloolaba area and what is caloundra bar like for crossing ive heard its not all that good??

any help would be higly appreciated.

thanks

[Yellow Peril]

DJW,

I have done a fair bit of fishing in that area with my 15' centre console, both off Mooloolaba and off Caloundra.

First up, the Caloundra bar is shallow and often there are waves breaking all the way across the bar. That means to cross it you need to be able to time your run and most likely have to navigate some breaking waves. It is only a fairly short bar (not like South Passage or Wide Bay which go for miles) and there is some protection from Southerly swells by Moreton Island. In my opinion, it is not badly affected by the tides like some other bars either ie no standing pressure waves like at the Tweed, South Passage etc. Usually it is OK if the swell is less than 1 meter.

If you are not confident with bar crossings, have a chat to the Coast Guard and arrange for them to give you a run our and back one day before you go out in your boat. Ph 5491 3533 on weekends.

There is heaps of good fishing spots close in to both Mooloolaba and Caloundra. Off Mooloolaba, there are the Gneerings (about 7 km out) and Murphies (about 12 km). The 'bay' at Mooloolaba holds lots of tuna in the summer and autumn.

Off Caloundra, there are the shipping beacons which hold mackerel, cobia, kingfish, and snapper. The close reefs are good for sweetlip, mackerel, a few cobia, snapper, heaps of tuna, and a few other reefies. There is reef between Bray rock and the NW Fairway beacon and snapper to 10 kg get taken here every year. The Hamilton Patches is a mackerel ground just South of the NW Fairway beacon (this is about 4 km off the headland). The 5 mile reef is about 25 m deep and another 4 km or so ESE past the NF fairway.

Tuna and mackerel can be caught throughout the day. For the reefies (and mackerel and cobia), burley is a must. There is not alot of current on the close reefs, so you can fish with a small simker and use relatively light line.

Jeremy

[djw]

thanks very much for that jeremy. a trip is in the planning. itl be my first time out in our boat in open water so ill prob try mooloolaba first.

my dad has been round boats all is life and im just getting to know basics now, ive got a lil bit of knowledge in bars but it may be different in ouir boat as my uncles boat which is the one normally used out wide is 21 foot. and fibregalss. so the 14foot tinny wouldnt weigh half what the fibregass does.

ill be sure to post up how i go on here as soon as i can get out there.

thanks again.