queensland Advice for the bay and beyond..

[Wahoo2]

Good Evening!

I have recently got rid of my little 3.9 metre tinny and slightly upgraded to a 4.5m side console boat. I have had decent luck fishing Harry Atkinson Reef, Sam's Reef, Coochie and a few other estuary spots around Brisbane but am yet to get on to any decent sized fish. PB's are a 50cm Snapper, 75cm Spotted Mackeral and a heap of barely legal bread and butter species.

What I am after is some general info on some new spots I can try or even people who are keen to go out in a convoy sometime and show me around a little better.

I am originally from Mackay and have always done well up there but here is a different story.

I'm always up for a chat and you feedback is welcome, thank you

Kane

[crazywalrus]

Welcome mate - With those PBs in the bay here I reckon you are doing pretty well. The bay is hit really hard. Where are you targeting Flatties - The southern Bay is pretty good for them.

[Wahoo2]

Thanks crazywalrus!

The only flathead fishing I have done is down at the pin and surrounds. I want to get into the mackeral and cobia when they come on but have never had much luck with catching live bait down here.

Most of the time I fish around Coochie and Harry's but they are always so packed and not sure how much further I am comfortable taking the new boat. I actually haven't put it in the water yet. Hopefully Sunday is the day!

I also went across to Mudd in my 3.9m tinny and had a hell of a bumpy ride back.. lol

Any help is appreciated!

Kane.

[crazywalrus]

cobes and mackeral are normally found more towards Moreton Island. The Beacons are normally where you can normally jig up Schoolies in spring summer. That is also the main area you catch live bait, mainly yakkas. The Beacons towards the western tip of Moreton are the main area that you will pick up cobes as will as Curtain Artificial. You will need a pretty good day on the bay to comfortably get around the northern bay. The Sandhills was another are for Mackeral in Summer.

[Wahoo2]

Thanks for the advice!

Has anyone had much luck around Coochiemudlo and the stretch of water across to Peel Island?

Cheers

[Cobiaaddict]

Hey mate,

You got yaself a good size bay boat .... You have whole range of species for the bay in both winter and summer,

In winter Fish your wrecks and ledges in the bay for snapper , jew, tailor ect,

And summer you got cobia, school n spottie mackeral on curtain the main beacons in the shipping chanell as well as calamari on the weed banks south and north of tangalooma wrecks ,

Pick ya days and u can spend 9-10hrs on the bay fishing, i have done 90% of my bay fishing from a 4m tinny fishing correct tide and wind changes making fishing and travelling more comfy,

Feel free to pm for any more advice

Cheers

Josh

[Wahoo2]

G'day Josh,

Thanks for the reply. We had some pretty good weather today at Mudd but didn't get many keepers apart from a nice school mackerel i pulled up.

Would love to have a chat at some stage to see what rigs, bait and line class you use to get your pelagics. I have had success floating pillies and on slugs but that's about all.

I would benefit from learning more about tides, moon phases and the like. I have fished all my life but have only really just got serious about it.

Anyways I'll get there

Kane

[Bri The Pom]

Hey Kane,

You say you want to get in to mackerel, looking ahead we have a couple of mackerel socials on wavebreak in the summer and we chase pelagics and cobes all weekend, and somedays do real well and they get popular, so keep an eye out.Can't help you in the bay thou.

Good luck mate.

[Cobiaaddict]

G'day Josh,

Thanks for the reply. We had some pretty good weather today at Mudd but didn't get many keepers apart from a nice school mackerel i pulled up.

Would love to have a chat at some stage to see what rigs, bait and line class you use to get your pelagics. I have had success floating pillies and on slugs but that's about all.

I would benefit from learning more about tides, moon phases and the like. I have fished all my life but have only really just got serious about it.

Anyways I'll get there

Kane

Hey Kane,

Feel free to ask away, we all have theories when it comes to tides and mooon phases mate , im happy to share peices of the puzzle such as rigs, tackle and gear we use, most important thing is to put in the hours anf keep track of what,where,when and how u went fishing certain locations ect.....

Cheers

Josh

[Wahoo2]

Thanks Josh!

My set up at the moment is a 12lb braid and 20lb fluro leader (plastics) and the I have two 4000 reels with 30lb braid and one with 30lb mono for bottom and floating baits and then I have a Penn 8000 with 50lb Mono which I use for trolling and floating pillies and live baits.

I generally use 5/0 hooks for bait and no weight for floating or a small snapper lead for the bottom.

I use squid and pilchards mostly and have plastics from 3 - 7 inch but haven't had much luck on the plastics in the bay yet.

I will get there, just need to sound around for some good spots in the river. I have two A4 pages full of GPS marks for southern bay islands which go ok.

Anyways, tight lines

[tugger]

Gday Kane we are doing a social on wavebreak island where we camp then head out together offshore its on the 5th 6th and 7th of october so just over 2 weeks from now. You can follow us out as this time we are chasing some big snapper and cobia over this weekend outside and the southport seaway holds some big jew at times. The secret to big fish in my opinion is big baits i like to use alot of live baits or large fresh bait. Even if you dont want to camp we leave for offshore at first light on both sat and sunday mornings so come and meet us at the beach near camp before first light if your keen or stay for the weekend as everyone is welcome. Alot of info with rigs, baits, techniques and fish habits is passed on during these camps there hope to see you on the water

Mark

[Wahoo2]

G'day Mark, The camp sounds really good! I will have a chat to my wife and see what I can organise. Would my 4.5m boat be able to handle going outside with you guys?

Also if you could PM me what I would need in the way of bait and supplies that would be awesome. Looking forward to getting out and having a fish with you guys.

Cheers,

Kane

[tugger]

4.5m boat is easily big enough you just have to pick the right days offshore i had a 4.1m i used to jump currumbin bar all the time in but going out through the seaway is alot easier. 2kg block of pilchards and 4 packets of bait jigs around the no. 8 hook size is all you need to start with offshore. I like no. 6 size gamagatsu circle hooks for the pilchards and an assortment of round ball sinkers my most commonly used sinkers are no.3/ no.4/ no.5/ no.6 and no.8 for floatlining for big snapper, cobia and other reefies. I use 30lb mono mainline straight through to the hook for big snapper and i have a heavier rod with 50lb mono for the big cobia etc

[Wahoo2]

Thanks mate! I have similar set ups already so it's good to know I am on the right track. Hopefully I can make it to the AFO social on those dates..

Looking forward to meeting the group