queensland BCF GPS marks Noosa reefs?

[grantbudd74]

HI Guys

Just getting into fishing the reefs off Noosa. I pretty much fish solo and would be happy to go out with someone experienced to share tips and stories.

Anyway I headed over to Sunshine reef today on their website marks and yes it was 40M deep but no real structure to be seen, infact almost flat. Did get a few small fish but I can get that size in the river...

Fishing a double 6/0 paternoster on squid but very quiet...Was drifting but no sea anchor...Its in the mail :-)

anyone here go to Sunshine reef? If so should I be seeing more than flat bottom? Saw whales so that was great seeing them jumping :-)

[dhess]

Daveylad and I have done a few trips to Sunshine Reef and like you said it can be hard to find the fish. The fish seem to hold bottom and can be hard to spot on the sounder.

We have had moderate success with some good grassies and a few snapper. Like most shallow reefs its only going to perform well at dusk and dawn fishing for reefies. I.e. don't bother bottom fishing between 9am and 2pm. Go for a troll or head to the deeper reefs.

In summer its a good option for pelagics like YTK, cobia and assorted mackerel.

To maximise your success:

Don't anchor

Ditch the patternosters and use as lightly weighted running rig as possible to get near the bottom

We have found North Reef to be a more productive area for reefies.

[daveylad]

Agree with Dom, North reef is best but the structure isn't the best but they are there. Mackerel season is coming and they are in the area just after the bar, Chris Locke is the best person to talk about the area he works at the Tackle shop at Noosaville near Dan Murphy's. Well keep you in mind when we next fish the area getting close to doing another trip to Double Island Point, is you boat good for this distances?

[grantbudd74]

HI guys

Thanks for the replies...I was thinking about ditching the double rigs and going single in case of a double hook up....

A better option is a running rig then? Wire trace or heavy mono after the swivel? If so is 70lb mono ok around a meter long with a 6/0 hook?

I also want to float line dead baits and tried a double snell circle hook on a mullet fillet but no joy..

I have a Big sea anchor coming this week as drifting is too fast right now with these strong NW's

My boat is a haines 4.9m Good for 40-60km's per hr but say around 35-40 in current conditions (4 stroke 70hp on the back)...Tank is a 75ltr but havent done any long trips yet to calculate fuel used as the gauge is crap to be honest... Guys at Suzuki said around 12 liters an hour at 4-6000 revs. 4000 gives me 35-40kmph depending on conditions and trim.

Double island point is a bloody long trip isnt it?? Spoke to someone ages ago who did it and it cost them $100's in fuel?? Depends on boat and engine I know...I was thinking about North reef but wanted to see how long it took to get to sunshine reef first...About 25 mins but stopped to watch the whales so a little longer....

Any members of the noosa fishing club here?

[aussie123]

On the shallower inshore reefs try float lining with whole pillies and squid and good cut baits like Mack Tuna.

30lb line and trace is ample for most reef fish like snapper,pearlies,tuskies ect.

The heavier the trace the more the fish will shy off it.

A small ball sinker sitting on top of the hook is your best rig and you can use a slider hook as well so you have 2 hooks to hold the baits better and whack a half hitch around the pilly tail to hold it nicely.

Float lining can be very effective out to around 40m if the currents and wind are favorable.

[daveylad]

Have a look at next Monday & Tuesdays forecast Willy's weather, Munna Point around 6.am high tide to get out, and plenty of water even for my boat. DI point shows Low winds NNE about 4 to 6 kilometres per hour swell is forecasted both days as very low at 1 metre and .09, then return 3pm time over 1 metre of water coming in tide. Your boat not a problem. As for fuel $100 is about right but I take 3 people out and we share costs so its a good day out there.

[grantbudd74]

My boat will only fish 2 due to the seats and the engine being in the way. Upfront is the half cab and anchor hatch...what boat are you in?

[chrislocke]

North Reef is definitely the go, and try fishing two rods....one floater on a baitrunner type reel with either a live yakka, slimey or if you can't get either, an XXL pillie. Rigging your livie on the "top" hook of your gangs with the rest "free swinging: is probably the most favoured rig for this type of fishing. (Tru-Turn gangs are the go)

The bottom fishing rig is a little different with the top hook consisting of a 6/0-8/0 suicide type pattern hook (I like black magic C-points) on the top dropper loop, with a large ball sinker on your line just below that dropper. Stopping that ball sinker falling off is a set of 4/0 Tru-Turn gangs rigged with pillies, squid or what ever is going.

Classic North Reef structure looks like flat to slightly "gravely" bottom with small rises and shows of fish hanging just behind these rises. As far GPS points, here's a quick guide which seems to be very popular as it gives you a good place to start:
/>http://www.fishingnoosa.com.au/Page10.htm

While you're at it, scroll through some of the archives found on that website as there's weekly updates about where the fish are biting...for years in a row! According to history...jacks are looking good for this month!

Any other question feel free to give the boys at Davo's a call, always happy to help

[rosco1974]

Float lining can be very effective out to around 40m if the currents and wind are favorable.

mate I don't know bout you but I can get a floatline rig down in 100 mtrs of water pretty easy and the biggest sinker I go to is a 6 ball...I normally use a 1 oz which is just under a 4 ball and get down pretty easy in most currents to 80 mtrs of water..don't be shy to let out line...lighter the lead the better the hook up rates

cheers rosco

[Shane69]

Double island point is a bloody long trip isnt it?? Spoke to someone ages ago who did it and it cost them $100's in fuel?? Depends on boat and engine I know...I was thinking about North reef but wanted to see how long it took to get to sunshine reef first...About 25 mins but stopped to watch the whales so a little longer....

Any members of the noosa fishing club here?

Your better fishing in noosa river if you think $100 fuel is too much.

If my bill for trip was $100 id be cheering lol.

DI out of noosa is far.

Id rather leave through wide bay. Than we can go 50-60k ne of bar.

Dave i might be keen for monday too. I was going to do tempest but see how it pans out.

Shane

[daveylad]

Grantbudd I've got a Whittley 2180, 6metre glass. there's not much rood for fishing and 2 is comfortable but the boats great for overnighters. I had a 4.8 metre boat but decided I wanted to go further out so I bought the bigger boat, watch out for deckie spots on trips further out and just throw in for fuel and bait last trip it cost 2 guys $50 each from Noosa to Di and back. If the bars good at Tin Can that's the go

Shane I'll ring Dhess