Hervey Bay... Wise?

[timtam_]

Hi all,

 

Tika suggested Hervey Bay in a month or so for a weekend trip. 

Obviously we will pick our weekend wisely, and try and go when both Saturday and Sunday have almost no wind!

Distance wise, my range is probably about 20km's from the ramp at Hervey Bay, but from what I can see, there's a multitude of shallow reefs, artificial reefs, and deeper rock ledges which are all within reach. We're hoping to get into some snapper/squire/grassies/trevally on the reefs on micro-jigs and bait, mack and longtail tuna off the top, and some late mackerel if they're around. We would love to get some goldens but I'm clueless as to their local hangout!

Any info anyone could provide on the area would be awesome. What goes around comes around!

PS: This is my tinnie... from experience, anything above 10 knots becomes uncomfortable. That's not factoring in wind against tide....

 

Cheers fellas!

[kmcrosby78]

Wish my missus would suggest we take the tinny to HB for a weekend ........ you've got a keeper there mate!!  Have a great trip, hope you get some good info to help you along

[Luvit]

Your rig should be fine if you pick the weather. Anything with east in it is good for protection from the island. I prefer a SE over the NE. If its a direct north I would pass on it unless it was no more than 5 knots to stay comfortable.

Prominently we fish 50+ kms from Urnagan and not much closer. The times we have fished moon ledge and other closer by reefs the current has been quite strong when trying to get lures down to fish. Try fishing the changes of tide when the current slows down. If you anchored and dropped some baits I expect you would get plenty of bites. In regard to Golden Trevs we have found them on top of some of the many sand bars around the area. The ones that come up from 15m to 4 meters. Keep your eye out for stingrays rays on the flats & bars because the Goldens will follow them for a free feed as they disturb smaller fish etc. Have caught all the fish you mention with in 5 km of Urangan ramp before and seen whales that close. Just keep you eyes peeled for the normal signs that give fish away and you should do well.

I was suppose to be there this weekend but have cancelled with the weather forecast. I want to get up there again with the new boat and the boys. You never know we might be up at the the same time.

[samsteele115]

Unfortunately youll get some nasty wind against tide action outside the marina and up to moon point which is a 13km trip from memory. But on a calm day obviously it's flat as. Some good deeper structure  (30m) near moon which I'm sure you could catch anything on. There are some shallow reefs not far outside the marina West of big woody and a big wreck north of. Haven't actually fished any of these areas but see many small boats fish them. As Wayne said we dont really start fishing til we get to Wathumba Creek (50km) where the pelagics and big goldens tend to hang out regularly. 

But definitely do check out the moon point flats. Seen some big GT cruise around there once and monster flathead. I heard it used to be plentiful in goldens and permit (a fly fishers haven) etc etc etc until netters gave the area a good working over in recent years. 

[jackabow22]

The shallow reefs around big woody have been firing lately,been getting a whole heap of trout and sweet lip on plastics,also plenty of tuna in close at the moment without having to go out far,most days theirs been mixed schools of macs and longtail from all the way down near the picnics and then all the way up the island.got a small boat aswell so i have just mainly concentrated on the schools between  big woody and moon.some schools have been abit flighty but managed to land 20+  in 2 days  before this rain turned up.

[timtam_]

8 hours ago, jackabow22 said:

The shallow reefs around big woody have been firing lately,been getting a whole heap of trout and sweet lip on plastics,also plenty of tuna in close at the moment without having to go out far,most days theirs been mixed schools of macs and longtail from all the way down near the picnics and then all the way up the island.got a small boat aswell so i have just mainly concentrated on the schools between  big woody and moon.some schools have been abit flighty but managed to land 20+  in 2 days  before this rain turned up.

Maaaaaaate! That's exactly what I want to hear. Do you live local?

Thanks guys @samsteele115. @Luvit, Hopefully I'll see you up there. I'm not making a commitment to any weekend until the day before so I know it'll be kind to me. 

[samsteele115]

I wouldn't mind a camping trip up that way eventually @timtam_ ..... hmmm

[jackabow22]

3 hours ago, timtam_ said:

Maaaaaaate! That's exactly what I want to hear. Do you live local?

Thanks guys @samsteele115. @Luvit, Hopefully I'll see you up there. I'm not making a commitment to any weekend until the day before so I know it'll be kind to me. 

yeah mate live local,might take a while for the fishing to come good again,the water in the bay is putrid brown atm after this wind and rain,especially the tuna which will have pushed further back up the island towards wathumba and roonies with these strong northelys, which is forecast to be 40knots today,extended forecast is for southerly's so should speed it all up.

[timtam_]

21 hours ago, samsteele115 said:

I wouldn't mind a camping trip up that way eventually @timtam_ ..... hmmm

Camping is the plan my friend! It will happen, I'll give you time to surpass this little speedbump

 

19 hours ago, jackabow22 said:

yeah mate live local,might take a while for the fishing to come good again,the water in the bay is putrid brown atm after this wind and rain,especially the tuna which will have pushed further back up the island towards wathumba and roonies with these strong northelys, which is forecast to be 40knots today,extended forecast is for southerly's so should speed it all up.

Sounds good mate. Again, I'm not committed to any weekend in particular so I'll see how it goes. I've shot you a PM with my number for reference. Cheers

[Nog]

Sam's right about Moon. The good old days are over for now.

Have you thought about hitting the mouth of the Susan? Good threadfin can be found around the rocky bits out from the ramp, or just left of the ramp in the big hole. 

 

Pelican Island, close to Moon often has some nice fish around it especailly as the flats on it drain.

 

Back of Big Woody is also a go, a bit like Mud, find the reef and drift over it with splastics etc.

 

 

[Drop Bear]

Some great info there. Well done everyone. @Angus when are we going up? yeah yeah I know you have a kid now... 

Don't worry I have been there.