Canadian On The Way!

[kjohnson]

Hello All!

I will be visiting your great country next week and i'm very excited to try to sneak away from the wife as much as possible and wet a line in the rivers around Brisbane. I'm an avid fisherman in Ontario Canada but most of what we might consider here as a trophy you would consider bait! Haha   What i'm looking for is to possibly do some good shore fishing. I've been doing a lot of reading online and i realize its your winter now but i was still hoping to get into a few small "bullies" as you call them. I am trying to do  my own research but as i'm not going to be in Brisbane long i was hoping for any help that might be offered. I'll be bringing my Okuma Med Heavy travel rod and a Penn size 4 reel so i'm not looking for monsters but still hoping for a bit of a fight. 

Any help is greatly appreciated. And if you're ever on this side of the pond I'll happily give you some tips on getting in to some lake trout, musky or salmon! Thanks again and tight lines everyone!

[kmcrosby78]

Hope you enjoy your stay mate, looks like you've struck some of our magic winter weather for your stay. Low winds and 24-26 degree days - tough to take .......  Hopefully resident shark guru @christophagus will see this and be able to give some advice - good luck!!

[Old Scaley]

Those muskies can grow to a pretty impressive size. What days will you be in Brisbane and where are you staying. Maybe someone will be able to help you out with a trip somewhere.

[kmcrosby78]

39 minutes ago, Old Scaley said:

Those muskies can grow to a pretty impressive size. What days will you be in Brisbane and where are you staying. Maybe someone will be able to help you out with a trip somewhere.

Perhaps someone that is retired might have the time to take him out and chase some of our highly prized 'large-toothed whiting' Steve, I've heard they can sometimes be in plague proportions ........

[kjohnson]

HI Guys. Thanks for the replys so far, you all seem like a very friendly bunch! I'll be in town from the 30th to the 5th then off to Cairns then back on the 12th to the 15th then home  My wife has been planning the trip while i've been reading about your fishing lol. I think we're staying in Southbank. If anyone wants to do a guiding day i'd be happy to pay. This trip has already cost a fortune so i cant afford a legit offshore fishing trip but maybe if theres a local that wants to take a Canuk fishing for a day and swap some laughs and fishing stories! I can tell you all about ice fishing!! haha

Thanks again for the replies guys. Cant wait to get over there!

[Old Scaley]

I should be around then @kjohnson and I live close to Southbank so unless you get a better offer, just post again when you are in Brisbane and let us know what times you have spare and we can work something out. I am definitely no guide and I can’t promise fish but I do understand the desire of a fisherman visiting another country to see how they fish there and to have a go. I remember doing a trip around the Thousand Islands over your way and just wishing I had a lure trailing out the back of the boat in the hope of nailing a big Muskie. Beautiful place.

From memory, Robbie @Drop Bear took some visiting Canadians out for a sharking trip last year and they landed a good bullie. Might be a bit cold for them to be active in our area late July, but I am sure someone on here has a better idea about that than I do. 

[kjohnson]

Hey Old Scaley that sounds great! And ya there's some monster muskies lurking around the thousand island area!  I live about 4 hours from there but I haven't had the opportunity to get out there yet.  I'll happily connect with you when I'm there and see what we can do! 

Thanks again!

[tiotony]

Not a good time of year for them but may be able to put you onto a bull shark in the Barron river when your in Cairns. If you'd settle for hammerheads and blacktips the beach here is full of them in Winter. Gimme a shout when your up this way and could go have a look after work

[kjohnson]

tiotony that sounds awesome!! Cant wait to get there! Really appreciate all the offers and replies. You guys are great!

[Drop Bear]

On 19/07/2019 at 10:06 PM, kjohnson said:

HI Guys. Thanks for the replys so far, you all seem like a very friendly bunch! I'll be in town from the 30th to the 5th then off to Cairns then back on the 12th to the 15th then home  My wife has been planning the trip while i've been reading about your fishing lol. I think we're staying in Southbank. If anyone wants to do a guiding day i'd be happy to pay. This trip has already cost a fortune so i cant afford a legit offshore fishing trip but maybe if theres a local that wants to take a Canuk fishing for a day and swap some laughs and fishing stories! I can tell you all about ice fishing!! haha

Thanks again for the replies guys. Cant wait to get over there!

Hey Kjohnson,

Welcome to the forum. 

haha This all sounds waaaayyyyy too familiar. I took 2 Canadians that loved ice fishing for some sharks a few months back. We did get a few bullies but I don't feel as confident now that the weather has dropped. 

 

Happy to take you up the creek for an adventure all the same. 

@Old Scaley is a legend and will sort out a nice trip for you. 

[Drop Bear]

Oh here is their report. 

 

[kjohnson]

Hey Drop Bear! That looks incredible! I can only imagine the fight those sharks put up! Looks like your guests had an excellent time with you! Ya my perfect trip would include a shark or two but i'm up for anything that swims! I was out last night here after work and got a nice laker. 

I really appreciate all the offers everyones making. Awesome fishing community you guys have over there!

[Drop Bear]

13 hours ago, kjohnson said:

Hey Drop Bear! That looks incredible! I can only imagine the fight those sharks put up! Looks like your guests had an excellent time with you! Ya my perfect trip would include a shark or two but i'm up for anything that swims! I was out last night here after work and got a nice laker. 

I really appreciate all the offers everyones making. Awesome fishing community you guys have over there!

Wow what is that? What is a laker? 

[kjohnson]

A laker is a lake trout. One of the best fighting fish in my part of canada. They live in the colder part of the lakes down deep so you either vertical jig or use downriggers to get to them. In Lake Simcoe, my lake, they are targeted more in winter than summer as they are easier to get then. Ontario record is over 50lbs, this one was 18lbs. They fight like mad with repeated pulls back to the bottom. Fun in summer but unreal in winter cause in the winter we use ice fishing rods that are only around 32" long. Pretty wild seeing a 20lb fish come out of an 8" hole in the ice!! I attached a pic of one from the winter.

[Old Scaley]

Wow. That is a great fish @kjohnson.  I don’t think we will be catching anything that big if you come fishing with me. Keen to hear about ice fishing though.

[kjohnson]

Thats ok, i'm always happy to wet a line and chat about any kind of fishing! 

[Drop Bear]

What a ripper. I have only caught Rainbows, Browns and one Brook trout. 

[kjohnson]

Just landed in Brisbane.  Wow now that's a long flight from Canada!@!

[kmcrosby78]

Hope you bought some warm gear to survive our 'winter' ............   Welcome and enjoy your trip  

[Old Scaley]

Welcome!  How busy are you later this week? Weather is not looking as nice as it has been over the past few weeks but we could still get out for a fish if you have time and are over your jet lag.  Good luck sleeping tonight!

[Drop Bear]

Welcome to Australia. 

[kjohnson]

12 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Welcome!  How busy are you later this week? Weather is not looking as nice as it has been over the past few weeks but we could still get out for a fish if you have time and are over your jet lag.  Good luck sleeping tonight!

Well we have Steve Irwin Zoo on Wednesday but other than that nothing concrete yet.  What works for you? 

And I can't believe this is what you guys call winter!??!! I always thought Australians were tough lol!!

[Old Scaley]

3 hours ago, kjohnson said:

Well we have Steve Irwin Zoo on Wednesday but other than that nothing concrete yet.  What works for you? 

And I can't believe this is what you guys call winter!??!! I always thought Australians were tough lol!!

Might be a bit windy and some rain over the next few days, and I am made of sugar.  Sunday looks good at this stage and a high tide in the middle of the day means we don’t have to start too early. I am flexible though. 

[Drop Bear]

5 hours ago, kjohnson said:

Well we have Steve Irwin Zoo on Wednesday but other than that nothing concrete yet.  What works for you? 

And I can't believe this is what you guys call winter!??!! I always thought Australians were tough lol!!

Are you serious? It was so cold I had to put on shoes today! If it gets any colder than this there will be rioting in the streets! 

[Yalta1800]

Seriously it is very cold. I had to put socks on with me thongs today

[kjohnson]

10 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Might be a bit windy and some rain over the next few days, and I am made of sugar.  Sunday looks good at this stage and a high tide in the middle of the day means we don’t have to start too early. I am flexible though. 

Rats, Sunday were doing some swim with manta rays on an island or something like that.  Too bad about the weather coming up the next couple of days.  Maybe it'll clear. 

[kjohnson]

9 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Are you serious? It was so cold I had to put on shoes today! If it gets any colder than this there will be rioting in the streets! 

 hahaha it was BEAUTIFUL today! We were in the ocean  splashing about and went down to Byron Bay.  Gorgeous day! Our winters we get 3 feet of ice on the lake so for winter this is perfect! 

[kmcrosby78]

15 hours ago, kjohnson said:

And I can't believe this is what you guys call winter!??!! I always thought Australians were tough lol!!

Oh we're tough alright ..... stick around and stay for SUMMER ...........

[Drop Bear]

9 hours ago, kjohnson said:

Rats, Sunday were doing some swim with manta rays on an island or something like that.  Too bad about the weather coming up the next couple of days.  Maybe it'll clear. 

Monday is looking good too. 

[kjohnson]

Monday we fly to cairns for 8 days then back to Brisbane for a few days after that.

[Old Scaley]

5 hours ago, kjohnson said:

Monday we fly to cairns for 8 days then back to Brisbane for a few days after that.

Sorry that it hasn’t worked out yet @kjohnson.  It is the old fishing story “you should have been here last week”. Maybe when you are back from Cairns? Enjoy your stay up there. It is usually lovely and warm up there at this time of year and lots to see and do.

[kjohnson]

6 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Sorry that it hasn’t worked out yet @kjohnson.  It is the old fishing story “you should have been here last week”. Maybe when you are back from Cairns? Enjoy your stay up there. It is usually lovely and warm up there at this time of year and lots to see and 

Ya story of my life!! Well if it works out great and if not I really appreciate the offers anyways.  I think tmw I might hit up some local tackle shop's to get some more insight on a few shore spots and what I should use in case I can get away from the wife long enough to wet a line!  Now that I'm here the city seems far bigger and more confusing to get around in than it appeared on Google earth!! 

[Old Scaley]

54 minutes ago, kjohnson said:

Ya story of my life!! Well if it works out great and if not I really appreciate the offers anyways.  I think tmw I might hit up some local tackle shop's to get some more insight on a few shore spots and what I should use in case I can get away from the wife long enough to wet a line!  Now that I'm here the city seems far bigger and more confusing to get around in than it appeared on Google earth!! 

Not sure how many tackle shops there are close to Southbank, but there are some reasonable access spots for land based fishing close to you.  Head down to the river and walk downstream (towards the Story Bridge). When you see some cliffs with people doing abseiling beside the walkway you will be in the right area. There are a number of spots with platforms or open areas that you could fish from. The high tide in the next couple of days is mid morning so the timing is good to avoid too much current. It is not prime fishing in that area but you might pick up something.  If you are using bait and can’t find a tackle shop, a bit of chicken flesh would be ok.  I would try a rig with a small running sinker over a swivel and a leader of about 40cm with a smallish hook.

I am free in the morning tomorrow. I will pm you my phone number so if you find you can get away for an hour or two just give me a call and we can catch up for a quick session. I have plenty of bait in the freezer and enough tackle. 

Hope this helps.

[kmcrosby78]

13 hours ago, kjohnson said:

Monday we fly to cairns for 8 days then back to Brisbane for a few days after that.

I have a solution to this - you stay in Brisbane and go fishing with @Old Scaley on Monday and I'll take your flight on Monday and explore Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef .........   As far as tackle stores go, your closest one may be BCF at Greenslopes https://www.bcf.com.au/fishing-shop-and-camping-stores/details?sid=bcf-greenslopes   Alternatively, you'd find everything you need except the bait (which you can get at some service/petrol stations) at a Kmart store if there is one nearby.