queensland Brisbane River Session #53 And #54

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi all

Here's the report for my last two sessions. None of them were particularly successful, but I still caught an OK fish  Normally I would be out this morning, but the tides were completely out and I'd stayed up late watching a movie yesterday night. Luckily I'm going yakking THIS arvo, but not a serious fishing trip. My dad and my mate want me to try out the sit in kayak, so while my dad will be in the yak with my sister I'll be in the sit in. I'll make sure my dad has at least one rod, probably just rigged with a lure  

The first session took place at the Botanic Gardens on the river. I brought my telescopic rod along, in hope of some bream or cod. I have caught one bream there before, fishing hard up against structure with unweighted bread. I got left the alone with my brother for about 40 minutes as my mum needed to go and grab my car, as we were mainly doing some shopping in the city. (Parking ticket otherwise). 

I fished unweighted bread for about 20 minutes - I just let it naturally drift down in the current on both sides of the mangrove tree I was fished. The structure certainly looks fishy, and I'm sure there'd have to be some OK fish hanging around in it. Then again... I suppose it's in the middle of a very crowded place. 

Alright I look a bit creepy in that second photo

Since bread wasn't working, I tried walking the rock wall with a hard vibe lure the Sam Steele gave to me. I knew I was going in the right spot, as I could feel my lure getting snagged/bumping along on the rocks. I certainly would've found it tempting if it fluttered over my head, that's for sure! I walked about 100M down the first time, then back, then 100M down the other way, so in total I would've done about 500M-700M of walking. Sigh! (I did it numerous times in case you're wondering how 100 + 100 = 500 )

Here are the stats of that short city sesh - 

Tide: High, 1:50PM, 2.1M, Low, 8:16PM, .5M

Moon Phase: New Moon, so a bit of run

Bait used: Bread

Lure used: Ecogear small hard bream vibes

Tackle Used: Shimano Telescopic Rod and reel combo, 10lb mainline, 20lb leader, small bait holder hooks

Weather: Cloudy and windy

Time fished: About 1:40PM-2:20PM

Overall Success Rate: 30% - a newer spot fished

Now, the second sesh took place yesterday arvo at the local park like usual. I rocked up at around 2:30PM, and just as I got there my mate arrived. Since it was a very high tide (still rising) I didn't bother throwing the cast net first up but instead got the left over prawns I had and baited up. A group of ladies had come down, who were quizzing me on everything I knew in the area (like what was the big building across from us, where this path went, blah, blah, ), but then the rod went off! 

I picked it up, and the fish had some go in it. While the fight wasn't very long, I still got some OK fun out of it, as it was darting around all over the shop. I saw a flash of silver, and low and behold up comes a solid bream. My mate held the rod while I bent over and netted it, which was quite easy seeing as though the tide was so high! I pulled him/her up, got a quick measure after some struggle de-hooking, and put the fish back. It was 30cm on the dot, but wasn't a very chunky fish (probably because it just spawned). 

Brag Mat Shot - BMS (no I did not break my scale)

Nice piccy - almost worth chucking on the wall

After that bream, I was a bit more eager to re-bait and got the line straight back out. I should mention I was trying for early season bullies today, so one of the lines I had out was rigged with two dead poddy mullet in hope that I could manage something. The salmon line was rigged with a dead herring, and the line that was normally out where the shark line was got dropped right into structure with two herring in hope for a cod. 

I gave the cast net a couple more throws (I was using the ten footer today), but to no avail. It is very annoying when I can't collect livies here, so what I may need to start doing is going to somewhere with my pushy where I can get livies, then coming back here to fish. That might have to wait 'till I fashion a   (drumroll)... PUSHY FISHING CART! (OK that's a bad name Lol). 

The bite had gone really quiet, and for the next hour or so I literally got nothing - not even a single nibble (this was around tide change). I gave the net one throw just before the tide change though and got a small live prawn which was good size bream bait, so I put it back down. In about 2 minutes, that line went screaming off. I ran over, tightening the drag, but unfortunately the fish didn't get hooked. It went back for second, which was a rather big hit, but I didn't manage to hook up on this one either. Bugger! 

Once it was tide change, I was out of good fresh/live prawns, so I went to herring with this line too. It seems the pickers only move in when the tide is changing, so maybe fishing with a bit of run is better in the structure. I find it frustrating to be holding the rod, and not even be able to hook up to them because there mouths are to small for the hook (yes, I've even tried tiny whiting hooks for no result - my guess is either miniscule bream or tadpole toadies!). I got one glassy in the net around this time as well, which is better than no glassies... I placed it on the salmon line with low expectations, and fortunately for him he swum off at the end of the session fine. 

Bloody Pickers!

In about another 45 minutes, my dad came down. He gave the net a quick throw, and by now it was about 5:15PM. Since the tide turned just about nothing had happened, except for the fact that another glassy was given to the salmon line. My dad and sister we getting killed by the midgies (and if I'm honest so was I), so we all decided to head off. I was somewhat happy with the session, with that decent bream. I mean, it's sure better than nothing! Here are the stats of the trip - 

Stats of Trip - 

Tide: 8:50AM, .3M, Low, 3:30PM, 2.1M, High, 10:10PM, .6M, Low

Moon Phase: New Moon

Weather: Little clouds, little wind

Time fished: 2:30PM - 5:15PM

Tackle Used: 12lb, 14lb, 30lb braid mainlines, 20lb, 30lb fluorocarbon leaders, 80lb mono trace, size 2 and 6 ball/bean sinkers, size 4/o circle and suicide hooks, large barrel swivel, 6"6' Abu Garcia Venotat (I think) rod, 8" Ugly Stik, 2M Rogue Firepoint Boat rod, and a lower quality Jarvis Walker type rod which I can never remember the name of, with size 2500 Shimano Nascis and Diawa Shinobis, Size 650 Penn reel, Size 5000 Jarvis Walker Sovereign reel 

Bait used: Live prawn, a couple live glassies, dead prawns, mullet, and herring

Bait caught: Prawn (x1), Glassy (x2)

Overall Success Rate: 50% - at least I got the breambo! 

Alright, that's the reports done. I hope you enjoyed, even though they aren't the most exciting ones in the world! Hopefully next time/sometime this school hols I can manage a salmon, that's for sure. Thanks for reading!

Cheers Hamish  

P.S. Sorry for any spelling/grammatical/punctuational errors

I'd eat that if I was a bully!

[Drop Bear]

Good one mate. Nice Bream. 

Great report, thanks for the read. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

17 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Good one mate. Nice Bream. 

Great report, thanks for the read. 

Hey Drop Bear

Thanks, happy you enjoyed. It was lucky for a bream or I would've just donutted!

Cheers Hamish  

[The Mad Hughesy]

shame no bullies around yet. Ive tried a few times now for zero luck

Tried Bribie island last week for the big stuff but got no runs. Still a bit cold i recon, few more weeks should start to fire up! ive seen a few small ones caught but not consistently yet. 

 

that bream would make a good live bait...just sayin 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hey Chris

Yep, I reckon they'll be firing soon though. I'm going to try for one on my light gear this time - just a pup but should be fun, that's for sure.

Bugger that you got none at Bribie... As for bully baits, I've found mullet superior to everything else (but haven't tried bream yet though).

Cheers Hamish  

[Brodie_S]

4 minutes ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hey Chris

Yep, I reckon they'll be firing soon though. I'm going to try for one on my light gear this time - just a pup but should be fun, that's for sure.

Bugger that you got none at Bribie... As for bully baits, I've found mullet superior to everything else (but haven't tried bream yet though).

Cheers Hamish  

[Brodie_S]

Yeah I think casting a a legal sized bream might be a lil tricky . Idk though it’s a good idea though 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Just now, Breaming with bro said:

Yeah I think casting a a legal sized bream might be a lil tricky

You would most likely launch it with a break away weight. I did this last Summer with a big catfish for nothing.

Then again, I could cast a bream on one of the rods I have... It might not be too pleasant though

Cheers Hamish

[ellicat]

You could always free swim it without any weight, then you don't need to cast it.

[The Mad Hughesy]

If you’re fishing from a pontoon or jetty then it’s easier to cast a bit bait live or not. Just swing it back and forth to build momentum and lob it as best you can. 
 

@AUS-BNE-FISHO the biggest river bull I’ve caught was on the smallest live mullet I’ve even caught in my net lol mullet are the gun live baits for sure

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

1 minute ago, ellicat said:

You could always free swim it without any weight, then you don't need to cast it.

Yep, that's sure another option ellicat. I did it once at Colleges Crossing with a 30cm live mullet.

The only problem I have found with this method is the bait will often swim back to shore, which is a bit annoying.

1 minute ago, christophagus said:

If you’re fishing from a pontoon or jetty then it’s easier to cast a bit bait live or not. Just swing it back and forth to build momentum and lob it as best you can. 
 

@AUS-BNE-FISHO the biggest river bull I’ve caught was on the smallest live mullet I’ve even caught in my net lol mullet are the gun live baits for sure

Yep, that's what I do if I have a big bait (unless we are deciding to use a brick as break-away weight which is rare). 

All my bullies have been the same size or thereabouts. I caught most of my sharks at the end of 2019/start of 2020. I will probably just keep targeting threadies, and catch the bullies as by-catch mainly (and every now and then have a bully session).

Cheers Hamish

 

[The Mad Hughesy]

1.2m 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Nice one, that would've put up a hell of a fight. 

I can't guess/haven't been to the spot so I know it's not around me (or it might be, and I might not know ).

@christophagus, would you want to meet up for a sharking session when it really warms up (and other AFO members as well?). 

Cheers Hamish

[The Mad Hughesy]

Just now, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Nice one, that would've put up a hell of a fight. 

I can't guess/haven't been to the spot so I know it's not around me (or it might be, and I might not know ).

@christophagus, would you want to meet up for a sharking session when it really warms up (and other AFO members as well?). 

Cheers Hamish

Spot X haha

yeah absolutely. Once it heats up let’s go chase them down! I’ve got a few tags left so anything over 1m we can tag and record their details

[ellicat]

Good report, Hamish. I only just got around to reading it. That was a nice bream.

Be careful in the sit in yak - they're a bit of a challenge to get out of and right if you overturn.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

2 minutes ago, christophagus said:

Spot X haha

yeah absolutely. Once it heats up let’s go chase them down! I’ve got a few tags left so anything over 1m we can tag and record their details

Alright, thought so! 

That sounds good with the tags as well. We can figure out a spot down the track . I've never tagged sharks so would be excited to do so, that's for sure. 

3 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Good report, Hamish. I only just got around to reading it. That was a nice bream.

Be careful in the sit in yak - they're a bit of a challenge to get out of and right if you overturn.

Hey ellicat

Thanks for that, yep, it was a pretty solid fish. I went out in the sit in yak on the river yesterday. We probably paddled about 3KM all up, as we went down to the boat ramp that is nearby...

I was doing circle work a lot of the time as I was getting used to how the yak turned... But mainly the fact the the wind kept getting the better of me! I was paddling decently in it by the end though, and I was pretty happy with the balance. I can put some pictures up later today when I get piccys off my dad.

Cheers Hamish   

[Angry51]

Great report Hamish, You really put in the effort.

Just don't let Greg read it as 100 + 100 don't make 500.

Just kidding, I knew what you meant.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

23 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Great report Hamish, You really put in the effort.

Just don't let Greg read it as 100 + 100 don't make 500.

Just kidding, I knew what you meant.

Hey Angry51

Thanks for that, the wind we are having at the moment (and the tide times) makes it inconvenient for me to fish, which is annoying. 

I think it's to late - Greg has seen all right!

Cheers Hamish

[GregOug]

On 26/09/2020 at 12:51 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hey Angry51

Thanks for that, the wind we are having at the moment (and the tide times) makes it inconvenient for me to fish, which is annoying. 

I think it's to late - Greg has seen all right!

Cheers Hamish

👁