queensland Query for the gurus

[Barry Oliver]

Here's a question for the Brisbane fisho gurus (although others too perhaps)!

Before the rain event in Brisbane a couple of weeks ago- A Saturday I went out about 5k north of Peel in Moreton Bay. The water was alive with fish- those ones that school up and boil the water- eg mackerel, tuna etc.

There was lots of bait fish on the sounder. I was catching lots of herring and slimys for live bait as I floated across them. Once I got off the bait I caught lots of little bottom dwelling type fish (bream, squire, fish that look like tropical fish- stripes and colours- no idea what they are called- all small). Anyway, the fish were there and they were biting. It was from about 7am-11am that I was there. I had to leave around 11am for other reasons. I caught a couple of School Mackerel.

I went back to the same spot the following day. Same time 7am-11am. Weather was similar. Tide was similar- outgoing.The pressure hadn't changed by anything significant.

The only difference was that there was no fish- no bait fish on the sounder which I can understand as they probably moved, although the spot is usually very consistent, but there was also no bream,  squire etc. It was like the place had been nuked.

I was using the same bait jig that I used 24hrs earlier.

I didn't check water temp and so don't know if that could change in 24hrs to cause such a significant difference in fish behaviour and numbers.

Of course the bait fish movement can sort of be expected as well as the mackerel etc., but for the bottom dwelling fish to either disappear or seriously go off the bite in 24hrs?

 

Does anyone know what the missing variable may have been?

And maybe a linked question- is this a normal pattern in Moreton Bay? ie massive amounts of fish one day and then nothing the next?

 

Regards

Perplexed

 

 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi Perplexed

Well I think the bait and schools of things is relatively self-explanatory, as in, they can be anywhere with the tide pushing them, etc.

The fish is a bit weirder. Anything and everything can put fish off or on the bite in general. A slight change in wind, weather, etc. I'm no expert so I wouldn't be much help with the bay so hopefully someone who is more experienced can give you some better reasons.

Cheers Hamish

[Junky]

Fish follow food. They gotta eat when they get an opportunity.

 

All of the fish were there for the feed. Basically the Mack's and tuna were creating a big ball of burley, so then the smaller fish on the side of the school start feeding on the left overs that the mack's and tuna, as well as the diving birds create..... however they are food also. 

A 25cm squire, bream is a good feed for a larger pelagic. 

 

The next day may have had a similar experience somewhere else in the bay, until the bait fish are no more.

Chasing these schools can be very frustrating. 

Once the bait fish are gone the larger fish spread out again until the next all you can eat menu arrives. 

 

 

This is just my take on things.

[ellicat]

The little colourful stripey fish were probably whiptails.

[swmcl]

So the big fish eat the small fish till there is extinction ?  That doesn't seem right.  How long till the small fish re-populate ?  (How old are the smaller fish when eaten ?)

[Barry Oliver]

Thanks for all the replies but no real answers here, and that probably is the answer...nobody really knows...and that's why its called "fishing"...:-)

 

 

[Drop Bear]

17 hours ago, Barry Oliver said:

Thanks for all the replies but no real answers here, and that probably is the answer...nobody really knows...and that's why its called "fishing"...:-)

 

 

Mate even the best have bad days but there are lots of things you can do to put things in your favour. 

Just keep at it and enjoy being out on the water. When you get a cracking day like you had, enjoy that and don't expect that they will all be like that. 

Great that you had such a good experience.