Pine River Donut

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi all

Two Fridays ago, my Dad and I decided to go fishing off of our yak on the Pine River, targeting school jew and flathead around the Highhway Bridge upstream from Deepwater Bend. We put our yak in at Deepwater Bend at about 7:15PM, and met a more experienced kayaker who was also trying their luck for jew at the ramp. After unsuccessfully trolling a deep diver on the way there, we started on the left hand side of the bridge. I was fishing with my new Abu Garcia Veritas and Diawa Tierra combo, whereas my Dad was using a Shimano Stradic and Raider. I started off with a 3.5inch grub and my Dad started off with a 4 inch grub. 

As we began to fish the lights, we figured the best spot was on the right hand side, as there was no current opposed to the middle of the bridge. We focused here with these lures for about 30 minutes, and despite a large amount of mullet or tailor jumping and busting up I had no luck. I changed my lure again at this point, and we fished the same area drifting for another 45 minutes. We then decided to drop some soft vibes around the pylons of the bridge, which also brought no fish.

The other fella was not having any luck and eventually after fishing the other side of the bridge we emerged to the side closer to Deepwater Bend again. My Dad was using a 5 inch paddletail and I switched to a 3.2inch Baitjunkie paddletail as well. We drifted a bit more and watched the tailor/mullet leap out of the water while we casted our lures in hope of a jewie. I think the best time to fish this spot is full moon, opposed to new moon, which is when we were fishing there. It was pretty disappointing when we had to begin the paddle back to the ramp - but at least it was only about 1.5km's. We didn't troll on the way back and were back at the ramp a bit past ten. I haven't been out fishing that much recently but hopefully this or next weekend the river will produce a thready or two landbased or I will be able to get out to Redcliffe or down to the Goldcoast to try for tailor or flatties.  

Here's the stats of the report for anyone interested - 

Tide: 3:50PM, .4M, Low, 10:20PM, 2.3M, High

Moon Phase: New Moon

Fish Caught: -

Tackle Used: 10 and 15 pound fluoro leaders, 8 and 15 pound braid mainlines, 7 foot Abu Garcia Veritas 2-4KG and Shimano Raider 4-7KG, Kayaks2Fish Tandem Kayak, Diawa Tierra 2500 and Shimano Stradic 3000. 

Lures Used: A mix of 3.5-5inch paddletails, grubs, flickbaits, and hardbodies. Mainly motor oil, pink, or clear. 

Air Pressure: Around 1016

Overall Success Rate: 40% - nice to suss out a new spot

Hope you enjoyed,

Cheers Hamish

[Leeroy]

Love your reports mate.

Maybe next time target the tailor for a livie sounds like there were predators there. Can always keep throwing plastics with the livie on a rod in the rod holder. I do this a lot everywhere.

[ellicat]

Were you tossing your plastics up current or down current ?

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

6 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Were you tossing your plastics up current or down current ?

Was tossing down current for the majority of the night until we went to teh other side of the bridge briefly, I guess that could've made a difference. Though we were mainly fishing where there wasn't much/any current. 

16 minutes ago, leeroy1 said:

Love your reports mate.

Maybe next time target the tailor for a livie sounds like there were predators there. Can always keep throwing plastics with the livie on a rod in the rod holder. I do this a lot everywhere.

Thanks Leeroy. Good idea. 

[ellicat]

Ideally you should be tossing up current and working it back to the boat/yak. Might make a difference.

[Leeroy]

Also for jew the changes of tide is key. Lot easier to fish lures,small lifts hard off the bottom for vibes or plastics. The more vertical the lift the better.

[Hweebe]

10 hours ago, ellicat said:

Ideally you should be tossing up current and working it back to the boat/yak. Might make a difference.

This is what i would generally do also especially for flatties, they will be facing up-current waiting for baitfish / plastics to be pushed down current and ambush them

[Hweebe]

Good Report @AUS-BNE-FISHO I saw at least half a dozen boats anchored up at the bridge on the way back from the Sunny Coast last night.

Gotta be something lurking in all that structure / light.

Do you have a sounder on the yak?

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

3 minutes ago, Hweebe said:

Good Report @AUS-BNE-FISHO I saw at least half a dozen boats anchored up at the bridge on the way back from the Sunny Coast last night.

Gotta be something lurking in all that structure / light.

Do you have a sounder on the yak?

Yep, I think because it's full moon (and that's supposedly the best time to fish it according to someone who posts lots with jew/flatties in a Pine River facebook group).

We do have a sounder on the kayak though we didn't bother with it last session. The other fella out there told us it was 5-8m. 

Cheers Hamish

[Hweebe]

37 minutes ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Yep, I think because it's full moon (and that's supposedly the best time to fish it according to someone who posts lots with jew/flatties in a Pine River facebook group).

We do have a sounder on the kayak though we didn't bother with it last session. The other fella out there told us it was 5-8m. 

Cheers Hamish

Was thinking the sounder to see if there was any bait fish showing in the areas you fished

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

The other kayaker reckoned there was a heap of prawns or baitfish hanging around; he had a good sounder on his Hobie. 

[GregN70]

You don't often hear about donuts there, it being such a great & consistent fishery.

[Jimmyjack]

Despite having all the attributes it fishes poorly IMO. Always bait around, with some deeper water there and structure. It's like a mini version of the codhole/jewhole at the Maroochydore highway bridge but with much less action. HAve not had much success anywhere on the Pine but that's more a reflection of my skill level than the reality. Def casting upcurrent is the way to go I agree. 

[GregN70]

13 minutes ago, Jimmyjack said:

Despite having all the attributes it fishes poorly IMO. Always bait around, with some deeper water there and structure. It's like a mini version of the codhole/jewhole at the Maroochydore highway bridge but with much less action. HAve not had much success anywhere on the Pine but that's more a reflection of my skill level than the reality. Def casting upcurrent is the way to go I agree. 

Still could be worse = Rockhampton/Yeppoon

[Hweebe]

4 hours ago, Jimmyjack said:

Despite having all the attributes it fishes poorly IMO. Always bait around, with some deeper water there and structure. It's like a mini version of the codhole/jewhole at the Maroochydore highway bridge but with much less action. HAve not had much success anywhere on the Pine but that's more a reflection of my skill level than the reality. Def casting upcurrent is the way to go I agree. 

I always have a look over the water as i cross the highway bridge and there is always a boat / boats anchored up over the weekend. Surely someone is catching something.....either that or they are all out avoiding being at home??. I know for one of my mates, the major perk of crabbing and fishing as a hobby is getting out of the house.... away from errands and chores LOL.

[Jimmyjack]

41 minutes ago, Hweebe said:

I always have a look over the water as i cross the highway bridge and there is always a boat / boats anchored up over the weekend. Surely someone is catching something.....either that or they are all out avoiding being at home??. I know for one of my mates, the major perk of crabbing and fishing as a hobby is getting out of the house.... away from errands and chores LOL.

I agree up to a point. My fishing this year has been so crap Im beginning to unenjoy it. Like loving to play cricket but getting beaten by ten wickets every week. And being in Brisbane compounds it because it's not like I get away from everything when everyone is getting away from everything at the same time and in the same place. 

[GregN70]

17 minutes ago, Jimmyjack said:

I agree up to a point. My fishing this year has been so crap Im beginning to unenjoy it. Like loving to play cricket but getting beaten by ten wickets every week. And being in Brisbane compounds it because it's not like I get away from everything when everyone is getting away from everything at the same time and in the same place. 

But at least it's usually exceptional fishing all around there and in Moreton Bay etc. Good crabs, heaps of prawns too.

[Old Scaley]

15 hours ago, GregN70 said:

But at least it's usually exceptional fishing all around there and in Moreton Bay etc. Good crabs, heaps of prawns too.

And plenty of donuts. Not everyone posts their donut trips.

[Jimmyjack]

On 25/08/2022 at 7:40 AM, Old Scaley said:

And plenty of donuts. Not everyone posts their donut trips.

I'd have no time for anything else. Up to the Mary and western Fraser last weekend. three small gold spots. No barraa, no threadies, not even a catfish!