marty

Trolling a pink Micro Mullet in less than 2m of water has always been a great way to find a few while covering some ground. Especially good if the lizards are not responding to plastics.

Welcome Mick. If you are new to offshore, make sure you pick your days as it can be dangerous. Assuming you will be crossing the Seaway, and if so be aware of deadmans bank straight out from the northern wall - waves break there regularly on a good swell. Also, try to pick your tides - run out on a good swell creates some nasty waves. As far as fishing goes, perfect time now till March to chase Mackerel. You can fish Palmy and Mermaid reef (as Kat said) as they are not very far out - although they can be busy on the weekends. 12 and 17 fathom reefs off Southport also get a few. Dollies are wider out. Don't forget your safety gear if going offshore - flares, jackets etc and an epirb if more than 2 nautical miles off shore. Good luck

As already mentioned, try to fish the tide changes as the current will slow - but it always rages through Monaco St so you don't get much slack time. On the run out tide, if you are in a boat fish the corners of the canal that link to the Nerang river - there are some nice eddies there.

I chase Snapper on the reefs off the Gold Coast, but same story, always best bite on first light. Hard to do sometimes if there is a bit of swell as you prefer some light to cross the Seaway. We also usually get a second bite window on the tide change. Haven't tried sunset, early evening yet - just need to find time and good weather window. Marty

www.propellerrepairsaustralia.com.au 6/48 Johnston St, Southport QLD 4215 Have used this place several times. Prop always comes back like a new one and price is reasonable.

Stainless for me - and as PolyGF said, replace the clamps with stainless too. Done on it my last two boats and no problems once done.

Thanks all - boat sold this morning (not to a member of AFO)

I upgraded a while ago, just never got time to move the Hornet on (plus is a good crabbing/prawning boat). I got a 4.8m Galeforce centre console - more suited to offshore fishing yet still okay to buzz around the Broadwater and rivers on the Goldy. Thanks

50hp 4-stroke EFI Mercury (440 hours), Electric Start, Hydraulic Trim and Tilt Minn Kota 55hp bow mount Riptide electric motor with Auto Pilot, foot pedal, 110ah Ritar AGM battery Quintrex galvanised trailer, disc brakes, light truck tyres (80% tread), walkway, spare galvanised wheel/tyre Lowrance HDS 5X sounder with transducer, plus LSS-1 structure scan Canvas bimini cover (removable) Under floor fuel tank (approx 50 litres) LED navigation lights, 1 metre high anchor light (removable), under gunwale LED floor lights Extended front casting deck (removable) Swivel bucket seats x 2 (removable) Plumbed bait tank with variable timer switch Sand anchor, chain and rope Electric Bilge pump Safety equipment (2 x lifejackets, 2 x oars) Selling due to upgrade $11,000 ono

I live local to Talley creek and rarely fish it due to a number of reasons. If you are boat fishing there are only 2 ramps and they are a nightmare on a hot weekend. Talley is one of the new spots you can tow tubes and waterskis, so is very popular - even though the allowed tow area is quiet small. Trailer parking is limited too so can be a long walk from the ramp on a busy day. They do get some good whiting in the creek but might be tough during the day on the weekend due to the amount of people, etc. The canals are not a bad spot to chase a Jack - plenty of pontoons to cast to. The upper reaches have some fishy looking spots but limited bank access, and if travelling by boat it is 6 knots most of the way. The GC highway bridge gets fished heavily every night. Plus the end of the rockwall at the mouth always has a few flicking a line.

Mermaid is probably the most consistent reef close the the Seaway, although if you run that far down you may as well join the crowds at Palmy. This year Burleigh Gravel Patch has been better than previous years, especially for Spanish. It also depends on the time of year - the more northern reefs fire later in the season - 12 fathoms and Pinnacles off the Seaway are good in Feb and March - but not everyday as I showed! For the reefs other than Palmy, yes I usually motor around till I find a good show of bait - and also gives me a chance to see if other boats are catching them in certain spots too.

No - all our fish were caught out wider. As you said, it was such a good day we made the call to go wider. Can't tell you the exact spot as it is a closely guarded secret amongst a few close mates, but I can tell you it is around 40m deep (check the first photo for confirmation, plus look at the bait stacked up). I have had jets do a low fly by when fishing up the Pin - blink and you miss them. Never enough time to get the camera out.

Yes Kenne, was certainly a great day on the water. I tried around the Pinnacles area early, but with Mackerel fishing if they don't show up it can be very quiet. That is the main reason I went through the Seaway as it gives a number of options to try different species and techniques. We were on the water till about 10:30 but I don't remember seeing any fighter jets (maybe they went by when we were hooked up haha).

Had some family visiting this week and decided Tuesday was a good forecast to chase a few Mackerel. After convincing them of an early start we crossed the Seaway at first light and headed out the local reefs to chase some Mackerel. After trying a few spots and not seeing one Mackerel boated from any of the nearby boats the pressure was on and a new plan was hatched. Headed a bit wider and decided to bottom bash in the hope of some Snapper. A few undersize fish decided to come aboard then my brother nearly loses my rod overboard as he gets a good hit. After some swearing and a little coaching he manages to pull up a 65cm Snapper. This well and truly upgrade his previous biggest fish of a just legal Bream. Half an hour later and he gets another good hit and again nearly loses the rod overboard. After a decent fight and a couple of good runs he has a 110cm Jew beside the boat and I am thinking to myself “glad I packed the big net”. A pretty successful day and always good to see a non angler get the thrill of fighting a decent fish.

Great lure for Flathead - caught plenty using them. Haven't tried them on many other species yet.