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Cold weather has snapper moving into Gympie region

Anglers took advantage of some spectacular weather over the past week.

Offshore

ANGLERS took advantage of some spectacular weather over the past week, heading out over the bar in search of some good reef species.

The reefs off Double Island were well attended and there were plenty of fish to choose from.

Snapper, jew, sweetlips, cod, coral trout and red emperor were all boated.

The tide were fairly neep so run was not a problem.

Tuna numbers have been outstanding over the last week with plenty of fish in Hervey Bay, down into the straights and in Laguna Bay at Noosa.

There has been plenty of bird action to give away their whereabouts, with both long tail and mackerel tuna on offer.

GOTCHA - Chicko Vella from Davo's Tackle World and his mate Donnie are pictured with snapper, gold band snapper and frypan snapper, boated on a recent trip to Double Island Point. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au
GOTCHA - Chicko Vella from Davo's Tackle World and his mate Donnie are pictured with snapper, gold band snapper and frypan snapper, boated on a recent trip to Double Island Point. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Other pelagics will be holding under the schools so letting your slug or stickbait sink through the school can be beneficial.

Tuna can also help with bottom dwellers as the scraps from their feeding frenzy rain down, a sort of natural burley.

Frogmouth pilchards, hardy heads and rain bait has been what they are feeding on so having a good range of slugs and stick baits is a must.

The call from the reefs around Noosa is the snapper are here.

With a bit of a water temperature change over the past week, the snapper were coming thick and fast.

GOTCHA - Grant Budd from Davo's Bait and Tackle Marcoola caught and released this 65cm saratoga at Borumba Dam. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au
GOTCHA - Grant Budd from Davo's Bait and Tackle Marcoola caught and released this 65cm saratoga at Borumba Dam. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

North reef had some good fish taken with the pilchard floater the best option.

The Barwon Banks also was good for snapper with a lot of fish falling for well-weighted soft plastics and slow fall jigs.

Sunshine Reef was a little quiet for snapper but there was a good mix of other species including sweetlips, cobia and cod.

Those that fished with a good burley trail had the better fish.

With the cooler days the water temperatures are dropping fast around Tin Can Bay and with clean water and good tides, there are plenty of larger winter whiting on the chew.

GOTCHA - Joel Hautala with a cobia and Spanish mackerel which he caught at Hall's Reef in Laguna Bay. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au
GOTCHA - Joel Hautala with a cobia and Spanish mackerel which he caught at Hall's Reef in Laguna Bay. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

If using bait, live sand worms, yabbies and soldier crabs are perfect. For those keen to try surface fishing or sight casting, give the Bassday Sugapen a go. Fitting them with stinger hooks as well as the treble makes them deadly on the whiting.

Creeks and rivers

TREVALLY are still in good numbers around the lower reaches of Alligator, Kauri creek and just inside Inskip Point. Fishing the drop offs has also seen some great results using smaller micro jigs and soft plastics.

GOTCHA - Three-year-old Leon Thorp won the $100 Davo's Tackle World/ChaseBaits fish of the week prize with this 63cm flathead which he caught off one of the Gympie Terrace jetties. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au
GOTCHA - Three-year-old Leon Thorp won the $100 Davo's Tackle World/ChaseBaits fish of the week prize with this 63cm flathead which he caught off one of the Gympie Terrace jetties. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Flesh bait such as cut pillies and mullet strips have also worked well for the trevally.

Flathead are really on the chew with some large fish taken over the past few weeks. Fishing the run-out tide, morning and night, has been the key, along with live baits.

There are still plenty of muddies on offer. Good-quality fresh mullet baits seem to be getting the best results.

Setting your pots in deeper holes near the mangroves is your best bet.

Beaches

THE reduction in swell and early, lighter breezes has allowed for better casting.

Using fresh baits including worm, crabs and yabbies has got anglers onto some good whiting, dart, flathead and chopper tailor.

GOTCHA - Finn Horton-Stephens caught and released this quality bass while fishing from his kayak at Lake Macdonald. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au
GOTCHA - Finn Horton-Stephens caught and released this quality bass while fishing from his kayak at Lake Macdonald. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

For those fishing into the evenings, there have been some quality tailor taken between Double Island and Teewah on the Noosa North Shore using live baits and large dead baits. This may also have you come into contact with a nice jew.

Up-to-date reports at fishingnoosa.com.au. Drop into Davo’s Tackle World and Davo’s Boating and Outdoor in Noosa, and Davo’s North Shore Bait and Tackle at Marcoola.

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/gympie/cold-weather-has-snapper-moving-into-gympie-region/news-story/4573b0ace50974a82f45a5c597c0214b