Plenty of fish on offer for keen anglers

There still seems to be plenty of pelagic activity in Hervey Bay and the closer reefs.

OFFSHORE

With the restrictions in place it is real hard to not head out especially when the fishing has been so good.

Weather conditions have been hit and miss but there has been plenty of windows for anglers to head offshore.

There still seems to be plenty of pelagic activity in Hervey Bay and the closer reefs.

Mackerel are still in good numbers along with tuna (long tail and yellow fin). They seem to be feeding on larger bait fish so bigger slugs and smaller stick baits have been ideal.

GOTCHA - Ben Lavender's 120cm queenfish, which he caught (and released) while casting at the tuna boils in Laguna Bay, won him the $100 Davo's Tackle World/ChaseBaits Australia Fish of the Week prize. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

For the bait anglers, pilchards or garfish have worked well when fished through a well maintained burley trail.

Those that love fishing the reefs have been doing well with plenty of early season snapper on the chew, these fish are around the 50cm mark so ideal for a family feed.

Deep diving crank bait style lures slow trolled over the shallower reefs has been working really well.

Give the Duo Realis cranks a go these lures will swim down to 20ft or more depending on the line you are using.

The Noosa area has again been firing with Laguna Bay seeing plenty of tuna and mackerel activity.

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Sunshine Reef has been fishing very well with some great trout, snapper, sweetlip, pearl perch, cobia and jew all on the chew.

Fishing hard to the reef with live baits has been the most productive.

Anglers have also had success fishing a paternoster rig with a bait on one hook and a plastic on the other.

A lot of the time the smaller fish will pick the bait to pieces before the big fish get to it, having the plastic there will keep you in the game when that bigger reef fish comes along.

A lighter sized jug head will swim that bit better.

GOTCHA - The Hall's Reef stretch in Laguna Bay was good for reefies and pelagics. Mike Campbell picked up some quality grass sweetlip there off the bottom and Noel Tierney nailed a good Spaniard on a trolled garfish. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Tin Can Bay has been really firing for flathead at the moment, we have seen plenty of fish over the 60cm mark over the last week.

Small live fish bait or live prawns worked around the drop offs has been the easiest way to pick up a big lizard.

With the recent rains the mangrove jacks will be on the chew, these fish love a bit of cover and as the waters dirty they will come out to feed.

Rivers and creeks

Darker lures trolled around the rock bars in Kauri Creek have been working well.

The creek mouths in the straights have been fishing very well for predatory fish like trevally, queenfish, threadfin jew and even barra.

Fast moving slugs have been great on the trevally and queenfish while prawn profiles have been good on the threadfin jew and barra.

GOTCHA - Chicko Vella from Davo's Tackle World and a couple of mates fished Sunshine Reef for a mixed bag of pearl perch, tusk fish (and as pictured) mahi mahi and coral trout. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Crab numbers are still good with plenty of good bucks in the pots, good fresh bait is the key so fresh mullet, fish frames or chicken carcases are perfect.

Beaches

On the beach things have been firing with plenty of dart and bream in the closer gutters, small baits of worms and prawns do the trick.

There are also whiting on the run out if you can get a bait past the dart.

Night anglers have had success evening high tide with jew and the odd tailor taking a liking to fresh mullet or pilchards.

GOTCHA - Derick Payne with a mangrove jack and golden trevally which he caught in the lower Noosa Estuary. Photo: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Inskip has been good for trevally on the incoming tide, these fish are feeding on baitfish brought in on the tide. Micro jigs retrieved at speed have been very successful.

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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