Best spots for fresh water anglers

Flathead numbers are also good and the same principles apply as with the jacks.

WHOPPER: Tammy Bond with a nice job fish, boated on a Trekka 2 charter to Double Island Point. Picture: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Creeks and rivers

WITH a heap of rain last weekend, the rivers and creeks got a good wash out. Most anglers were concentrating their efforts toward the mouths of the rivers and creeks.

The whiting are still there but you will have to head towards the mouths and fish the incoming tide, fresh worms, yabbies and pippies have been outstanding baits.

Manuel Capoccia from Italy got the thrill of a lifetime while fishing off the National Park Rocks at Hells Gates when this longtail tuna took his cast slug. Picture: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Mangrove jack are on the chew, feeding hard on the outgoing tide on small baitfish heading to more saline waters, live bait has been good but diving lures worked over the rock bars of Kauri Creek have claimed some good fish. Try the Zerek Tango Shads in in the 69mm size - these are a suspending lure and will hold deeper in the current.

Flathead numbers are also good and the same principles apply as with the jacks, and that is that the fish are feeding hard on the run-out tide.

FISH OF THE WEEK: Warren Norup won the $100 Davo's/ChaseBaits Fish of the Week prize with this 17.5kg spanish mackerel which he caught while fishing from his kayak at Sunshine Reef. Picture: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

Trevally on the other hand have been firing on the run in with the bait fish getting smashed around Carlo Point and the nearby flats. Fast moving slugs and micro jigs have worked a treat and connected well with golden and big eye trevally.

Offshore

THINGS are a little quiet at the moment with the large swell and wind so most reports have come from the last couple of weeks.

Double Island has been firing, with both pelagic and reef species on offer. From the bottom tusk fish, maori cod, squire, frying pan snapper, an even a job fish have been accounted for, large tuna and both spotted and spanish mackerel on the pelagic front.

Gotcha - Chuan Wong and his daughter Chloe boated this 70cm flathead in the lower estuary while on a Noosa River Fishing Safari. Picture: www.fishingnoosa.com.au

The tuna have been quite large with fish well over the metre mark are not uncommon. Smaller slugs up to 40g have been working well with most anglers getting to the north of the schools and letting the fish come to them. Casting to the edges of the schools has been the most effective with a fast retrieve.

Down toward North Reef the cobia are on the chew with the pilchard floater seeming to be the way to go. Snapper, pearl perch and nice sweetlip were also on the bite. Sunshine has also fished well, and with the Kayak fishing comp on last weekend at Noosa, this was a great spot to try for some pelagics. For those who fish the bottom a trout is always on the cards at this time of the year.

Beaches

WHITING and dart numbers are good in the close gutters with Rainbow Beach and Teewah Beach producing some nice elbow slappers on the run-out tide and some big dart on the top of the tide at the back of the gutters. Jew are also around, with good fish taken on fresh or live mullet.

Fishing the night tide has been the most productive as the bigger fish move into the gutters under the cover of darkness to feed. For the rock hoppers, Double Island and the Noosa National Park have been hot spots, with plenty of bait coming out of the rivers. These closer areas have been fishing well for squire, sweetlip, jew and small cobia. Tuna have also been in the mix with some good schools getting in close.

In the fresh there has been a far bit of run-off in Borumba Dam over the weekend so most of the fish have been taken in the main basin. Saratoga have been active in the mornings and have been happy to pluck a lure off the surface.

The bass have been holding a little deeper and are more likely to take plastics and jigs as well as deeper diving lures, for the toga give the Wiggle Bombs a go, for the bass the Keitech Easy Shiners are working well.

For up-to-date reports, visit www.fishing noosa.com.au.

Drop into Davo's Tackle World and Davo's Boating and Outdoor in Noosa, and Davo's Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching.

Originally published as Best spots for fresh water anglers