by Jack Mangrove
The Noosa River has shown her versatility over the last week for those targeting jewfish, try fishing the deeper holes in the upper reaches. Try to mix up your approach, try changing from vibes to big paddle tail soft plastics. The banks around the river mouth are continuing to provide anglers with some stonker flathead. Trolling bright deep diving hardbodies is the best option. Trolling lures is great for covering large areas and can be an effective way of finding schooling fish. Tailor are in good numbers with some nice fish taken last week taken around Woods Bays and Munna Point. Trevally are also in the mix with plenty of fish taken on surface in the low light periods. For the bait anglers a slow retrieve using lightly weighted small pilchards is a good option. Good numbers of bream continue to be taken with the bridge pylons and pontoon a hot spot, try using cut baits of mullet fillets or chook gut. Whiting have again been in plentiful around the Dog Beach and Weyba creek. Fishing worms, yabbies and peeled prawns has been the ideal baits.
The weather for the offshore fisherman played the game again on the weekend. Both Jew Sholes and Sunshine Reef fished well for smaller snapper, sweetlip and tuna. With the water so clear burley is key, and if you can put a burly pot on the bottom you will stand a much better chance of catching better fish. The divers tell me there are some outstanding jew on the closer reefs so if you get a window where you can do an over-nighter you stand a great chance of bagging one. Large whole baits like mullet and tailor are perfect for the jew. Up on North Reef snapper and sweetlip are in good numbers with occasional pearly taking slimy mackerel. Heading out to Chardon’s reef we are seeing snapper, maori cod and spangled emperor. Soft plastics and micro jigs have been working well with anglers having to work the lures with the near perfect conditions. Further out, the Barwon Banks seems to be the pick with good snapper, pearl perch, moari cod and cobia all on the menu. Best baits have been flesh baits, large squid and floated pillies.
The beaches have been busy this week with good sized dart at the top of the tide. Most fish have come from the close gutters with mullet strips, prawns and worms bagging the better catches. A good tip is to use bait holder hooks giving the bait that little extra time in the strike zone. Tailor are started to come back in to the gutters with some nice choppers taken between the third cutting and Teewah. Make sure to take plenty of pillies and keep you line tight to avoid missing the bite. Once you get on to a school try using slugs, remember the more anglers the better when it comes to fishing for tailor.
So On behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures!
