Well that’s the first month of the New Year done and dusted! We finally had some decent rainfall and all the rivers along the coast have finally had a bit of a flush.
Offshore has seen some great conditions between the windier days and a multitude of boats crossed the bar over the weekend. The new channel is looking easy to get out with small waves coming through and marking the way. North Reef has some big estuary cod, jewfish and cobia mid water. These fish taking baits on paternoster rigs and floated pilchards when the currents drop. You may also find some spotty mackerel on the tide turns. Sunshine Reef features some chunky grassy sweetlip, spotty mackerel and Spanish. There are a few coral trout around too but mainly taking live or gang hooked pilchard baits.
In closer to home Laguna Bay, big and little halls heading north to Teewah has been featuring mackerel. These fish taking slow trolled whole fish baits of gar and sauri. Be sure to make up some stinger rigs in case they are in a feeding frenzy when using bait. Early mornings have seen the fish come in on the high tide and larger longtail and yellowfin tuna are also starting to show up around Jew shoal and taking 40-60g metals cast toward them.
In the Noosa River, bream and trevally are feeding deeper in the drop offs from the sandbags to the pump station and around the snags of the dog beach. Mangrove Jack can be found here but good luck extracting them as they will test every part of your gear. Prawns have been coming down the river, so break out the scent and fish soft plastic prawn profiles and work them slowly in the current. If you are a bait fisho use whitebait on a fine gauge gang hook and allow it to drift with minimal weight in the current.
If after whiting aim to start fishing during the incoming and slack tide/turn as the water will be clearest and cleanest during this time. With dirty water these fish can sit deep or move away from known spots in search of cleaner waters. If after some mud crabs then try the mangrove edges around the lakes and be sure to flick the snags for the chance of a mangrove jack while in this area. If you are catching catfish try moving downstream as during times of run off you may catch little else.
Freshwater has seen healthy bass coming from Lake MacDonald. These fish taking surface walkers early morning and end of the day around the edges. The levels are above the ramps following the rains so this is a great local option. Borumba is still very low and nudged up a couple of percent after the rains. This will see slightly dirtier water so fish deep for the fish using deep diving lures and heavy weighted soft plastics for the best results on the bass and yellow belly.
So on behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures!
