What a beautiful time of the year! Right now has to be the best time to be living on the Sunshine Coast. The daytime temperatures are perfect and the weather, despite a few winds, is also magical!
It’s a great time to be an angler and, for those on the water this weekend, the conditions didn’t get much better. We had light swell and winds and with the new moon spring tides behind us. The tides made for a more favorable bar crossing with more water under boats gunning for the first light bite. There was also a competition on which made for more traffic at the ramps.
Once out, anglers fished in close around Sunshine for a mixed bag of the usual smaller snapper and sweetlip. A few cobia in the 5-7kg size range were also picking up pilchard floaters. With light winds and current those on anchor who had a light burley trail going were rewarded with pan sized snapper throughout the water column. Sweetlip and small tuskies were also around and taking small 4 inch soft plastics like the Gulp 4 inch minnow.
Given the conditions, many anglers went wide to the Banks and the Hards for some deep water angling. Out wide is where the bigger snapper are holding anglers were landing fish in excess of 7kg. Most fish taking big baits of mullet fillet and squid on 7/0 paternoster rigs and snell rigs. The beauty of a snelled rig is you will generally only get one good fish. If big fish are about you should drop to a single hook or run the risk of getting sharked if they are about.
Off the beaches, whiting are starting to become more frequent. This popular target species is perfect with ultra-light spin and alvey rods like the Gary Howard estuary 9. This rod is lightweight and screams fun, fun, fun! Being a fiberglass rod its soft action ensures that even the smallest fish feels massive and is the perfect summertime rod. Other fish to target are bream and dart around the rocky areas like the middle rock wall on the beach and the river mouth rocks.
Inside the estuary, flatties, bream and trevally are feeding on the baitfish pushed in on the spring tides. This makes now a great time to fish the flats and the run out tide. Use three inch power bait minnows on suitable jig heads and flick these along the drop offs for the perfect match the hatch profile. With the lack of rains and nice clear salty water mangrove jacks will soon be on the prowl around rock bars, rock walls and jetties. The new Jackall Squirrel, red dog diving lure will be a big hit for snag bashers this year. Run this with 20-40lb FC Rock leader and hang on!
Lastly, the freshwater will be more active as the warmer daytime temps continue to heat the edges. The bottlebrush are in full flower and if you see any hanging over the edges it is always worth putting a cast or two directly under them. Otherwise, if new to freshwater don’t forget your SIPS permit and take a troll with a Zerek Tango shad out the back. These little lures draw lots of attention from any passing bass.
Now, for all the latest information log onto fishingnoosa.com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports, don’t forget to drop into Tackle World Noosa, Noosa Boating and Outdoors and Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember Tight Lines and Bent Spines!
