Surfs up

Graham Jordan picked up this very nice Snapper off the beach down Coolum way. Pictures: fishingnoosa.com.au

As we continue to see big easterly swell hitting the bar with southeast winds, the surfers sure are happy! For those heading offshore the windows have been very narrow with winds tending to puff up early. A few boats made the run out but reports were limited.

For those itching to get out the reef species will be out and about with some huge sweetlip and coral trout taken from Sunshine. With sharks ever present you may need to step up your gear to give you the grunt to wind hard and fast. With hundreds of rods and reels to pick from, now is a great time to gear up.

Spanish mackerel will be out there with floated pilchards a great way to pick up a few. They love a solid burley trail and will often follow it right to the back of the boat. Be sure to grab some pellets and tuna oil as well as some metal slugs for casting at them and the tuna as they are waiting for you!

Surf fishing has seen consistent catches of whiting and dart along the coastline for those armed with medium light surf rods. For those with long cast reels and heavier rods small snapper and sweetlip are in range around the many rocky areas that litter the coast south of Noosa. Simple single hook paternoster rigs are best for distance casting as is a grapnel sinker to hold your bait still in the swell.

The river is seeing a few great captures as of late. Flathead and mangrove jacks are now dominating the species list with whiting, bream and golden trevally making up the rest. With a lack of heavy rainfall things are starting to clear up and as such you can start thinking about different lure options.

The new Chasebaits armour prawns are in stock and should be a firm favorite for anglers after big flathead and mangrove jack. They have a jointed tail and a hard body ensuring they will last you many XL fish. These can be worked around the dog beach snags just be sure you are fishing heavy as the big fish are going to smash this. Also new in are the soft plastics from MMD which should go well for angler in both the estuary and the fresh on bigger species. The new Fat Skippa when loaded with scent and slow rolled along the bottom is going to be a great lure for jacks and flathead too.

No matter where you fish the neap tides this week should see more of an open bite window giving you more time to find the fish. If you need to know what’s biting and where then be sure you pop in.

Freshwater has seen some very fat bass taken from the surface and even a few yellow belly from Lake MacDonald. Both fish will hit a slow trolled lure and even a spinnerbait. If casting is your thing, you can try the small snoop dog lures from fish craft, especially if fishing light is your thing. For working the deep schools of fish then the trusty Keitech 3 inch easy shiner on light gauge jig heads slow rolled through the schools of fish is always a great fallback option.

Now for all the latest information log onto www.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!