With the start of the full moon cycle and building neap tides this week, the lead up saw some slightly rougher weather but some great fish captures along the way.
With the SCF comp on this weekend, anglers travelled far and wide to take part in the weekend’s events. Fortunately, the winds and swell dropped to allow everyone a shot offshore.
During the week anglers were catching jewfish from areas holding baitfish in dense schools and deep water. You can try North reef and the back of the hards. Out here you can also expect to find amberjack and other reef fish including pearl perch and maori cod. For amberjack you can try high speed jigging with samaki V2 hummers in the 200 gram size or use a big soft plastic on a 2oz+ jig head for jewies and reefies. Snapper have also been found in the deeper cooler water with many anglers picking up fish in the 70cm size range on traditional paternoster rigs. Nothing beats a squid pilchard combo and we have plenty of pre-made rigs to make life easier and quicker.
In closer the full moon slowed the bite period during the daytime but anglers persevered in magic conditions to catch all the usual reefies around the 20-40m depth line. Most fish taking bait with many anglers dropping plastics on lightweight gear in the 20lb range. When the seas are calm and the visibility is great you have to fish lighter. Be sure you pick up some FC rock leader and tie longer leaders than usual to help you lure or bait have the best presentation.
Surf fishing saw a push of tailor south of Noosa around the various headlands and river mouths. With most anglers fishing during the end of the day the classic 5/0 gang hook and a pilchard has claimed good numbers of fish. For those with a 4×4 Fraser Island has seen great numbers of fish. The gang hooked pilchard has been working wonders with some anglers claiming great fish on smaller stickbaits like the Rapala long cast shallow or metal slug.
In the rivers we have seen various trevally and smaller flatties to 60cm. With the waters starting to clear up you will find fishing starting to improve further upstream. Although we had rain it was light so the river didn’t experience any flooding. Mangrove jacks are also starting to wake up with anglers now turning their attentions to what has to be the hardest fighting fish in the river.
Jacks will take just about anything as they are not only predators but scavengers. Many an angler has caught a sizable jack on a prawn intended for a bream as well as live bait. If you want to target jacks you need to think about how they hunt and feed and gear up accordingly. Jacks are masters of taking you back into cover and busting you off so fish with 15-20+lb lines and 20lb+ leaders. Once these fish really wake up in summer, these fish can often bust you off in the snags on 50lb gear. Slow rolling a soft plastic like the new Bite Science thump shad in 3/0 size will also pick up big flathead. These are a simple lure to use and make a great entry to soft plastic fishing.
As the waters continue to clear up and warm it won’t be long until flats fishing for whiting, and bream will start to fire up. This is one of the most exciting ways to fish lures so keep an eye out on future reports.
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!
