As anglers this is the type of weather we all get excited about, and for it to fall on the weekend is an added bonus. With light winds and clean swell there was no reason to not get out there unless you owned a small boat or are inexperienced at crossing the bar.
The swell on the bar ramped up on Friday and stayed with us for the weekend, but with patience and power it was navigable. This is also the first weekend where the snapper and pearl perch are now back on the menu following their annual break.
North reef, Chardons and Sunshine were all on the travel list due to variable winds. With the tides bang smack in the middle of the neap phase the turn in the tide was the bite time. It came as no surprise to see some solid fish getting caught on bait and lures.
Bait anglers loaded up with squid and pilchards and with pilchard floaters drifting downward it was a case of wait for the reel to start screaming! This method of fishing is so productive for the big mid-water fish with cobia, mackerel, tuna and of course snapper most likely to pick up your bait. Most anglers are thinking mackerel have gone north but reports of school mackerel are plentiful so be sure you take some super flex single strand wire with you. For best results aim to keep your leaders to no more than 30lb. Shogun ice clear is the perfect colour while the waters out wide are clear. Combine this with a Shimano bait runner reel and I guarantee you’ll be soon addicted to the sound when it goes off.
Lure anglers will find best results with slow fall jigs that have some flutter and flash. The storm Koika is a consistent performer around the 60-80 gram sizes in the 40m range. They often get picked up by snapper, cobia, jewfish, tuskies and pearl perch. If jigging is not your thing then super light weighted curl tail plastics allowed to drift in the current much like a pilchard floater will get smashed. Check out the Chasebaits love bug, these are a hybrid plastic with a lot of movement.
Surf fishing has seen an improvement for tailor anglers. Fishing after dark with gang hooked pilchards has seen some quality fish around the 60cm mark landed. Fishing around dark on an incoming tide has been working well and next weeks tides look perfect for this. Try around middle groyne and the mouth. Don’t forget to pick up some bait thread. Wind some of this around your bait and see just how hard you can cast without losing your baits.
River fishing is starting to show signs of a good flathead season ahead. There have been lots of smaller fish getting caught in the lower estuary on livies and lures. With the shift in the main channel the fish will be moving with it and schooling over the newly created sand banks. Here you can drift whitebait or run a smaller paddle tail soft plastic and slow roll it along the bottom. Take a look at slim swimz and Keitech easy shiners for two great profiles.
Upriver small jewfish are showing up and taking the previously mentioned soft plastics. These fish are great fun on 10lb gear and although undersized they still put up a good fight but must be returned quickly. You can also find good flathead around the lake and the run across to the between the lakes stretch. While the weather is starting to warm up you will also notice a few mangrove jack starting to show up which is always welcomed as these are the top predatory fish in the river.
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!,
