By Jack Mangrove
With the water in the Noosa River being the colour it is, fishing the run-in tide has been all important. As the clean water from the ocean enters the river, baitfish start to become active and in turn brings all the other fish on the bite. The fresh has also pushed good numbers of bream down river and fired them up. Good catches of bream are coming from Gympie terrace, the Dog Beach, the Sandbags and the river mouth rocks. Best baits are any kind of oily flesh like mullet or bonito. There have been some nice flathead present around the lower parts of the river near the drops of the sand bars, the start of the outgoing tide seems to be the best bite. For the bait anglers; fresh mullet strips or whole pilchard baits fished on gang hooks has the best option, for the lure anglers Soft vibes have also been good in the darker waters. Whiting are also being caught in good numbers at the very top of the tide and the start of the run out. Live worms, peeled prawn and Yabbies have been working very well, prawn coloured surface walkers have also picked up a few elbow slappers. The back of the sound has seen mangrove jack being caught on the run out tide. Live baits and fresh mullet strips being a real drawcard. Trevally, tailor and queenfish have been worth targeting in Woods Bays on surface lures first thing in the morning, prawn profile soft plastics coated in scent have also working well as the day gets a bit brighter. Quality mud crabs being potted throughout the lower reaches of the river. Weyba Creek has also been a popular spot. Fresh mullet by far the best bait for the pots.
On the beaches; the gutters along North Shore are really starting to look good after the recent swells, after thing start to settle down plenty of whiting and dart will make these gutters their homes, with the new moon towards the middle of the month we should also see the odd jew and large tailor prowling those same gutters. Plenty of flathead will also been taken with fish making their way out of the river in search of a feed. Small pilchard baits, mullet and bonito fillets will all been prime baits.
On the Offshore seen, boats stayed on the trailer for most of the week with the large swell and windy conditions, the weekend saw a few diehards headed to the closer reefs, Sunshine Reef was where we saw most of the activity with some nice snapper, sweetlip and tusk fish taken, fishing live baits got the best results. The Charters also were out on a couple of trips earlier in the week and did the run up to North Reef, fishing in larger swells they still managed some good fish including pearl perch snapper, snapper, moses perch, hussar, venus tusk fish and cobia. As conditions improve and the waters clear the pelagic’s will again be out in force with the close reef really firing as the bait fish from the rivers run to more saline waters.
So on behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures!
