By Jack Mangrove
With a perfect weekend, last weekend plenty of anglers hit the water. Heading offshore, there have been some reports of Mack tuna in the bay and the closer reefs. Casting small slugs and soft plastics and letting them sink through the schools has been the key, there has been the odd larger long tail holding underneath the school picking off the scraps.
There has been a fair bit of currents due to the full moon so we expect to get some bigger pelagic fish around the pressure edges of the reefs. Jerk shad style soft plastics are one of the best for distance casting. For anglers that are working the bottom, snapper, grass sweetlip and gold spot cod all came from North Reef, while Sunshine Reef has been good for trout, sweetlip and squire. For those that headed wide there were good snapper, pearl perch and jew from the Hards and the Barwon Banks.
On the river we have seen giant, golden and big eye trevally as well as tailor around the mouth, Woods Bays and Munna Point. Fishing the surface has been the way to go and fishing between first light and sunrise and sunset and last light has been the most productive. Best way to target them has been with smaller slugs or surface lures like poppers and surface walker. Make sure you up your leader as the tailor are very toothy and are snipping those light leaders.
Whiting have been showing up in good numbers for the bait fisherman, fishing those run out tide with live or cured frozen worms has seen some good results. Mangrove jacks are out and about during the night, target them with slow trolled paddle tail plastics around 4-6” another great way to do battle is to use live baits or fresh strip baits on heavier gear. Fishing around structure is the key but you will find them on the flats at night as they come out to feed. Fishing the run out tide is very productive for flathead with the edges and drop off the most productive. Plastics in prawn profile are dynamite as well as brighter fish profiles. For the bait anglers small pilchards on ganged hooks worked close to the bottom have also claimed some nice fish.
On the beaches, plenty of four wheel drives were on the shore on the Noosa North Shore. We have seen plenty of dart from the closer gutters as well as quality whiting. If you are up for a night fish then there is still some good tailor about. Jewies are also around and love cursing the deeper gutters or behind the breakers looking for small bait fish. Fresh mullet, squid and tailor fillets are all top baits for a jewie.
In the fresh, Lake Macdonald is producing bass around the bubble trail and edges of lily pads. Having a range of weedless plastics, spinnerbaits and vibes will be sure to keep your options open. For the surface angler looking to land a few, fishing first light has been the better option. For anglers headed to Lake Borumba in search of Saratoga, it really will be a case of getting started early to avoid the noise produced from recreational boats. Those fish that have been caught have been sitting lower down in the water so going a little heaver on the jig heads will help.
So on behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures!
