By Jack Mangrove
With water temperatures in the Noosa river still quite warm, we have seen plenty of quality fish taken over the last week. Good size flathead have been taken on soft plastics with the brighter colours seeming to produce the better fish. For the bait anglers small pilchards, hardy heads and white bait on small ganged hooks have claimed some nice fish. Some of the hot spots have been around the sand banks near the river mouth, back of the Noosa Sound and the entrance to the first Ski run. Good numbers of quality whiting have been throughout the river particularly in lower reaches. Surface lures have been great fun for anglers. If using bait, live worms and yabbies have been the best producing bait. There has been some good quality mangrove jack stretching the arms of anglers in the river at the moment. Most of the action has been happening after dark with live baits and strip baits like bonito and mullet claiming the better fish. Fishing around heavy structure seems to be the key with some fish coming out to feed on the cover of darkness. Paddle tail soft plastic and vibes have also been enticing these brutes. Better sized Bream are on the chew and are in good numbers throughout the river system providing plenty of entertainment for the kids with peeled prawns a great bait for them. Get those crab pots out with good crabs around Weyba creek and the ski run stretches. Pots baited with fresh mullet have produced the better sized bucks.
On the offshore seen the good weather windows have been a bit difficult to find with big swells and strong winds hampering anglers for most of the week. For those that did get out, there has been plenty of quality of fish coming from most of the reefs. The bottom bouncers have seen catches of quality snapper really starting to show up and If you are not wanting to travel big distances try north reef for snapper, pearlies and cobia or the popular Halls and Sunshine Reefs with the catches of snapper, sweetlip, cod and trout with first and last light seeming to be the most productive. For bait anglers these fish have been taken on pillies, squid and slimy mackerel. Soft plastics and slow fall jigs have also been getting plenty of action. The mackerel scene has been a little on the quiet side with the dirty water, but as soon as we see clean water again we should see plenty of quality fish. Tuna on the other hand still seem to be in good numbers with a lot of good fish in and around the bay.
If heading up the beach there is a good number of whiting and dart in the shallow water gutters. Fishing with live worms or pipis have been producing the best results. The tailor anglers have started to see some quality fish with the best action dusk and dawn from north of Teewah. Flathead have also been reported sitting at the rear of the gutter. Prawns, strip baits and of course the trusty pilchard have been tempting the lizards. The southern beaches have also started to come good with reports of good whiting coming from around Peregian area. For the rock hoppers getting out early is the key. Fast moving lures like slugs and stick baits on a big cast and fast retrieved have claimed some good trevally, spotted mackerel and Mack tuna. Keep a close eye on the seas as there has been the odd larger set coming through.
So on behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures.
