By Jack Mangrove
The Noosa River has again been fishing well with some great catches of trevally and tailor.
The predatory fish have been very active around the river mouth, Woods Bays and Munna Point, chasing bait brought in on the big tides of late. Casting slugs and soft plastics and surface lures at dawn and dusk is a good way to tangle with a solid trevally or two.
Whiting and bream have been common catches of late right throughout the system with the dog beach and Gympie Terrace both producing some good fish.
Mangrove jack are now very active with the water warming up. These ambush predators have surprised a few anglers with their ‘smash and run’ feeding technique. Jacks are more active and often out in the open at night as they hunt for a feed. Live baits and soft vibes has been the way to go.
Trolling hard body minnows in between the lakes and casting suspending lures at the snags at the edges of the river will also see you connected to a jack or two.
Flathead are still in good numbers with some monster females feeding on small baitfish and prawns predominantly on the run-out tide. Fishing the drop off has been the most productive.
On the offshore seen, Sunshine Reef is really firing with some quality grassy sweetlip and trout over the last week.
The pelagic season is really starting to get underway with a few spotted mackerel and school mackerel as well a couple of really good spanish mackerel on the close reefs. Slow trolled deep diving baits on skirted hooks has been a popular way to target them.
Tuna are also on the chew with some schools chopping up bait in Laguna Bay. Both North Reef and Chardons Reef have been fishing very well with good sized snapper, tusk fish, pearl perch and sweetlip.
For the bigger boats that have been able to brave the windy conditions the Barwon Banks and the reefs off Double Island have produced some outstanding fish, snapper, pearlies, moses perch, cobia and tusk fish.
On the beaches, tailor are still making their way back south after spawning on the Fraser coast, good quality fish continue to be taken along the Noosa North Shore beaches with the high tide in the very early morning the most productive.
Fresh mullet, bonito and pilchard baits have nailed most of the fish. We are seeing plenty of larger greenbacks with the most successful anglers using the slide bait method.
Dart are in good numbers with most fish in close, prawns and small fish baits have claimed plenty. We are also seeing some good quality whiting coming from the breakers, live worms and pippies have been the go to bait.
So on behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures!
