By Jack Mangrove
In the Noosa River bream and whiting have been on the bite throughout the river with the Frying Pan and Dog Beach flats both producing goods numbers of fish.
Fresh or live bait like pipis and beach worms have been the key to success fished on a size four longshank hook.
If you want to try something different surface lures like small poppers and surface walkers are great to use on whiting and many other river species.
Designed to imitate a fleeing prawn the Jackson Ebi Panics are a very life like presentation that will see angler reaping the rewards. Big flathead have been on the bite at the River Mouth car park rocks, along the current line out from Munna Point Caravan Park and also up Weyba Creek, drifting fresh mullet strips and live baits like herring and poddy mullet has proven successful with the possible bi-catch of mangrove jack.
Predatory fish like trevally, tailor and queenfish have been feeding high in the water column with surface lures again fished on the top of the tide being the best way to tangle with them, if fishing after dark try the innovative Ballista S-pop 75, with their bonus built in red L.E.D. flashing light which activates with contact on the water.
Further up-river mangrove jacks and school jew have been on the bite in the early mornings between the lakes with fish falling for a well presented soft vibes. Live baits have also done the trick with poddy mullet the prime bait.
With the sun shining brightly, the winds dropping and a moderate swells, the offshore crew have been have been out in force. Jew Shoal has been a hot spot for mackerel as well as reef fish like sweet lip and snapper.
Sunshine reef has also seen some great fish come over the side, spanish and spotted mackerel have been the main targets with slow trolled dead and live baits doing most of the damage.
Baits on the bottom are getting some nice coral trout and sweet lip. Out on Chardon Reef big pearl perch and sweetlip have been the order of the day.
There have been some stonker trout with pearl perch and cobia also in the mix from North Reef. In the bay mixed schools of tuna have been hitting baitfish, small slug cast around the schools should see a hook up.
On the beach we have seen some great schools of whiting, fishing the top of the run out tide seems to be the most productive. Live worms and pippies are the prime baits.
The southern beaches around Coolum and Peregian have been fishing extremely well for these sweet little numbers. Dart are still in great numbers, the only problem is they seem to have all come from the same litter, most fish are around that 25cm mark, “great fun for the kids”.
Large tailor and jew continue to be taken around the river mouths in the evening, strip bait like mullet and bonito are the go to baits.
On behalf of Jack Mangrove, best of luck on your fishing adventures!
