Weipa has finally been getting some better weather with a few glass out mornings each week.

The mackerel have been thick around Pera and Westminster with plenty of longtails and queenfish getting amongst the action and harassing the abundant bait schools.

Small 15g Halco Twisty Slugs have been producing the most fish. For increased hook-ups and easy of release, I re-rig the slugs with a single Gamakatsu SL12s fly hook in 4/0 size. These hooks as deadly sharp straight out of the packet and are more than strong enough to handle these fish when fished on 20lb braid and moderate drag settings.

Northern bluefin are flighty enough at the best of times, but remember they often feed into the wind. So rather than zoom straight on in to the feeding school, wait up current and cast back into the school and your hook-up ratios will increase tenfold!

The Pylons have been producing plenty of black jew around 3-4kg however there have been some standout fish down deeper with one oversized monster recently caught measuring 131cm. Good fingermark have been coming of the lumps in the 8m line out from 3 mile reef.

Berkley Jerk Shads 5” in length in the mango ripple colour have been out fishing everything else 10 to 1 so stock up before you come to Weipa, as you can’ get that colour in town.

There have been some good barra caught under the Mission River bridge at night on the neap tides with soft plastics taking their fair share of victims. Threadfin and plagues of blue salmon are also out in force so be prepared for some erratic runs and line burnt thumbs.

Threadfin are well known for their hard pulling and fast running antics however when these blue salmon fill out, pound for pound these bruisers take the cake. They make very worthy opponents for the avid lure caster and each night on an incoming tide, schools of massive numbers feed under the lights of the Mission bridge. These fish can be targeted on just about anything that moves including flies, however with 6 knots of current pumping under the bridge be prepared to lose the odd fly or 10!

With the barra season close dates for the Gulf nearly upon us, now is the time of year to get out and target a few for the freezer if you’re that way inclined. Live baiting the gutters in the Hay at start of the run-in tide is a sure fire way to nail a few keepers.