Fishing Monthly - Latest Fishing Reports - Updated Weekly
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COMPILED WEEKLY BY GARRY SMITH IN CAIRNS:
e-mail: lavallesmith@iig.com.au
Gold Coast

John Polson & Paul Revie
The Fisherman Pty Ltd
Sporty's Warehouse
32 Strathaird Rd. Surfers Paradise
Gold Coast. QLD 4217
Australia
Phone: +61 7 5531 6511
Mobile: +61 418 751220
www.thefisherman.com.au

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Moreton Bay
A few school mackerel have been caught up towards the top end of the Rous Channel between the last red and the first green beacon. Trolling spoons behind a paravane is one successful method but floating out the humble pillie will still put you in with a good chance at catching a schoolie or two. Trolling spoons around Middle Bank and the Yule Bank may also produce results as well.

The Curtain Artificial has produced a few good trevally lately with a nice 7kg GT being caught on a live slimey last week. An occasional quality snapper has been taken at night on live baits and fresh fillet baits as well. During the day there has been plenty of squire to catch but only one in ten has been of legal size.

Bream, chopper tailor and small squire have been caught from the rocks at Scotts Point at night recently. Scarborough Reef has been a good spot to fish at night with quite a few quality squire, and the occasional snapper and stud bream being caught. Quality fresh baits and a silent approach are the only way to fish this area successfully. A few mulloway are sometimes caught from this area at this time of the year.

The flathead and bream have been fairly abundant up at Donnybrook recently for anglers who know how to fish the area. The W’s have also been fishing well with some good flathead and whiting being taken on worms and yabbies. A live mullet fished into the deeper holes at night may produce a school jew or larger flathead.

Most of the surf beaches have fished well for dart, bream and a few tailor of late. Up towards the southern end of North Straddie has been one of the better spots with a few nice gutters in this area being productive spots.

Most areas of the Pin have been worth fishing with good numbers of bream, flathead and whiting being caught along with the occasional mulloway and quality tailor. It is definitely worth floating out a whole pillie anywhere up towards the bar as good numbers of choppers have been around. Even the islands further up have been producing a few tailor, trevally and school jew on larger baits at night.

May your bait be nervous.

Gordon Macdonald
Tackle Warehouse
Ph. (07) 3398 6500
masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

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Moreton Bay - Wide
In between absolutely foul weather and even huger seas, we have snuck out to reduce the piscatorial population. The conditions have been relatively benign on the changes in wind direction, and rough to frightening at every other time. Thanks to the Bureau of Meteorology, most of us fished the rough and the frightening, while those who log onto www.bouyweather.com have been able to fish in relative safety and comfort….. enough said.

Squire, snapper and some excellent pearl perch have made up the bulk of catches. Quality parrot have also been bagged, but the fish of the week goes to Sharon Fixter with a 6kg coronation trout caught today. What a beautiful fish! Whales are jumping, fish are biting and the world is a beautiful place. Hope to take you fishing soon.
Regards,

Keith Hall
INCREDIBLE CHARTERS
20 Courageous Ct,
Scarborough 4020
Tel: 3203 8188
Fax: 3203 8199
incrediblecharters@bigpond.com

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Southern Freshwater

Rob Clouten & Paul Cass
Fishin Essentials
robdinga@gil.com.au

James Hocking
SunWater
Service Supervisor - South Burnett

Peter Taylor
Mullet Gut Marine
Ph (07) 4632 9770
Fax (07) 4639 2543
mullet_gut@bigpond.com

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Lake Boondooma

Lance & Kristy Frahm
Lake Boondooma Kiosk
Open 7 days 8am-5pm.
Ph 07-41689694, fax is 07-41689691,
PO Box 24, PROSTON 4613.
lakeboondooma@wondaishire.com
Stop Tailor Netting - Phone (07) 3284 0043 or 0414 376 217
Bribie Is. & Caloundra
More sensational fishing over the past week on the Sunshine Coast has kept anglers happy and content. Only a small number of days have been suitable for boating out on the reefs but enough fish have been caught and legends created, to keep fishing at the top of everyone’s list.

It seems that it was not only our boat load of yobbos who suffered a big number of bust ups around the outers of Murphys Reef last week. We had three mad anglers on board and although we landed some nice fish we were slaughtered by some big horses that ‘honestly, (now that is a bad word when dealing with fishing tales), we could not even hope to land. My guess, on one occasion was a big amberjack and the other a nice whopping big red.

The fish are certainly in close at the moment and the bigger snapper are on their way well and truly along with quality mowong, grass sweetlip and emperor. A stable catch of mixed reefies is ever abundant to add to the esky.

Caloundra Wide has seen a great run of snapper, parrot and reds along with cod, sweeties and mowong and let’s not forget some great pearlies. It is great not having to travel too far to catch good fish.

The beaches have settled down and allowed a brief fishing session for those keen enough to tackle the elements. Rips are still the biggest problems to counter on the changing tides but get past those and you are in with a shot. Bream, flathead and dart are the most likely species to be caught at the moment with an odd tailor an outside chance.

The Pumicestone Passage has put on a great display of fishing with the bream in absolute plague proportions, continuing for another week. Anglers are enjoying what is on offer at the moment and so they should. Flathead are slow but still around but the whiting are outdoing just about everything at the moment. I went to purchase some blood worms the other day and nearly died at the price. My recommendation - go pump some yabbies or peel some prawns. They are just as good.

So overall there should be no excuse for not being able to get amongst them this month, as fish are everywhere. Outside should be packed this weekend with forward reports indicating that the weather will be A1 - meaning anything could happen, as fishermen now realise. Good luck out there, and keep the pictures coming.

Brad McKendrick
Caloundra (07) 5491 3555
Compiled by Brad McKendrick from local fisherman with local reports.
brad@caloundrasbestbuys.com.au
Currimundi to Coolum

Kawana Bait & Tackle
kawanabt@bigpond.net.au
Northern Sunshine Coast

On the offshore scene, quality snapper are on the bite at all visited reefs. Many fine catches have been reported at the 5-6kg mark. North Reef is a popular and productive destination, with cobia, coral trout and northern bluefin tuna also on the bite. Sunshine Reef is also producing fabulous snapper, and for those keen anglers with big fuel tanks the Barwon Banks and Chardon's Reef are both fishing well and worth the trip.

In the river, bream and flathead are the main species being targeted by anglers. Trevally and tailor are active in the Woods Bays early morning and evening, using surface poppers and soft plastics. Along the Tewantin stretch opposite the Council Chambers some good bream have been taken on mullet gut and squid.

On the beaches, on the North Shore, chopper tailor are active along the Teewah stretch, while further north the gutters are producing good whiting. Quality dart are being taken all along the beaches from Teewah south to Marcus Beach and Peregian Beach.

The freshwater reports have been limited as the waters are murky from the rain, and the local lakes have been effectively shut down for the short term.

Call the guys at Davo's on 5449 8099, or visit www.fishingnoosa.com.au for more hot tips and photos.

Cheryl Lacey
Davo's - (07) 5449 8099
www.fishingnoosa.com.au

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Hervey Bay

With the small tides fishing has been on the quiet side. Winter whiting have been scattered, with the main catches coming from wide of Toogoom.

Bream catches have been mainly from River Heads and Gatakers Bay.

On the Artri, snapper and coral bream are there but they are not overly co-operative.

Tailor catches have been mainly at Kingfisher and in the Susan River.

Feral Kiwi (Ray Ozich)

Dave Ingrey
Fisherman's Corner - Ph (07) 4128 1022
fishcor@bigpond.net.au

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Bundaberg
Well the winds are back again. Mixed with a bit of rain it has made the fishing a bit hard for anyone heading offshore. Those who braved the wind and rain and headed out on the river caught some quality fish. Some huge summer whiting have been caught around the flats on yabbies and worms. Some big bream have also been caught around the rocks with evening tides seeming to be the most productive. Fishing with almost unweighted baits very close to the rocks is a good start. Bait such as sprats and large peeled prawns are a treat to a big bream.

There are still a few tailor about also, with a few small mackerel down around the mouth.

Bass and barra are still to be found around the local dams - all you have to do is work a bit harder for results.

The Burnett Shire Council has issued a public notice regarding a boat ramp at Littabella Creek:- "Council, at its meeting held on 6 June 2005, considered a report on a proposal for the establishment of a boat ramp on Littabella Creek. Part of the process for the establishment of a boat ramp is to seek public comment in relation to the need for a boat ramp and a preferred location on Littabella Creek. Further information by way of a copy of the report to Council and a map of Littabella Creek are available from Council's offices located at Hughes Road, Bargara or Quay Street Agency, Bundaberg, or by phoning 4150 5400. Submissions should be lodged to Chief Executive Officer, Burnett Shire Council, Locked Bag 1, Bargara by 29 July 2005."

Tim Mulhall / Matt Costar / Ben Shorten
Salty's Fishing Team
Salty's - Ph (07) 4153 4747
info@saltys.net
Hi Folks,
I’ve been a bit behind with reports - my apologies.
We have been trying to give the bass a few goes before last weekend’s ABT Bass Electric at the ISIS Impoundment. We had started off slow but eventually worked out a pattern that was providing us with up to 50cm bass on every trip in good numbers. As usual on the day it all came unstuck for me and the biggest I put in the boat
went 34.5 cm with a bag weight of 1.2kg. Oh well, that's fishing.

My “Non Boater” Adam Turner of Pristine Lures was busted up a couple of times on his favourite Elton John bass lure on the weed edges, and that was it until about 20 minutes before the end when he was slammed off the bottom with one of his new designed soft plastics. After a good battle it turned out to be a 46cm, 2.8kg sooty.

Well done to Gazza from Salty’s for ranking 3rd and eventually beating his sons. If you are keen to have a go at a bass comp, try an ABT Bass Electric as it is for
everyone to enjoy no matter how big or small your rig may be, and it is a great way of meeting some gun anglers and gaining some great information from these guys. This is a good way of easing into the larger comps by starting small and moving up from there. I personally enjoy the company and the laughs. Win, lose or draw it doesn't bother me as it is just a great day out. Anyway next week I will have a bit more of a fishing report for you from a few local destinations.

Until next week, safe boating,
Regards

Brett Jones
Still Water Charters
stillwatercharters@yahoo.com.au
www.stillwatercharters.homestead.com

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Yeppoon

Well, well, well. After all these years of fruitlessly trying to catch a big snapper, last Saturday the planets aligned and it finally happened. I wasn't even trying to catch one (middle of the day), but I'll take it.
There's a pic of it with this report just to skite a bit.

So that proves what I've been saying for the last few reports, that now is prime snapper time in Keppel Bay. They'll only hang around for another couple of weeks, so if you want one too, better go soon.

It's full moon this week (Thursday) and I'm predicting that this will be bream week. The Causeway Lake is as good a spot as any to chase a feed of bream on the evening run-throughs, but the rock bars in Coorooman and Waterpark Creeks are also pretty good. Same goes for chasing bream in the Fitzroy River. Towards the mouth look for lumps of rock and fish the running water close to the bank and try the many stone walls along the banks with the same technique. A bit of berley will enhance your prospects no end.

Offshore has been very patchy lately. Some parties came home with excellent quality Spanos, while others never saw a mackerel. Even the usually consistent fern country didn't fire for most triers. Yet further offshore in the very deep water, the fish chewed their heads off. Go figure..........

Looks like a bit of wind this week, so the beaches and headlands could be blown out, but if you find a sheltered spot, you should find a few bream and the odd whiting nosing around.

Keep your rods bent.

Kim Martin

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Stanage Bay
Howdy all ye fishers, from Stanage Bay - Shoalwater Bay - The Dukes - Percy and surrounding islands.

Well what a week we have had. The reef sure was firing. The Brisbane boys staying in the Villa went home with over full eskies - onya John, Erick and Steve. All the same were the fellas staying in the Oasis - all but Jeff (who had to depart early, because of boat problems) left with smil’n dials and loads of reefies.

Well done once again Bob, Wingy and the boys. It’s always a pleasure seeing and weighing in your catches. As for Ian, Suzanne and Gary, who had huge outboard problems, they still managed to catch abundant trout and reds. Well done guys.

Von, our expert fisho, also caught some top quality reefies but won't let the camera take any pics. It's good to see the reefs firing like they have been, so let’s hope Mother Nature is kind to us and gives some great weather.

Back in the estuary, fishing is still going great. Grunter, bream, salmon and flathead are still all making an appearance. Jew are still about but not in any great numbers.

Mud crabs are still showing, but like the jew not in numbers, but enough for a good feed. With winter not wanting to show we should see the muddies staying around for a while.

With the road in like it is there is no excuse for not visiting the lost paradise. We still have some good spots for the end of the year, so give us a call and we will arrange the special fishing trip you have been dreaming of.

Yours in fishing and crabbing,
Tony & Von

Von Ann Ireland
stanagebaymarine@bigpond.com
www.stanagebay.com

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Mackay / Seaforth

Arthur Lovern
Seaforth Fishing Tours
Phone (07) 49590318
Peter Faust Dam / Eungella Dam

Andy Thomsen (Fishing Guide)
www.andysfishing.com.au
0409 466 336

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Airlie Beach / Whitsundays

Andy Thomsen (Fishing Guide)
www.andysfishing.com.au
0409 466 336
Whitsundays - Bluewater

Capt. Ken Bryant
Marlin Blue Charters Ph 07 49465044

www.marlinblue.com.au

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Townsville
BLACKS ARE BACK

It is looking like one of the best billfish seasons for at least the last five to six years. The Townsville Game Fishing Club had their monthly comp the weekend before last and it was a ripper. Forty five billfish where tagged with many more getting off to avoiding the tag pole, with reports of over one hundred being sited. Most of the fish at the moment are around the 15kg mark.
There have been reports of very good red emperor and large mouth nannygai coming from the shoal country around many of the reefs, with good coral trout also being found around many of the larger bommies in these areas.
Salamander Reef and Four-Foot Rock are producing some very exciting giant trevally and queenfish action on poppers at the moment. The mackerel are still around in very good numbers and that should continue for a few months yet.

Last but not least, the mud crabs are still being caught in many of the creeks south of Townsville so it is still well worth throwing in a pot or two.

Danny & Rosalie Brooks
Tackle World
Ph. 0747251266
tworldtsv@beyond.net.au

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Hinchinbrook - Lucinda
Hi Friends,

The past couple of weeks saw normal winter conditions prevailing around the Hinchinbrook area. Lots of calm days - ideal for venturing a little offshore.

Heaps of longtail tuna, queenfish and both school and Spanish mackerel are feeding on the bait schools between the end of the sugar loader and the Palm Islands.
We have been trying out some 1oz soft plastic paddle tail shads - just one item from a box of goodies that arrived on our doorstep courtesy of a new importer. The tuna seem to love them and as an added bonus they have the weight to cast the long distances to unpredictable tuna schools. Doggie mackerel have been coming up chomped in half as big Spaniards do their toothy thing.

Water temp in the channel over the past few days has read 22 degrees C at the end of the loader and 20-21 degrees C in the channel but there are still some warmer pockets if you know where to look.

For the lure tossers, jacks have gone to ground, with only the odd fish coming from along the rocks along the island. Estuary cod have reappeared in numbers but most are small with a few bigger fish being caught while trolling.

I predict the 05-06 Summer is going to be exceptional for barra as we have had a very mild winter so far. Big Fish Creek has good numbers of fish to dream about. Larraine and I spent a few hours there a couple of weeks ago, landing and releasing three fish over the magic 1.20m.

Another interesting piece of news from the Hinchinbrook fish care group. We will be releasing into the Herbert River 3000 first generation barra fingerlings next weekend. These fish are much larger than those previously released and are expected to have a much greater survival rate.

The report is a little condensed this week, as long days on the water make for heavy eyelids, so I will let the pictures do the talking.

Al Goodwin
Crackajack Sportfishing Adventures
Lucinda Ph/Fax 61+07 47778365
crackfish@ozemail.com.au
www.crackfish.com

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Hinchinbrook - Cardwell

While the estuary fishing is still slow, with only cod and some small barra attacking lures, out wide is going off with good reports of reef fish coming from Otter and Kennedy reefs. Most of the good fishing has been at night, with most boats bagging out. I have had a report of a good school of Spanish mackerel hanging out from the leads with plenty of boats getting a good feed.

Closer inshore the bream fishermen a gearing up for what looks like a good couple of months, with good reports of nice catches of substantial silver and black bream. The preferred bait is peeled prawn with no sinker. A nice barra was hooked off the jetty by one of out local lady anglers. I should have all the details for next week’s report.

Safe boating. I'll see ya on the water and remember fish for the future. Practice catch and release.

Jim Lee
Un-Reel Sportsfishing Adventures
Ph (07) 40660032
0408 842691
jimlee@qldnet.com.au
www.un-reel-sportsfishing-adventures.com.au
Cairns

Fantastic fishing conditions mid week, with variable winds of 5-10 knots, has seen many anglers head for the blue water either chasing the excellent action on pelagics or the red hot bottom fishing.

Reef fishing has been absolutely on fire with fantastic fishing in most locations. Bottom fishing has really produced some fantastic results with small mouth nannygai, large mouth nannygai, red emperor, rosy job fish and spangled emperor in the deep water. Some excellent coral trout have been taken in the shallows as the water becomes cooler. A combination of squid and pilchard works great on both the reds and trout.

Plenty of Spanish mackerel are also haunting the reef edges and taking floated pilchards. Trolled rigged garfish are also producing good numbers of Spaniards on top of the pinnacles.

Estuary fishing has gone very quite over the past week as the tides have declined but should pick up with the tides starting to increase with a building moon. Crabbing with set pots and dillies is producing some quality mud crabs with the cooler water.

With the building tides estuary fishing should pick up and targeting the bigger grunter on fresh mullet slabs, or fingermark on live sardines or prawns may produce some good results.

Robert Erskine
Erskine's Tackle Shop
51 Mulgrave Rd Cairns
Ph (07) 4051 6099
erskinestackle@bigpond.com
Cairns - Reports compiled by Garry Smith

Dutch visitor, Yarp Bllsch, was very pleased with this 10kg Spaniard he caught off Double Island last Friday. It took a deep diving River2Sea lure right on dark and put up a great battle. The perfect conditions late in the week saw many anglers dash offshore for excellent catches of reefies and pelagics.

Garry Smith
lavallesmith@iig.com.au

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Port Douglas
This week has been a bit of a Jeckle and Hyde situation with indifferent weather dictating terms. When the weather was sensational the fishing was slow, particularly on the reef. The Spanish mackerel were thick but also very finicky in the crystal clear conditions. Subsequently the mackerel catches were very patchy with both ganged baits and in the trolling department. But be rest assured once we overcome this current blow from the south east, the mackerel are present in good numbers and will let loose again. Coral trout has been the staple catch this week with a few varieties of trevally including tea leaf and bludger being caught on most deeper red fish spots. No doubt though the nannygai and red emperor will override this situation when the weather improves.

In the rivers and creeks, bread and butter species dominate proceedings including grunter and bream. The Daintree River has recorded more promising results with golden trevally at the mouth and fingermark willing to chew on the snags further inside. The odd blue salmon has been registered at Muddy Creek with a few rat sized barra willing to take a lure further inside the system on certain timber. Mud crabbing remains consistent in all local systems.

On the beaches, whiting are thick in certain spots along Four Mile Beach and in handsome proportions. Dart and smaller permit are also present in the shallows and the above species are well targeted with light line and a peeled prawn.

Just further off shore with the coastal reefs, painted crayfish are in good numbers and definitely worth a snorkel and spear gun session. We nailed two recently at around 4-5kg within 15 minutes and spotted heaps more in the process.

Meanwhile the town is bursting at the seams with tourists in every direction you look.

Lynton "Heff" Heffer
Ph (07) 4098 5354
www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

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Cooktown

Leonard Todaro
Reel River Sportfishing.
PO Box 829 Cooktown Qld 4871
Ph 07 4069 5346.
reelriver@hotmail.com

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Karumba

Jason Jesse
Gulf Sportfishing Adventures
P.O. Box 228 Karumba
Phone - (07)4745 9434
gsakarum@tpg.com.au
www.gulfsportfishingadventures.com.au

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Weipa

Barra Dave Donald
Dave Donald SPORTFISHING - Ph (07) 4069 9064
DDSPORTFISH@bigpond.com
www.weipafishing.com

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Queensland Tide Times

Bureau of Meteorology