Fishing

Gold Coast mackerel action predicted

AUTUMN is here, and that means the temperature will start to taper off, but not the fishing! As we head into the cooler months, the fishing on the Gold Coast will hit fever pitch in April and May. Traditionally at this time of year, the size of the fish you dare to catch is only limited to the size of …

Read More »

Huge variety off Noosa

Noosa mangrove jack

DO you remember this time last year? With COVID-19 closing many areas including freshwater dams, lakes and parks as well as beach access and restricting charter operations, this year is very different… with no closures. We sure are lucky to live up here in paradise! Noosa variety April is one of the best months to catch pelagics with North, Halls, …

Read More »

Iluka pelagics fire up

Iluka Bluff longtail

NOW, I’m not sure about you but I for one find it hard to believe that it’s April already, as it only seems a few weeks ago we were celebrating New Year’s Day. For myself, April 2021 has a special feel about it because it marks the beginning of my thirtieth year writing monthly columns for this great publication. Iluka …

Read More »

Tin Can Bay jack comp wrap-up

G’DAY crew, I hope you have all been keeping well over the past few weeks and keeping those rods bent! By all reports most of you have been out wetting a line or two and there have been plenty of stories told in the store lately. A pretty common one has been the number of squid people have been catching. …

Read More »

Transition time on the Gold Coast

HI everyone, we’re now into autumn and it’s a time of season transition. The marauding mangrove jack will still be on the prowl this month, while bigger flathead will return to the rivers to feed. This is the start of my favourite time for fishing the Gold Coast Broadwater and the Nerang River. Transition Gold Coast From April until September …

Read More »

Exciting artificial reef project of Mackay

GETTING anglers from all over the world ‘hooked on Mackay’ is one step closer due to an exciting artificial reef project. The project aims to enhance recreational and tourist fishing experiences via complex marine habitat installations adjacent to three popular fishing platforms in the Pioneer River. Mayor Greg Williamson said the Bridge Road, Brisbane Street and Carlyle Street fishing platforms …

Read More »

Not all raw prawns can be used as bait

WHILE most know, the reason behind buying bait from a bait shop or service station and not from a supermarket is due to the risk of spreading disease. In late 2016 and early 2017, white spot syndrome virus, the causative agent for white spot disease, was confirmed on seven prawn farms in southeast Queensland, and then in waterways around the …

Read More »

Magic mackerel session off Byron

THE forecast was for a 15-20 knot southeasterly wind and a 2-3m swell. As you can imagine I didn’t set the alarm and, being a Sunday morning, I rolled out of bed at the leisurely hour of 7.30am. As I was munching my cereal, I looked at the webcam site on my phone and, to my surprise, the bar was …

Read More »

Rainbow Beach red emperor trip

CLUB member John Hooker has finally moved to Rainbow Beach to enjoy his retirement and has asked Commodore Rob out on a number of trips that have all been ill-fated to say the least. Motor issues and the weather were the main players in the non-events, but this time with a great weather window and everything serviced on the catamaran, …

Read More »

Trying for trout

BEING from the sunshine state means our main freshwater targets are warm-water native species, with bass, barramundi, sooty grunter and golden perch topping the list. A novel change can be had by heading south to flick a lure or fly for a few of the acclimatised salmonids from the northern hemisphere that can be found through much of Victoria and …

Read More »