December 1, 2020
2020 certainly has had it’s challenges, but one of the brighter parts of the year has been the great spring fishing. We have seen far more east in the wind this spring, with only a few blows from the north west. This has made conditions good enough to get out most days, with only a few cancelled trips due to weather. For guests that did take a bit of a gamble on the conditions on those slightly windier days, they were rewarded with some great fishing.
The big news has been the billfish for the past few months. This season has been consistent with some great numbers of juvenile black marlin turning up. Multiple bites per day resulted in many guests enjoying their first experience of targeting small blacks. We fished for them in a few different ways throughout the season from switching live baits, casting at free swimmers, trolling gars, trolling Pakula skirted lures, and switching and sight casting with saltwater fly tackle.
Many of our billfish were caught in shallower water and were released in the shallows where they can recover nicely. The sharks were difficult at times with some crazy moments to be had…. plenty of care was taken when the fish were in the shark zone to make sure they were landed and released unharmed.
We had an epic free-swimmer on fly capture which was sensational. This black marlin was cruising the flat, and when Josh made the cast and hooked this fish, it cemented him into a small group of anglers that have caught flats free-swimming black marlins that have not been teased.
Along with billfish, we’ve had some great spotty mackerel sessions with the first run of fish being the XL size. Spotties are great fun and ball the bait up making it very visual fishing. Mac tuna and longtail tuna often joined in on the action smashing through the bait balls.
On the flats, we had a few solid longtails cruising down the flat making for some great sight casting opportunities. Along with longtails, queenfish, golden trevally, mac tuna and small black marlins were seen frequently on the flat.
On the reefs we caught a few coral trout, cod, snapper, golden and other trevallies. We didn’t spend too many days on the reefs, with much of our effort focused on the pelagic action the past few months.
The next few months will see the pelagics take the main focus with spotty mackerel hanging around until March, then the longtails arrive in big numbers as part of their annual migration.
Stickbaiting and surface lure fishing will be high on the agenda for many anglers, as species like queenfish, longtail and mac tuna and spanish mackerel start to get aggressive on the surface.
For anglers looking for a bit of reef fishing late Autumn can be a great time to target coral trout and sweetlip.
October 15, 2020
September was a cracking month for us here at Hervey Bay Fly and Sport Fishing.
Reasonable conditions throughout the month let our guides fish throughout the bay with ease. Species like snapper were high on the agenda when tides suited and we pulled some excellent specimens on board. Big cobia also appeared on the reefs, sometimes even taking trevally that were hooked while jigging, resulting in long fights on lighter outfits.
Trevally species are always a great target through September and it was no different this year. Bludger, tea leaf, golden, diamond, pennant, gold spot and more were all caught through the month.
We managed a few reef sessions with coral trout, scarlets, cod, hussar, tusk fish and others taking soft plastics and jigs. Inshore closer to port, the reefs have also been producing sweetlip and coral trout, with specimens up to 3 kg available within minutes from the ramp.
School mackerel, mac tuna and longtails have begun to move into the bay with the usual reefs holding the schoolies. School mackerel are a great table fish and always a valuable target species between bigger trophy fish. The mac and longtails are a little thin but good sign for the summer season ahead with spotted mackerel only a month or so away.
On the flats we had some great days targeting golden trevally with smaller fish to 4 kg appearing around in reasonable numbers. A few queenfish are also milling on the flats, and anglers need to be ready and on point when they swim through, as long accurate casts are usually required. On the northern flats longtails will be starting to run the beach along with queenfish and goldens.
September 2020
We have been busy here on the Fraser Coast, and are looking forward to borders opening soon so that our NSW guests can get up here and enjoy some fishing.
August can be a tricky month but the wider grounds can generally give us some great fishing if conditions allow. This August guests enjoyed targeting coral trout with some great fish coming aboard. Working soft plastics is a very effective way to target trout and they often fight much softer to when they are hooked on live baits. This allows lighter tackle and is great fun for all ages and abilities.
Along with the trout we landed some nice cod, sweetlip, various trevally species, longtails and cobia.
Snapper were a little trickier to find but we did manage some nice specimens to 82cm. Snappers came in on a range of techniques including metal jigs, soft plastics and hard body lures.
Closer to home the flats fished well for golden trevally, queenfish and small GTs. On the windier days we made our way up on the flats and had some fun with the light gear. While fishing the flats guide Peter Fry guided some guests onto a nice longtail which was cruising the edge. It’s fairly rare to see longtails on the southern flats and was an epic 3 hour battle on light tackle. Well done to the angler and Pete for staying calm and having plenty of patience that’s one epic battle.
The next month we should start seeing some mac tuna move into the bay along with longtail tuna on the surface. School mackerel will move on the reefs again and the inshore fishing scene will start to heat up. Even small black marlin might be possible early this season with a few captures inside the Bay already this year. On the flats flathead, golden trevally, queenfish and smaller trevally will start to be more active. If you are after some spring time sportfishing be in touch and secure your spot. Email us fishing@herveybaysportfishing.com.au
July 2020
With borders open through June and July, the curve flattened and people’s sense of adventure reignited! We enjoyed the busiest June and July on record! A HUGE thank you from the team at HBFS to everyone who booked with us over the past couple of months. We hope you had a memorable trip with us!
We had a mix of weather with some glass-out days along with persistent south easterly winds which allowed us to get out almost everyday. Guests enjoyed some great winter sportfishing with golden trevally, snapper, kingfish, coral trout, cod, cobia, mackerel, longtail and mac tuna, queenfish and more coming onto the decks.
The snapper season has been a tough one this year, but the golden trevally have made up for it as they school in good numbers on many of the reefs across the bay. The snapper we have caught have been of good size with fish in the 80 cm size range. It’s closed season at time of writing with the snapper season open again on August 16.
A few Spanish mackerel have also been about often hanging around the trevally schools…likely picking off the odd smaller fish. Big cobia also made an appearance as they do during winter and can be found on any of the reef along with open water as they move through the bay. Keeping an eye out while travelling for cobia on a glass out you can sometimes find them mooching on the surface this can sometimes turn into a great session on cobes.
Coral trout are a great option through winter. The calmer weather conditions allow us to push wider with guests in search of some different species. Moses perch, cod, coral trout, scarlet, parrot and more can be found on the wide grounds making for a tasty addition to the esky.
The next month we will see a shift in a few of our target species as we head towards spring. Snapper will still be a target but we will start to see a few more longtail tuna come across the decks. Big longtails at this time of year are generally from the 1-1.2 meter mark and put up a great fight on spin tackle. Casting stick baits, softplastics and metals usually gets the job done.
In the Sandy Straits, flathead will begin to gather to spawn and can be great fun on light tackle. The windier days will see us head on the flats in search of a few lizards which can be an enjoyable day out for guests in calm conditions. Other species in the straits at present are grunter, trevally, queenfish, school mackerel, jew and the odd mac tuna school.
Spring is prime time for black marlin and there is only one place on earth you can target them in shallow water….right here on Fraser Island’s west coast.
Spring sees Fly Fishing back on the agenda. The flats become more active with golden trevally, bastards etc actively feeding. We also start to see schools of mac tuna through September before the fishing really fires up from October. Fly fishing the flats and blue water just 3.5 hours from Brisbane is something very special and even achievable the same day for those that are time poor.
June 5, 2020
We had some great weather in May with a few breezy days also in between, overall it was a great month with some opportunities to head wide and target reef species.
The longtails were still around in good numbers through May, but have begun to feed deeper in the water column as the bigger bait has moved in. Working stick baits around the birds got some good results along with the trusty bubblegum Zman StreakZ.
Mac tuna, school and spanish mackerel were also present through May mostly hanging on the reefs working bait deep in the water column.
Trevally such as golden and tea leafs have been on the reefs throughout the bay and are always fun on light spin tackle. Along with the trevally, we came across a few schools of queenfish which can be seen milling on the surface at times. The queenies love a pencil popper with some great aerial strikes as they chase them down on the surface.
We also found some enormous cobia who provided seriously brutal battles between angler and fish. The cobia were mostly feeding on sand crabs, which made them a little tough to get a bite out of at times. But when they did, we certainly knew about it!
On the wider reefs, species such as sweetlip, coral trout, cod, moses perch and more were taking offerings such as Zerek prawns, jigs and soft plastics and were a welcome addition to the esky.
Snapper season is almost here! Just weeks away until we see a few move in. So far we have only seen smaller models with the bigger spawning fish due soon. We still have availability this season if you are after some fun targeting snapper along with our other great winter species get in touch for rates and dates.
Spring is prime time for black marlin and there is only one place on earth you can target them in shallow water….right here on Fraser Island’s west coast.We are offering special rates for Spring 2020 to fill the year out. Deposits will be 100% refundable if they have to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you are after some information on our spring season, please be in touch via email.
May 7, 2020
April has certainly been a tough month for all of us. We wish everyone all the best and hope you are staying safe and healthy.
With restrictions in place, we put a stop to guiding through most of the month particularly in the early weeks. As the curve flattened and we had a clearer picture of what we could and couldn’t do, we were able to start taking one angler only as long as they followed travel restrictions and guidelines. This allowed us to guide some guests onto some great fish. It was also a rare opportunity for our guides to do some recreational fishing, which was a nice change to see them get out with a rod in their hand.
On the fishing front, we have seen some massive numbers of longtails in the bay, with some schools feeding constantly around the boat without a care in the world. This has allowed for some great fly and top water fishing opportunities, with guests enjoying some world class fishing for longtail tuna on the fly. Other species interspersed around the longtails and bait balls have been mackerel, queenfish and golden trevally.
On the reefs we enjoyed some great fishing for coral trout, cod and various trevally species. Working soft plastics can be deadly on trout and is very rewarding when you see a red fish come over the deck.
Micro jigging was also great fun with the CAST range of jigs getting some great results.
These jigs are a slow pitch jig can can be used with ease great for anglers new to jigging.
Available in 40g to 200 g there is a wide range of weights in the range.
We landed queenfish, golden trevally, cobia, gold spot trevally, mackerels, snapper, reef fish and more on the jigs and they have proved to be a winner.
Clear skies and crystal water have made the perfect combination for amazing fishing on the flats over the past month. Longtail were a welcome sight especially for fly fishers as we witnessed a lot of big longies in the shallow water. Some of the better fly sessions were enjoyed by guides, with myself having a great time sight casting to some barrels on the flats. Queenfish were also seen in reasonable numbers on the northern flats, with the local flats producing some golden trevally and bastards.
Spring 2020
Spring is prime time for black marlin and there is only one place on earth you can target them in shallow water….right here on Fraser Island’s west coast.
We are offering special rates for Spring 2020 to fill the year out.
Deposits will be 100% refundable if they have to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you are after some information on our spring season, please be in touch via email fishing@herveybaysportfishing.com.au
April 10, 2020
Over the past month we had a ball with species such as golden trevally, queenfish, mackerel, cobia, mac and longtail tuna. Some big longtails have appeared and tested anglers skills and gear.
We also had some good sessions on the flats with some big fish landed. Queenfish were also a standout providing some sport with their aerial antics.
Our longtail tuna run started on cue and we saw some good schools of fish move into the bay. Stick baits, slugs, soft plastics and poppers all worked well depending on the situation.
Some big mac tuna also provided some sport around the schools with finny scad, queenfish, golden trevally and bludger trevally feeding on the same bait ball at times.
Closer to home the inshore reefs produced some cod, coral trout and sweetlip. Targeting these species on our half day trips is always fun and guests often take home a tasty feed.
The big cloud over everyone’s head is of course COVID-19. Tourism has taken a huge hit and when things settle down, please consider booking a trip with a local tourism operator, be it fishing or other, and help them afloat. I have no doubt in the long term things will be positive again, but until people start jumping on planes our client base has shrunk significantly.
Spring is prime time for black marlin and there is only one place on earth you can target them in shallow water… right here on Fraser Island’s west coast.
We are offering special rates for Spring 2020 to fill the year out.
Deposits will be 100% refundable if they have to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you are after some information on our spring season, please be in touch via email fishing@herveybaysportfishing.com.au.
March 13, 2020
Overall, we enjoyed some great conditions in February with just a few days or so of heavy rain. Other areas just to the south got a lot more rain then we did. The fresh still made its way through the river systems giving the straits and bay a much needed push of fresh water.
With the freshwater push, inshore species like queenfish, golden trevally, longtail tuna etc fired up. Working the dirty water line, we saw some longtail tuna get stuck into the bait with golden trevally deeper in the water column.
The local inshore reefs also produced well, with some good reef species on offer. Coral trout, cod, sweetlip and slatey bream fire up when we see a push of freshwater with all the extra bait being flushed out.
R: Richard with a longtail tuna caught on our guide Pete Fry’s new boat.
Autumn is here and so are the tuna! Longtail and mac tuna have been making their way into the bay. A range of techniques work well on our reel-burning longtails making them one of the ultimate sportfish on the East Coast of Australia. Fly, soft plastics, stick baits, poppers and more all get the bite from longtails, with topwater methods very popular with our guests.
R: Chozz with the average size of schooling queenfish.
Along with the tuna, big schools of queenfish have also been harassing bait on the surface, often busting up in bigger schools than the tuna. The queenfish have been taking soft plastics along with top water lures.
R: Charles takes out catch of the month with this golden trevally on fly.
February 14, 2020
The start to 2020 was a cracker with some glass out conditions through January. There were some good numbers of golden trevally spotted, with lure and fly anglers enjoying the golden action.
The golden trevally were targeted using a range of techniques with soft plastics, micro jigs and fly all getting some great results. Big fish to well over the meter mark were caught along with some huge cobia.
On the surface queenfish, longtail tuna and mac tuna were present during January. Pesky sharks created some problems at times which can be heart breaking for anglers. We have developed a few techniques over the years to help land our catches when sharks are a problem… but some days you just have to move on. Most of the tuna responded well to 5 inch jerkshads with the Zman StreakZ always a winner.
Spotted mackerel continued their run and provided guests with a tasty feed. The way the spotties ball up the bait is very visual and is often hard to drive away from. Fly and lure anglers enjoyed the thrill of watching the spotties crunch the lure boat side. Bludger trevally, golden trevally and queenfish were also present around the spotty mackerel schools.
On the reefs a few scarlets, cod, coral trout and sweetlip were on offer taking soft plastics and jigs. Working the reefs down the straits on days when the northerlies were blowing produced some good fishing.
On the flats golden trevally, grey bastards and queenfish were fairly active. We had beautiful clean water in January as the summer had been fairly dry…until recently! The clear water gave us a rare chance to fish a few flats slightly deeper than usual and opened up some sight fishing opportunities. This resulted in some magic fly fishing, particularly on big golden trevally.
Now that the first cyclone has passed down the coast, it generally marks the start of the longtail season. Along with bigger longtails, we will see migration schools of queenfish, broad bar mackerel and mac tuna. Golden trevally will also be around and after the recent rains it should be a cracker of a season. Email fishing@herveybaysportfishing.com.au for rates and dates.
January 15, 2020
After a fairly windy spring, summer has turned it on! With the wind shifting into a more easterly flow, it has made for some great conditions on the bay.
December saw guests get into the spotted mackerel, tuna, trevally and even a few black marlin. It was a good month overall with hardly a day lost due to weather which was a great change from a breezy November period. We had some great captures including some nice longtail tuna on the flats.
Working deeper in the water column we picked up golden trevally, the odd cobia, tea leaf and bludger trevally.
Fly anglers also enjoyed a few nice sessions on the flats targeting golden trevally with fish to 7 kg caught by fly anglers. Long accurate casts were necessary but if the fly was in the right spot we got the bite.
Over the next few months, we will continue to see some good fishing and it wont be long before our longtail season kicks in. Longtail tuna from 5- 10 kg will begin to move in and start rounding up the bait. This is some of the best top water fishing you can experience, so don’t miss out! Other species to target will be queenfish, school mackerel and broad bar mackerel. These species seem to move in with the longtails. Our regular population of golden trevally will also be active as they join in feeding under the tuna schools.
The Black Marlin continued through December with a late run of fish. Gary Engel travelled from Florida USA to catch one of our shallow water marlin (see below). He was amazed by the skinny water and landscapes, and was stoked to land this great fish in the shallows.
December 18, 2019
I will go in more depth in the next fishing report, but in the meantime we have had some great fishing so far through December.
The late run of black marlin has been interesting with some nice fish being caught.
Our usual run of spotted mackerel and mac tuna has kept us busy with guests enjoying the bait balls.
Other species like golden trevally, cod, tea leaf trevally, bludger trevally,queenfish and more have also been about.
December 7, 2019
The past few months have seen a contrast from very calm and hot conditions, to a complete blow out from the north west. A few of the windier days were spent hiding around the bay islands and in the estuaries. We had a few good sessions with threadfin salmon, which was a nice way to spend a windy day. The threadys ranged from 60 cm to over the magic meter mark. Around the bay we targeted species like queenfish, cod, coral trout, various trevally, flathead, grunter and more.
Out on the Bay we had some great encounters with big cobia, particularly in October. These brutes test our tackle, and plenty of patience and good angling are required to land them. We had a good session jigging these monsters with 40-60g jigs getting the best results and providing plenty of fun. Soft plastics are also very effective with the big cobia often chasing them all the way to the boat.
Our spring and summer species have also now arrived, and it won’t be long before we start to see some serious bait ball action from spotted mackerel. Macs, longtail tuna and golden trevally have been around the bait and have given us some great sessions. Guests have been enjoying targeting these species on both lure and fly tackle.
The summer season will be a bumper one again by the looks, lets hope the weather plays the game and lets us enjoy what we have on offer in this beautiful part of the world. Spotted mackerel, mac tuna, longtail tuna and more will certainly kick into gear on the surface over the coming months.
Black Marlin Run 2019
We had a hot and cold season this year on the small blacks with some good periods and some quiet ones through the past few months. They seemed to run a little later than usual this year, but there were a small amount in the early season. A lot came down to finding the right water and being there at the right time. As always, lots of effort, time and patience goes into every bill-fish session and we were rewarded with some amazing days here and there. Our best days were 2.2.2 on fly and 5.3.3 on conventional with most other days generally seeing only single fish. This might not sound that great to some, but as bill fishing goes…..any day one is landed is a good day.
Anglers enjoyed targeting these marlin on conventional and fly tackle. We hooked fish in both deep and shallow water with a few coming off the flats. There is every chance these remarkable fish could remain in our waters over the next few weeks, so if you would like a shot at one, please email us for more details.
October 17, 2019
What an epic few months! With the reasonable weather, guests experienced some great fishing. The back end of winter saw some good longtail tuna move in along with solid mac tuna, golden trevally, queenfish and more.
Snapper were a little late this year, but August proved the better month from the winter period and we had some amazing sessions. An early August spawning migration came alive and fed well for us for a few weeks. The big snapper in our shallower 10-20m water certainly pulled hard and proved a ton of fun for anglers. We presented a range of lure offerings this season from prawn imitations, vibes, soft plastics and trolled hard-bodied lures. Each technique worked and changing it up produced great results.
Big longtail tuna also provided lots of fun and a challenge for guests. These winter fish can get BIG – up to 20 kg is not uncommon. Good angling techniques and tackle can make short work of the fight, and ensure a safe, sound release. We have been using slightly heavier rods of late, including the Shimano Grappler PE3 7 ft spin stick.
Around the yakka schools we also found some quality golden trevally, cobia and mac tuna. Sinking the lure deep around the yakka schools provided some excellent catches . As usual the ever reliable Zman 5 inch StreakZ was the stand out lure.
We also had a good winter on the flats with some nice fish caught by sight casting on lure and fly. Golden trevally, GT’s and diamond trevally were the usual catches when tides and conditions suited.
The Months Ahead
The months ahead will see an increase in pelagic activity. Already we have seen the surface become more active with school size longtails and mac tuna appearing in good numbers. Black marlin start to appear in mid October and will be the ultimate spring time trophy. Spotted mackerel will be a great target as they move into the bay to feed on the small bait around mid November. Closer inshore, the flats will start to fire up with golden trevally, queenfish and giant trevally chasing baitfish in the warmer water. The local reefs will start to swarm with cod, painted sweetlip, coral trout and grass sweetlip; all the best eating fish the Bay has to offer.
Hervey Bay Fly and Sportfishing
Report 14/8/19
The snapper season kicked into gear through July with some good sessions being had. Through August it can get even better with mostly males present at the moment it looks like the spawning has yet to happen. August may be the month when the bigger numbers move in, which means we should still see a few through to September.
Big longtails have been a great challange for guests . Fishing deeper in the water column has produced some good specimens to 20 kg. The weather certainly helps with conditions at almost glass out for a 14 day period mid month. August should continue to see some good weather fingers crossed.
With the good conditions we managed to push wider and found cobia, coral trout, cod, various trevally and more giving anglers a great taste of what can be on offer at times. A range of techniques worked well from soft plastics through to jigs. Winter can certainly turn it on for us and this season has been no different.
Queen fish can usually be found year round but this winter was a good season for big models with most fish over the meter mark.
The next few months should see things start to change with water temps rising from mid August. Snapper will continue for a while through September and it wont be long before mac tuna move in. Through spring the surface feeding starts to increase as the smaller eye bait comes in. This will see a few surface longtails among the mac tuna. We are looking forward to the season ahead i’m sure it will be a big one so get in early to secure your spot. Email fishing@herveybaysportfishing.com.au
Yep it’s that time of year spring is almost here and from October through to December we will be seeking out our famous juvenile black marlin. If you are interested in targeting these great sport fish on lure or fly please be in touch.
Report 27/6/19
June is all but over we had another great month with some solid winter sport fishing. We saw an amazing run of weather there in the middle of the month with around 12 days strait of calm conditions. Other then that run of weather it has been a wetter and windier June then usual. We still managed to get out most days, with just a few lost here and there to the weather gods.
Snapper have started to trickle in with a few guests getting lucky on some good specimens. With some luck we should see some good fish start to arrive over the coming weeks. Soft plastics have been the best way to tempt the bite with the zman range of jerkshads in a variety of colours getting results.
Longtails continued to give us some great surface time even through June with mac tuna also in the mix. Burning soft plastics deeper in the water column worked the best with stick baits and metals also getting results.
Trevally can be red hot this time of year as they stack up on some of our reefs. Dropping, jigs, plastics and vibes into the schools can see plenty of rod bending. Guests have enjoyed catching queenfish, giant trevally, golden trevally and diamonds out of the same school providing some great variety. Other species on the reefs have been big cod, coral trout and painted sweetlip.
Our usual Mackerel species have been steady with our winter run of Broad Bar Mackerel a hit with guests. Broadys are one of our favourite fish to eat with delicate white flesh that holds it’s flavor, it is a great fish to use in many dishes.
Fly fisherman also had some good days with some quality winter flats fishing. Golden trevally were good over the sunny weather period, with some good sessions had among guests. Queenfish and small Gt’s also were among the captures and were a added bonus while spending a day on the flats.
Looking forward through July we should see our Snapper run kick into gear along with some good fishing deeper in the water column for Trevally and longtail tuna. Fishing inshore down the straits will be a good option particularly with the school holiday kids if we get a few breezy days. The straits can really turn it on at times with winter aggregations of mackerel,trevally, tailor bream, flathead and squid.
Report 3/6/19
Very average conditions through May made for some tough fishing. May is normally a good month for decent weather, but 2019 dished up some persistent easterly winds with heavy showers and rain.This made fishing tough with the wider grounds out of range most of the time . Lucky, we had some good surface action along the island which gave guests some great fishing in reasonable conditions.
Through May we saw some good catches of longtail and mac tuna. The schools were a little tough with sinking the soft plastics deep the best way to get a bite. Fly was another good option, being able to match the hatch that little bit easier made a big difference.
Golden trevally were also about with a few nice goldens coming from under the tuna schools and on some of the small inshore reefs. We also had some reasonable bottom fish bites with scarlets, coral trout,cod and painted sweetlip in the mix.
Mackerel are another species that become a little more regular on the reefs this time of year. School, Spanish and grey mackerel hold up and begin to move in through June. Spinning metals is always a good option when other species go a little quite and make for a tasty feed for guests.
We are now in more of a winter pattern with south westerly winds now becoming more regular and hopefully clear skies. This will bring down the water temp which is much needed to trigger some of our winter species. Snapper are on the mind of many guests as we head into winter fingers crossed for a good season ahead. June will also see more mackerel catches, longtail tuna deep in the water column a few reef species along bread and butter species like flathead and bream. Wont be long before the whales start to show up with reports of one already in the Bay. The humpbacks add another great element to a fun day on the water as they put on a good show while we are fishing.
Report 14/5/19
April proved to be a fishy month once again with some great fishing on offer. With a change of seasons now happening, we look forward to seeing some winter weather. Longtail tuna have been the most consistent species and look like they will be here in numbers until at least June.
The longtail tuna at times were thick with anglers enjoying targeting them on a range of techniques. Soft plastics are always a good reliable way to target them with sinking stick baits also dynamite on the longtails.
Fly anglers didn’t miss out with surf candys the go to fly at present. Matching the hatch at times has been critical, which can be done much easier on saltwater fly tackle giving fly anglers an advantage. Queenfish on the flats were another target for fly anglers with big runs and jumps they are always a favourite with guests.
Winter is now fast approaching and we will begin to target golden trevally, snapper and longtail tuna deeper in the water column. We will also see our winter trevally species turn up on some of the reefs providing some great sport and fun on light tackle.
Report 12/4/19
What a mad
month March was, with almost the whole month seeing some near perfect weather.
The lack of wind and hot sunny days certainly saw water temps stay hot. We had
water temps at a steady 29c which is unheard of for March.
With the warmer temps we have seen a good run of yellow fin tuna which a few
guests got to enjoy. Other blue water species such as stripped tuna, sailfish
and marlin have also been spotted. Inshore the longtail tuna have been in good
numbers and have been falling to a number of presentations. Stick baits, pencil
poppers, zman soft plastics and gillies slugs all got plenty of attention from
the longtails.
We have had some great bait balls with queenfish, mac tuna, longtail tuna GT’s, spanish mackerel and more getting into the bait.
Guests also enjoyed some big cobia action this month with cobes to 30 kg landed. Tackling the big cobes on light gear can be challenging. With patience we have had some great success in landing and releasing these big bulls of the sea. The cobia have been caught on soft plastics and stick baits, with some great surface bites on a few occasions.
Big golden trevally were also a feature during March with fish to 1m landed. Again it’s hard to go past a zman streakz worked along the bottom for these guys they just cant resist it. Along with the goldens our spawning aggregations of queenfish have started to arrive. Big queen fish to 115 cm have been landed with fly and lure anglers getting into the action. Mackerel, various trevallys, coral trout, painted sweetlip, scarlets and more were caught during march.
April and May will continue to see some more action on the surface with the size of the longtails getting slightly better. Queenfish will be active with pencil poppers providing some great surface strikes.
Report 25/1/19
December proved to be a tough month with a few days lost to bad weather. January has been a different story with light to moderate easterly’s almost every day. The light winds made for some opportunities to get out and explore a little wider.
Spotted mackerel switched on during January as they continue their migration.The size has been fairly consistent around 65-75 cm. The spottys have had a few mac tuna in with them along with the odd school of longtails on the edges.
Big golden trevally have also been a highlight over the past few months with some big schools about. A range of techniques has been successful from micro jigs, vibes, plastics working well and saltwater fly when conditions suit.
Queenfish have been rampaging through the bay and will increase in numbers over the next few months as they aggregate to spawn. Finding the aggregations can make for some great fishing with fish well over the meter mark being found in the schools. They are a sucker for a top water presentation with pencil poppers getting some explosive strikes.
Guests have enjoyed other species throughout December and January such as broad bar mackerel, spanish mackerel, diamond trevally, tea leaf trevally, GTs, scarlet sea perch, coral trout, cod , painted sweetlip, kingfish and more.
