january 5th 2020
Well the new year has come and the good fishing in the bay continues,plenty of all our favourites depending what you wanted to target.,whiting continue to be in good numbers in the small boat channel,rous channel maroon hole and passage and amity banks has some monster whiting,especially with the incomming tide.
The school mackerel were a little quieter but still managed a couple every trip especially east of the hope banks towards the start of the chain bank green marker in 20 to 25 ft depth on the troll.
Good snapper were caught at mud island and peel island and the sweetlip have come on in big numbers in the shallower water at green,sqire fishing was good there also till the horrible cat fish turned up the last few days.
Tiger squid season has started with a bang at the weed banks in the rous and small boat channel ,amity banks sandhills and small arrows at night at peel island.
The treat for me this week was staying out a few night the bluebait (Small frogmouths) at peel and the whitebait at green island schooled up in the light behind the boat and it was so much fun netting and eating them.
So the only thing we are waiting for now is the spotty mackerel to come in the bay,there is so much bait in the bay i would think they have to come in ,even the mutton birds are sitting waiting for them as well .hopefully next report has good news .
january 24 th 2020 The weather gods have not been too kind and with all the rains the water colour close in was horrible,a few boats got out and the best was the whiting and crabs been caught ,plenty of big whiting over at amity banks and the maroon channel and plenty of whiting also in the small boat channel of the chain banks,looking forward to the week ahead as i will be looking for the spotty mackerel if they are going to come in i think this is the week ,and the quicker the water clears the better,i would be looking on the s=western side of moreton and the shipping channels closer to moreton as i think the water there will be the cleanest.so lets hope the weather prediction for next week are correct,the long weekend weather looks funny to me reading how its a great boating week end but i see 20 knot winds not great for me and the chances of storms ,keep an eye daily as this time of year weather is very tricky ,stay safe good fishing and have a great australia day.
February 3rd 2020
Some really good days out on the water ,the best news the spottys have come into the bay not in the millions but fish were caught from the hope banks (where there were plenty of schoolies as well) all the way to mud island what we have called the paddock over the years ,problem beeing they were not staying up long but long enough for the faster boats to get a couple.
squid are thick in the small boat channel and the rouse in the deeper weed banks and the whiting were plentyful as well. had a day to remmeber yesterday while trolling forspottys on the eastern side of st helena slowing down to release a baby mackerel the the line when off like a rocket and in the distance saw a huge fish jump out ,thinking it was a big spaniard kept trying to get this fish closer and i realized after a few more jumps it was one of the biggest queen fish i have ever seen,martha did a great job slowing and turning the old cruiser to get this fish in close we got our fish and our friends and neighbors all had fresh fish meals last night,amazing what our bay has swimming in it just got be lucky to be in the right spot at the right time
Febuary 11th 2020
Well we had to wait for a week with lots of rain and thunderstorms but the last few morning were fantastic as long as you got back in before the rain and thunder,the water colour up to the western side of green is chocolate in colour but to my suprise it is very clear as you go past green island,plenty of school mackerel on the way to the whiting grounds but lots of small ones as well and one gave me something to remmeber him by as i was tryng so hard to release without hurting him,these things happen but gee there was lots of blood on the back of the boat.the whiting are in plentiful numbers but the water was to murky for squid and some nice sweetlip and squire caught at green island and victoria point and was shown a nice picture of a nice size snapper from mud island ,i thought there might be lots of catfish ,so might have to go for a reef fish in the next couple of days depending how the finger holds up..
Febuary 16th 2020
Hard to believe the colour of the water at the momment even horshoebay was chocolate brown as was the whole of peel island and the water from the marina out was terrible ,but i have to say apart from the squid comming out to play the whiting quality and numbers is fantastic as are the school mackerel and the sweetlip seem to have taken over all the islands not many snapper squire but lots and lots of sweetlip.
the whiting were again on the shallow bank south east of chain banks and also at the legal side of amity banks and sandhills had plenty as well ,the school mackerel were on the eastern side of the hope banks in the deep water going east towards the whiting banks lots of small one all over the bay even in the chocolate water,spotties seemed to have gone fron close in and was told a few schools with the acres of tuna west of tangalooma and the sandhills but did not hear of any beeing caught,i think the water will cler pretty quickly if no more rain arrives so we can see if the spotties are still around.
Febuary 26 th 2020
Well we have had everything downpours over 300 ml at manly and we had 73 knot plus winds corona virus spreading all over the world all we need now is the locusts, should not joke i saw a news bulletin where they actually had them down south.
The weather finally cleared for a few days the water also has cleared and the whiting are on the bite and very good quality fish and the tiger squid are back on as well ,the schoolies were all small today ,the crabs are running hot in the bay with 25 to 30s being caught every day and close in which helps ,going for a look to see if the spotties are still around if i can get a glass out day ,at least we have fresh squid and whiting for dinner.
march 5th 2020
Some nice days on the water and the fishing has been very good ,plenty of big schoolies have shown up again, i don’t know where all the little ones have gone ,and the spotty season in the bay looks like a fizzer unless something amazing happens but i would not be holding my breath, the whiting have moved further east into the small boat channel and the rous and the quality is really good and the squid are plentiful amity wall has plenty as does the weed banks in the small boat channel and the rous, a few cuttlefish and arrow squid east of green have started as well. plenty of squire at the spoiled ground north of harrys with plenty of tuna in the same area ,crabs and prawns are going of big time with plenty being caught so no excuse not to get out and get a feed of some fresh seafood. and good fun seeing the kids having fun catching fish and crabs. archie and cooper phillip ..can’t beat the smiles.
march 23rd 2020
Wow what weather the last few days ,and there were so many boats in the overnight spots it looked like the boatshow was on,but the fishing depending what you were trying to catch was fantastic even with all the thousands of boats and jet skis going all over the place.
Large whiting and squid were in plentiful supply in the maroon channel fishermans gutter and amity banks if you did not get inked you were lucky and the whiting were in the 32 cm range big whiting for the bay,prawns and crabs are also in plentiful numbers with most boats bagging out on both,with the prawning sounds like dodgem cars trying to throw the net out,but sandcrabs are all over and there are lots of muddies around the marinas and creeks.
Lots of bonito and fat boy tuna in the northern bay and some nice snapper and squire in the shallow reefs around the bay island and a few schoolies around wide of the Huybers light.so plenty out there even on the busiest day on the water.
–great day today and looks like great weather till next week ,the bay is the place to get away from all the doom and gloom catch a few fish have a swim and sun in my oppinion is a great remedy.extra large whiting in the rous channel and fishermans gutter and the tiger squid are thick matter of drifting over the weed beds,seen plenty get caught today ,a few reef fish and a few school mackerel around and on harrys artificial reef and plenty of small school mackerel in close this morning as well with plenty of bonito smashing the surface eating an unbelievable amount of razor pillies.
April 2nd 2020well by now everyone has read the you can go fishing and you cant go fishing and now you can go fishing to catch something to eat so i did, that’s the last comment on the subject.the fishing has been fantastic tiger squid attacking all colour jigs big school mackerel in close from the last leads at manly harbour to green and across to king island and big whiting at the maroon channel and amity banks. be careful stay safe and sane and lets all hope some normality sooner rather than later
April 8th 2020
Its easter time and i have to say it feels so strange especially when this time of year there would be thousands of boats with families out fishing and having a good time.
well you can go get a fresh fish so looking at the weather conditions does not look to great but if you can manage a day the whiting are at the sand hills ,amity banks in the shallows and the same in the maroom gutter heading towards the maroom hole on the shallows and in both areas the tiger squid are in big numbers and very aggressive and closer in their numbers are getting better at green island ,deeper out the cuttlefish and arrow squid are starting to come on.
school mackerel are in close, from the last leads at manly to green and king island and east of the hope banks towards the chain banks but the weed is making hard to troll.
the crabs seemed to be everywhere close in and also in the deep water so should not be hard to get a feed.
i was lucky to be taken out to be shown the frenzy of net casting for prawns which are thick at the moment by a good friend seb and it was fun to watch and see how it is done ,i cant throw a net to save my life but seb managed plenty and watching the hundreds of boats around us plenty were beeing caught.
so i hope everyone has a good and safe easter if you are going out ..
april 21st 2020
Easter came and went unless of course you are orthodox and then it was on last weekend.
but lets get back to fishing with the clear water and smaller tides the water went crystal clear close in and the squid and school mackerel came out to play and they were thick green island tiger were fighting to get on the jigs and the schoolies grew in size to some around the 70 to 75 but the last few days with the big tides and a bit of a blow on sunday arvo the clarity has gone and the squid have slowed up as have the mackerel and the small sharks are in the thousands.
the cuttlefish have started to show up in the deeper water of the islands and a jig on the bottom with a running sinker above will get you a feed 25 to 32 ft depth.and worth having a squire /snapper fish plenty around the shallow reefs at green and peel.
had some fun last week with a father and son fishing for schoolies between green and king island when they hooked up to what they thought was a shark ,it was not it was a cobia around the 35 kilo mark and after fighting it for half an hour they realized no gaff o with some precision driving with the electric motor from ben keen and son joe they brought the fish around to the back of my boat for me to gaff which i did and ben got the other gaff and we got it into his boat it was amazing and it was 139 cm long .i am sure none of us will forget the day.
and also a great photo from Archie and Cooper after a day squid fishing.look at the smiles .
may 4th 2020
The weather has finally cooled down but the fishing is as good as ever.plenty of whiting in the maroom gutter all the way to maroom hole and on the eastern amity banks as well just remember they love a good run in the tide .and plenty at the sandhills and the blue hole and have a squid jig out in all those areas as the tiger squid are fighting to get to the jigs ,they are even in the dozens on the forshores and marinas ,so if you are land based a nights fishing of any of the jettys should get you a squid or two.
the school mackerel are now spread throughout the bay from close in between king and green islands to the front of the hyubers and along the deeper water to ormiston and all the way to hope banks and the drop off at amity banks to peel island some nice big spotties hanging deep as well ,the broad mackerel should not be far away.
squire and snapper sweetlip cod and a few jew fish around green and the passage to king island and live herrings are doing the trick ,and in the same area lots of big tailor are hanging around as well.
by all reports plenty of sandcrabs in the bay and plenty of big muddies in the marina at the moment.
cuttlefish and arrow squid are showing up in the deeper water so a sinker above the jig and bouncing it of the bottom should catch you a couple, remember the razorback squid jigs work really well for cuttlefish.
the bonito and long tail tuna are smashing whitebait all over the bay and a chrome slug into the feeding packs should produce a nice feed.
and i got sent one of the best shots of young mitch with his squid .
may 8th 2020
great couple of days on the bay lots of mackerel from king to just before the deep water at hope banks,east of st helena spoiled grounds north east of harrys and plenty along the deeper water of amity banks heading towards peel island and some of the schoolies are very large. squid and whiting in the marroon gutter and amity banks but there needs to be a good run in the tide my friend the whiting master had a great day..
May 24th 2020
The cold winds arrived but we managed a few nice days out and the fishing is very good ,the schoolie season should get better in winter but its been fantastic in summer these days for many years especially with the absence of the spotties coming in the bay another horrible spotty season, funny how there are few around at the moment must have got lost, the other good news, there have been a good number of broad mackerel started to be caught a few weeks ago at the blue hole and last week in the Rous Channel on baits, so it should not be long when we can start catching them around the Peel Island to Amity Banks.
It’s getting better and better for the cuttlefish and arrow squid in the 30 ft mark off Wellington Point and Green Island and the tigers are still all over the bay in the weed banks, the whiting are in good numbers in the Blue Hole and on the front of the small Sandhill and there are some nice big ones in the Maroom Gutter all the way to the Hole and Amity Banks, but definitely need a good run in the tide to be on the bite. Looks like this week should be a little easier to fish if someone in the forecasting get it right.
June 2nd 2020
What a great few days out on the bay even with the thousands of boats out on the week end there were plenty of fish to get you home with a nice feed.the school mackerel are moving all over as some netting close in has been going on(have no problem with that at all) but still plenty around for us managed a few good ones going out east of hyubers beacon and then over at the two greens east of naval banks but there were thousands of them opposite the Lazaret gutter only problem was one keeper to 20 undersize,all about 35 to 45 so a good few months ahead.
the whiting are just starting to move back into the rous and the tiger squid are with them but the cuttlefish and arrow squid are in good numbers in the 25 to 30 ft mark wide of ormiston to the east side of st helena but not in the 40 ft plus depths.
the squire and sweetlip were ok at peel overt the week end but nothing big all around the 38 to 40 cm mark great for eating.
june 12th 2020
If you are like me and love catching squid and cuttlefish then this is the time of year that the bay is full of them ,catching them is a little different then the shallow weed banks for tiger squid which are still around,so anywhere from wellington point to st helena east in 23 to 35 ft depth drifting with a ball sinker on top of the jig just of the bottom,all colours are working well but the yamashita pilchard and silver and grey and even the grey with green eye are fantastic on cloudy days ,my other favourite are the daiwa emeraldas all the orange red pink prawn colours and i only use 3.5 in the bay. so get out there and get a few they taste great ..enjoy.
June22nd 2020
The weather has been hit and miss with some sunny warm days and glassy conditions snapper are beeing caught everywhere from the shallow reefs at green and mud islands and harrys is fishing very well even with 25 to 40 boats at any one time and the spoiled ground little reef is also doing well ,the school mackerel are all over with east of huybers light towards the hope banks and the two greens east of the naval banks ,whiting are are in the usual winter spots of maroon banks and rous channel and the sandhills and blue hole ,and my favourite this time of year the arrow squid and cuttlefish in the 25 to 35 ft marks east from ormiston to st helena ,a bit of chilly weather coming up so might need to go out when the sun is high in the sky.
June26 2020
If you like arrow squid or cuttlefish its probably one of the best seasons in a long time ,from east of ormiston all the way to st helena 23 to 35 ft depth better with a nice in the tide to drift a little faster and jigs just of the bottom ,big whiting in the maroon gutter and they are showing up as well at the junction of the rous and the small ship channel on the maroon side .
July13th 2020The weather over the last few weeks has been fantastic with dead calm days and really good fishing, and with the snapper/squire fishing closing in the next couple of days I think most went out and caught some looking at the photos I have been sent,the whiting are getting bigger in the bay and they finally came back in the small boat channel, lots at the sandhills and the blue hole (in the shallows around the hole) and maroon gutter and amity banks has some giant ones as well.the school mackerel have moved into their old stomping ground in the rainbow channel with some 80cm ones smashing the spoons and for the relaxed fisherman a floating pilly while drifting is fun as well.the arrow squid and cuttlefish are in good supply from east of Ormiston all the way to St Helena 23 to 35 ft mark just drifting with a ball sinker above the jig, and I am finding the cheap razorback jigs working really well.the snapper closure starts on the 15th July to the 15th of August .photos are graham and grandson max of some really good snapper west of Tangalooma and matt little and his brother with 3 nice fish from mt cotton reach in the Rous.
July 22nd 2020
Cold in the morning but glassy and warm days with fishing as good as it gets.
whiting are plentiful in the blue hole and the sandhills and the small boat passage and Rous have plenty as well.
school mackerel in the rainbow channel and the Rous better at low tide with pillies or spoons on diving boards
arrow squid and cuttlefish are in good supply in the bay in the 25 to 30 ft depth from ormiston to
st helena.
August 5th 2020
The weather I think is why we live in Qld especially in winter, a little breezy and cold in the mornings followed by dead calm and warm conditions and I am finding I am going out later and later to miss the cold.10 more days till the snapper season re opens and if you are like me I have been saving lots of whiting frames .
the whiting have now moved all the way from the fisherman’s gutter and maroon gutter all the way west to the chain banks and plenty of them as well at the sandhills and some monster ones in the edges of the blue hole , and the school mackerel have followed yesterday they were so thick I put the boat to do circles at 4 knots and caught 40 plus in a short time only problem was only 3 were keepers the rest were all around the 40 cm mark ,so looking forward to later in the month and September I feel a really big month on the cards as last year same time the whales came in the bay.
a few bigger fish were caught earlier on floating pillies so while catching whiting a good idea to have back of boat.
the cuttlefish and arrow squid have invaded the bay caught some even in the weed shallow banks on the southern side of the chain banks.
so beautiful weather and plenty of fish and octopods ..a tip I have been finding the Yamashita jigs 3.5 in the browns and silvers working the best at the moment,, there are also plenty of crabs in the bay so forget the no crabs in a month without an R in it..
August 18th 2020
The whales are in the bay and the westerly winds have brought the school mackerel in massive numbers to the western side of the bay as in previous years ,it was great to hear and see some great videos of the mum and calves in the bay and let’s hope more and more come into the southern bay, and at the same time the school mackerel are on the bite as well, the only problem you need to find the big ones as there are thousands of fish in the 40 to 45 cm range but plenty of big buffers as well.
Weather gods have been kind overall with many glassy conditions days out on the bay, and the school mackerel have taken residency in the small boat channel on the maroon side ,the problem is 30 small ones around 45 cm to one big one, but lots of fun to be had and plenty of whiting in the same area and a few tiger squid showing up as well.
The whiting are now throughout the small boat channel as normal this time of year from the start of the chain banks all the way to fisherman’s gutter and the maroon gutter and plenty in the blue hole and in front of the small sandhill.
The arrows and cuttlefish are still around in good numbers in the deeper areas west of the islands and even in the weed banks.
August 30th 2020
The westerly winds have stopped and we have had some really nice days on the bay and thank heavens a little warmer.whiting are in all the places they are at this time of year small boat channel southern side of the chain banks and all the way to the Rous channel at the junction with the Rous and also on the maroon bank side, lots at the sandhills and the blue hole and the good news is they are in fairly good numbers north of the leads coming out of manly harbour on the shallows before the deep water to green island and St Helena.the school mackerel undersize have invaded the area between the leads and King Island to Green and to the Huybers, 40 undersize to one keeper. I have never seen so many babies this close in but the bigger fish are on the two greens north east of the naval banks and the Rous channel as well.the cuttlefish are starting to slow but the arrows are still in good supply and even in the weed banks where the whiting are.the start of the squire season has not seen too many big fish but plenty of 35 to 55 cm marks harrys was good this week end as was the Lazaret and Green Island.
September 6th 2020Great week on the bay with all the fish variety in the table, the whiting are in great numbers all thru the small boat passage into the Rous amity banks Fisherman’s gutter and blue hole and the sandhill and the good news is they are also being caught north of the leeds at manly boat harbour toward green and St Helena.school mackerel are in large numbers but need to put up with the thousands of undersize before bagging some big ones but plenty about.and the snapper re opening is going very well with plenty of fish in the bay.cuttle fish have slowed but still plenty of arrow squid in the deeper waters and some showing up in the weed banks as well.some lovely photos of Rowan catching biggest snapper of his life fishing with dad ConradKelvin Cosby with a nice fish near green islandand the Mc Master boys having a ball with whiting and school mackerel.
September 15th 2020
Some nice days on the bay with plenty of fish to be had, the school mackerel season just keeps on improving and the close in areas from the leads at manly to the king island beacon to the huybers and Green Island is still producing lots of fish with some big ones mixed in. the Greens at the eastern side of the naval banks have been holding some big fish as well and a trip down to Ormiston and back close in and a little wider will get you a few as well, spoons and smith jigs have been doing the job ,I anchored up and burleyd today as it was blowing a little and managed 3 nice fish so if you don’t want to troll a few pillies out will also do the trick.
the squire are on the bite with some nice fish about and the whiting are all thru the small boat passage thru to the Rous.
Also plenty of bull sharks in the close in areas I was sick and tired of getting smashed trying to catch a few reef fish.
september 20th 2020
The weather is great and the school mackerel are on the bite all thru the bay, as long as you have a diving board and a 3 inch spoon out behind the boat your chances are pretty good getting a few on the troll, and if not just float around with a pilly and that should work as well. They are in the bay from the last leads at manly harbour out to king island the huybers to Green Island and all the way down to Ormiston to the naval banks and back towards the amity banks so your chances are good in getting a couple for dinner, the bonus is seeing the humpback mothers with their calves in the same area and that makes the day perfect.
September the 26th 2020 The big tides and the strong winds churned up the bay big time with the water looking like mud on the last of the outgoing tides so there was not much fun trolling for mackerel in the mornings but come high water and the water turning back to clean they were on the chew once more, one good thing with the outgoing tides in the morning some nice 55 to 60 cm squire close in at green mud and St Helena and along the drop off from the huybers to Ormiston and there were plenty of schoolies chasing the baits on the way in so well worth a floating pilly at the back when fishing for squire.
October 2nd 2020
The fishing and the weather is very good at the moment and the long weekend looks ok for out on the bay the 20 knots forecast for the afternoon worry me.
So, keep an eye out and maybe anchor for the night in a nice out of the wind bay.
The big tides also may be a little damper for the big school mackerel but all you can do is troll a little and see what happens plenty about in the last week in close and out wide towards amity banks and down to Ormiston.
The squire /snapper were on the bite all week around the shallow reefs but they were only coming on for an hour or so patience was the trick with some nice fish caught but the bull sharks were a problem on the eastern side of Green lost two nice fish to the buggers, I have to say don’t mind dropping a big snapper but taken by a bull sharks annoys the ….out of me. The whiting are thick in the small boat channel heading up to the Rous and the sandhills Amity Banks and Blue Hole and fisherman’s gutter isn’t too bad either.so plenty of fish around to put a smile on the families faces
October 6th 2020
The long week end was not as nice wind wise as it was supposed to be with Monday being the best day of all with dead calm conditions and thousands of boats out and the fishing was pretty good with plenty of school mackerel on the slack water times hour each way of the tides even with all the traffic the fish were there. And I have never seen so many boats catching a feed of whiting in the small boat channel thru to the Rous, pretty sure everyone got a feed, we decided to fish an old spot that an old friend Mr Beech used to fish in windy conditions the north western sandbank at green island in the 5 ft mark and it was so much fun catching really big whiting obviously not in the hundreds but 15 to 20 fish in a couple of hours was fun and a nice squire on a whiting rod was good too weather looks amazing for the week so a little squire fishing will be the go in the shallow reefs.
October 11th 2020
Past week was not to bad wind wise with a couple of fishable days, school mackerel still around and especially hour each way of the high or low tides ,the whiting are 30 cm plus in the Rous/small boat passage 32 boats catching them in a concentrated area but plenty for a meal just by anchoring up squid strips caught more fish then worms which was quite odd .squire and sweetlip were in good supply at peel and green islands and a couple of nice snapper caught at mud as well .the sand crab season has started of with a bang with lots being caught.
Let’s hope the spotties come in this year as the water temp starts to warm up .
October 19th 2020
The whiting are in good numbers and very good quality from the small boat channel maroon bank side all the way thru to the Rous channel junction and fisherman’s gutter and across to the maroon hole, squid strips are preferred bait at the moment followed by blood worms and peeled prawns, with the bigger tides needed thumb size sinkers to get to the bottom if you were anchored up.
school mackerel went a little quiet close in as the water with the winds and big tides went very dirty but there were plenty in the Rous and the deep gutters even in fisherman’s gutter, this week with the smaller tides we should get a few closer in, last year peel basin produced plenty but have not had a chance to get over there yet.
the sand crab season has started with lots of crabs in the bay but we need to get the pots with brighter and bigger floats s many boaties are running them over.
the squire and sweetlip were in good supply and the cod were being caught all over the bay islands.
have started seeing lots of bait in the bay 20 to 30 ft down and the water temp is around the 72 degree mark 74 is normally the temp the spotties need to come into the bay let’s hope we have a good season and they stay in for a few months, chrome slugs are ready as are the spinning rods . looks like some fine days coming up so we will out to see what’s biting .and catch a feed for dinner ,and a lookout for the tiger squid to start showing up as the water clears and warms up.
11th November 2020
we will remember them..
Been a little while with the Melbourne cup week and getting the old girls bottom scrubbed and antifouled and general touch ups it was time to get back on the water, storms winds and rain turned the bay brown for a while and as usual the school mackerel have moved out to cleaner water the Rous and rainbow has some fish and all the little deep holes in the Rous even in fisherman’s gutter and I would be looking on the western side of Moreton between shark spit and the sandhills and while we are doing that we can start looking for the spotties water temp is nearly there another couple of degrees around the 74 is ideal .
the whiting fishing is very good and lots of big fish close in got some beautiful fish at green this week not many but quality was good.
the squire /snapper are well and truly on the bite as are lots of cod this year seems they have increased in numbers around all the bay islands
flathead are being taken close inshore and lots of garfish(one of my favourite eating fish) wish I could butterfly them like Mr Wilkie used to.
sandcrabs are all through the bay I don’t remember seeing that many pots in the bay so keep an eye out as some pots have very long floating ropes.
17th November 2020
Plenty of sandcrabs throughout the bay and the whiting are thick in the small boat channel, and the good news some nice big spotties are showing up around Frazer island let’s hope they are moving down towards us, so get your chrome slugs ready and I have been trying some new halco spoons on the school mackerel and they have been working very well worth having a couple in your tacklebox.
20th November 2020 Whiting fishing was very good today with plenty in the Rous channel and small boat channel especially when the tide was in full strength but the best news today was confirmation from Dr Andrew Johnson ceo of BOM Australia that what I had suggested was going ahead and that is that the Hope bank Beacon was going to be a weather beacon giving us a true wind strength in the middle of the bay, he also advised the spitfire channel beacon could not be fixed and the NW10 would be the new beacon ,I just want to say how grateful I am to Dr Andrew for getting this organised. Thank you so much from myself and the whole boating fraternity in Moreton Bay
23rd November 2020
Beautiful out on the bay before the strong winds so it was time to go looking to see if the spotty mackerel were in yet as the water temperature 76 and the mutton birds have been for a week or so and sat was a dead calm day ,so we headed straight towards the sandhills and nothing till we reached the no fish zone and here they were really big females in schools of about 10 to 15 fish inside the zone i could not believe it so we left and did not see any more ,plenty of whiting at the sandhills in front of both hills and floating yellows and also in the blue hole and also plenty of school mackerel at shark spit, on the way back still a couple of schools in the green zone but a few boats chasing them east of St Helena but not taking slugs like normal you had to really coax them by casting plenty of times we picked up a 85 cm one on the spoon and another smaller one on a slug ,a few readers picked up a few chasing around them but they were diving down very quickly and not balling up the bait yet, but a great sign let’s hope the males follow in in the thousands like they used to. So get a few chrome slugs ready and cast away. And plenty of squire and sweetlip at Green Island.
16th December 2020
Start of December started pretty good with the spotties (big females) arriving and 90cm plus fish has been the norm, let’s hope the males all arrive end of December and stay in as in the past till Easter, chrome slugs are the best for these fish anything around the 35 gram mark and no wire no need to spend big dollars basic ones around the 3 dollar mark work as good as anything and it does not hurt losing a few, ones I made many years ago are still available at Water Tower Bait and Tackle, I put single hooks on make it a little less dangerous unhooking them but can always change to trebles.
the school mackerel are on the north eastern side of the hope and also plenty at sharkspit lots of little ones and the dolphins sometimes are a pain.
whiting have been thick in the small boat channel and the sandhills and amity banks in the maroon hole.
still waiting for the tiger squid to arrive in big numbers but have not seen lots yet.
what a few days of weather the last week, I have to say quite scarry at the marina with recorded gust of 60 to 70 knots I was sitting in the boat expecting the worst but survived the onslaught. I have to say I think we dodged a bullet with it not turning into a full cyclone.
weather looking great this coming week so we will be out to catch a few just watch the debris there will be lots floating about.
30th December 2020
Month and year is ending but the fishing does not stop and as the weather and winds eased it was on for young and old, plenty of whiting for all, on the southern side of the chain banks all the way through to the Rous channel and plenty of whiting at the sandhills as well, and amity banks and the maroon hole should start very shortly.
the school mackerel have come back on with a bang from in close King and Green to the western side of the Hope Banks and shark spit also had plenty as did the area between the two yellows at the sandhills but the top spot in the last few days was the Rous channel where there were lots of big fish a friend bagged out with very large fish at the start of the outgoing tide. Managed a few spotties going out the other day south of Hope Banks but saw nothing on the surface after that i think they will be back up in the cleaner water towards the spoiled grounds north of harry’s ..
also tiger squid have been very quiet but a few very large arrows in the small boat channel this week while catching whiting worth having a jig back of the boat.
hope you all have a happy and healthy and safe new year.
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