December 3rd 2023
Rain and storms arrived and the whiting are on the bite from fisherman’s gutter and maroon channel on the rous side, and close in i have been getting some nice whiting north of Darcy but you do need to spend a little time finding them.
The water temp has risen nicely for the spotties to come into the bay a few reports from north but did not see any photos and till i see photos i don’t believe much , end of this week looks ideal for the schoolies to resurface and a few spotties to show up like last year will be out for a few days so will be able to see.
Terrible so far for tiger squid in close and not many at all in the whiting grounds but a few around the rock wall at amity and the rainbow channel ,a few also western side of moreton island in the weed banks close in, the chain bank area the damn big sea toads are a pain in the butt smashing expensive squid jigs to bits.
Some nice squire and sweet lip around but the ugly big catfish are also in numbers around green and st Helena and lots at mud ,thank heaven the pro netters are getting lots of happy moments and cat fish for the markets. sand crabs are also in good numbers and lots of muddies as well.
and be careful this time of year lots of stone fish on the surface floating in the bay especially when kids are playing with nets in the shallows.
10 Ernest St, Manly • (07) 3396 1833 • watertowerbaitandtackle.com
November 26th 2023
Well we waited long enough for the weather to settle and finally a couple of really good days but most were pretty shitty ,but that’s fishing ,tides are huge so we have to wait another week to see where the schoolies surface and maybe just maybe some early spotties would be good lets wait and see.
Lots of nice whiting in fisherman’s gutter and the entrance to maroon gutter and all the way to maroon hole starting to show up in the rous as well not big numbers yet .
Did not get a chance to fish for any snapper hiding from the winds but picked up a few nice tusk fish western side of green which was lots of fun and a bucket or two of whiting north side of Darcy light especially with good run in the tide,3 to 6 ft depth.
Tiger squid are hard to come by with a few been caught at the sand hills and amity along the rock wall ,i did try green today but water still murky and did not see any at all,they should show up in the rous and chain banks shortly as the whiting move in..
November 13th 2023
A few nice days weather wise only problem was no prediction on the storm coming thru on Friday night was not forecast till too late for most in the bay to do anything about it lucky it weakened out other wise i think BOM would have had it fair share of complaints.
Water was not the cleanest but the fishing was ok nothing spectacular a few small schoolies in close eastern side of green but no size at all and the snapper were replaced by sweet lip which was fun in the shallows at green on cuttlefish legs and no sinker ,lost heaps getting broken of but landed some nice ones to make it worthwhile.
The Darcy light area still has some whiting around especially a little north enough for lunch and dinner, and a few tailor still thru out the bay .
Looks like some ordinary conditions this week and hopefully it gets the whiting into the rous and chain bank area a little late getting there this year.
November 8th 2023
A few nice days on the bay and winds around to the north east and water is very clear and the small schoolies are arriving towards the western part of the bay ,lots of babies today just two keepers but it should not be long for the bigger ones to arrive.
The snapper and squire are in good numbers on the eastern side of st Helena and green island with some really nice fish,especially with outgoing tide .
A few nice whiting on the western side of st Helena but the pros worked it pretty good today so might have to wait for a few days plenty of fish for all ..
November 5th 2023
Winds abated and a couple of nice days school mackerel have still not come over to the western side of bay but hanging around rainbow channel,whiting are in good supply in fisherman’s gutter ,plenty of good squire and sweet lip around the bay islands and a tailor or two in the bay ,this little bit of rain should bring the fish on even more.
Plenty of sand crabs thru out the bay close in to wynum and lota so no excuse for a good feed.
Looks like a nice week coming up good fishing ..
October 29th 2023
Wow the winds have not eased at all and the rain and storms were a fizzle and its still blowing and looks like another week of it,the only thing is all that are putting out crab pots in protected areas in close are getting plenty of sand crabs and mud crabs ,as far as other fishing is concerned not many have ventured out at all so we need to keep being patient till this weather eases .
One thing to do when catching fish is to always looks at the stomach contents it is a wonderful insight into what the fish are eating here are are few photos to look at over the years.
October 17th 2023
Windy and wild and hoping to get some rain to flush out and provide food for all the hungry mouths waiting out in the bay,it will happen sooner or later.
But at least the whiting are still hanging around the fisherman’s gutter and blue hole i don’t thing they are going to come into the chain banks area till the rains arrive ,that’s normally the pattern , but my friend the whiting master got his bucket and a couple of kilos of fillets to take home.
The schoolies are moving all over a few caught north of mud island a few caught western side of peel and a few caught in front of the Leeds of wellington point but no great numbers at all.
So after the blow lets hope the schoolies front up close in but it has been fun looking at all the whales in the bay best season for seeing them for a long time.
see you on the water.
October 10th 2023
Finally the winds stopped and it was great to get back out in the bay,the squire and sweet lip and some nice snapper are being caught in all the bay island drop offs and the whiting are thick at the blue hole and fisherman’s gutter still managing a feed in the deeper water of amity banks,the fun part is seeing all the whales so close into the bay today they were only a kilometer east of king and green islands it was a great start to the day.
schoolies are not in any numbers in the middle of the bay picked one up just east of wellington point leeds ,they should start in that area soon i hope.
October 2nd 2023
Some great days in the bay lots of fish especially snapper and squire and the whiting are thick at blue hole and fishermans gutter the mackerel are down with these big tides but will be back this week rainbow channel opposite amity was best and the western side of peel i managed to snag one while looking for the whales and i have to say we have lots and lots of whales in the bay at the moment from south west of peel all the way to east of green and st helena and all the way to the sandhills they are everywhere.
managed some really nice fish at the south western side of horseshoe bay hiding from the northerly winds so lots of fun in the bay these last few days ,so if you get a chance take the kids and family to see the whales they wont be in for long and its lots of fun ..
till next time good fishing and whale watching spero.
September 26th 2023
Blowing a gale over the past week end but has settled nicely some nice fish been caught reef fishing has been good and a few jew in the bay as well my friend seb picked up a beauty just of amity banks and young george fishing with his dad picked up a nice squire ,and gavin trolling fist time in the bay with a spoon and diving board was thrilled with first ever schoolie,green island fished well for lovely pan size squire and sweetlip so fun had by all.
Anyone fishing the bay out of manly will notice new beacons in the bay east of green red and white 4 in total i was advised these have been put there by msq for the sailing folks to have permanent racing marks so be aware of them .
September 20th 2023
Some beautiful weather on the bay cant ask for anything better for school holidays with plenty of whiting around at the blue hole,maroon gutter and amity banks and some nice ones north of Darcy light towards the river on the shallow banks,been getting a few in the deeper water of amity banks in 35 ft depth as they are there to spawn and full of roe,which we love to eat.
The school mackerel are starting to show up in better numbers in close from green to wellington point and southern side of hope banks and along the drop of from chain banks all the way to the two greens at amity banks. better always with incoming tide., a few at rainbow but i would not waste my fuel for the odd one there at the moment,the good news also some real small babies in the bay which is good news for the next few months,
Squire are in good numbers around the bay islands and a few nice sweet lip at harry s as well.
The best news is plenty of whales for the kids (and adults i love seeing them) in the bay they seem to surface around lunchtimes so worth a look from harry s to hope banks to peel and Cleveland so enjoy them don’t get to close .
September 17th 2023
The weather was perfect just how i love it dead calm and lots of fish ,the school mackerel are waking up and they are on the bite but not all day east of the hope banks and south west of the banks is where they are fronting and big males and females a few smaller fish mixed in but it really should get better,good sign is always the whales come in the bay i dont know why but its been a pattern for many years, a couple of hours of the incoming tide seems the best time to get them Kimberly spoons at the moment working best as are the normal spoons a little bling on god or yellow is working best.
The squire were very good on the outgoing tide around green island and st Helena had a great day on Saturday bagged out and was catching and releasing 50 cm plus squire lots of fun.
the sandcrabs are thruout the bay from close in and thruout the bay so its time to catch a few.
the whales are in the bay so with school holidays good time to take the kids out between hope banks and peel seems the place to be but they are showing all over..
till next time good fishing
September 7th 2023
Managed a window this morning as the forecast was northerly but waking up this morning it was a SSE which was perfect for last of outgoing tide and wind in same direction,so hurried out (not to fast only do 6 knots) an hour later then i wanted but the fish were on plenty of big sweet lip and a few nice squire ,managed to drop the biggest one next to the boat but did not matter glass conditions and plenty of fish. happy days.
September 6th 2023
Nice enough week end had some good reports of a few school mackerel in close but ones and twos at the moment they should congregate sooner or later, if you are traveling slowly good idea to have the diving boards out as they could front up anywhere.,i went out today horrible northerly swell but glassed out with incoming tide fished out in front of wellington Leeds where the depth drops to 35 ft for some schoolies managed one nice one but the sharks turned up and that was the end of that ,interesting i have been catching nice whiting on the bottom in the same area and depth so when you see that growth on the bottom same as the growth on the first green at amity banks there are plenty of whiting so worth a try when anchored up floating pillies out, .
Water in close is pretty dirty with the storms and rain but clean as a little wider out.
August 31st 2023
Another trip around the sun for me feeling old hitting the 70th but as long as i can go fishing makes me feel better especially when i realize i have been fishing the bay for 50 years time flies,and i have to say with all the extra boats and fishing in the bay apart from a few changes the fishing is as good as it was back then.
The mackerel are making there way in closer but they for some reason go of the bite with big tides so as the tides slow the fishing for them will get better,still some being caught at rainbow channel and south of hope banks and a few in the Rous but not one area really firing yet.
The whiting have gone quiet around the Darcy light but the blue hole is loaded with them and amity banks has gone a little quiet as well the area that should start to fire this time of the year is the small boat channel chain bank side or maroon side,been picking up some large whiting in 35 ft depth while drifting for mackerel in the 35 ft depth at the first green at naval reserve banks
Squire and snapper are in good numbers at peel and a few at mud the artificial reefs are producing some nice fish as well.
The arrows are not in any numbers any more and the cuttlefish season is slowly ending,they only have a short life span but some folks going out and catching hundreds does not help ,i really don’t understand why,i am happy to go get a dozen and leave them alone especially as they are full of eggs at the moment.
Sand crab season did not seem to have stopped this year as they were getting caught all thru winter ,the disappointing thing this year so far very few whales in the bay hopefully they come in for a rest soon…good and safe fishing .
August 21st 2023
Some really nice days and the week end was great for the fishing and the calm seas and the fishing is great,the whiting have moved into the rous and the small boat channel on the maroon side ,darcy light keeps producing if you want a feed close in and the blue hole is packed with them as well ,a couple of interesting spots foe whiting incoming tide on the hope banks and at the first green on amity banks where most of us fish for mackerel lots of whiting in the growth 24 ft deep.
The mackerel are starting to move into the bay from rainbow channel to peel and a few in the rous will not be long when they will be closer to home .
cuttlefish are slowing down as the weather warms and the arrows are nearly gone but if you put the time in you can still get a feed. ormiston and wello seem best at the moment .
managed some lovely whitebait overnight which i was thrilled about so happy days for this old fisherman.and my other favourite is at the moment the whiting are full of roe…
did not get a chance to go snapper fishing but a few nice 40cm were caught at peel till the dolphins turned up..till next time good fishing.
August 18th 2023
Ok week with a few nice days thrown in whiting are nice and close at the moment at and around darcy light in shallow water 3 to 4 ft worth drifting on any of the shallow banks round the area and the cuttlefish are still hanging around but nit in the numbers that were there a few weeks back,the mackerel are hard to get in the rainbow channel especially with ton of weed floating hard to have a diving board out but for those that persisted they picked up a few on the outgoing tide between amity and tip of moreton island.
Have to mention my old friend the whiting master who turned 80 this week ,loved his special shirt he got for his birthday a original cuttlefish black ink print i made for him,may you have many more birthdays my friend.
August 14th 2023
The weather was good and the fish and cuttlefish were in good numbers hope the cuttlefish stay around a little longer but as the days warm up this might be a problem but i have to say its fun catching them and eating them at the moment,from ormiston all the way to mud island 23 to 35 ft depth just a good drift with youre jig just of the bottom and you should get inked and get a feed.
Whiting have started moving into the rous and small boat channel better late then never but in good numbers and quality and there have been plenty in the shallows east of wynum creek around the darcy light especially with the run in tide.
The mackerel have gone a little quite but should ramp up again a few caught north of amity and a couple in the rainbow channel they should get better and move into the rous as well.
Snapper season is nearly back so cant wait .
August 6th 2023
Nice three days on the bay started on Friday with weather being good till Sunday which went to poo poo,with rain squalls and wind making it very uncomfortable but the fishing overall was very good,went over to one mile and down the rainbow and the mackerel and bonito were in good numbers managed 3 on the spoons and a couple on pilchards the ones on pilchards were much bigger fish but Friday was the best as the tides got bigger the fish went down with one fish caught here and there all the way to amity,next week will be good again with smaller tides.
On Saturday whiting was on the menu and the amity bank shallows did not disappoint but you had to find which bank they were on and there were plenty .
And Sunday was cuttlefish and arrow day till the weather went wrong but managed last hour of outgoing tide and got plenty for dinner .
And keep an eye out as a few whales have come into the bay already on there way south with babies.
Weather not looking great this week maybe a window end of week till then.
July 31st 2023
The mackerel have shown up in large numbers between myora and one mile and all thru the channel in that area and a few down opposite amity ,and the whiting are in plentiful supply at amity banks eastern side of maroon gutter. took out my friend the whiting master and he cleaned up on both..and great weather,made it a great day.
July 30th 2023
Great weather and good fishing cant ask for anything more.
School mackerel are surfacing down the rainbow channel ,arrow squid and cuttlefish still in great numbers just wide of ormiston and wellington point and good whiting starting to show in the rous and maroon gutter and plenty in the shallows around darcy light.
Anchored up for a sleep in horseshoe bay and could not believe the size of the squire i 12 ft depth had to throw them back but it was so much fun when you dont expect them .
good news a few whales are showing up in the bay as well ..
good fishing
spero
July 28th 2023
Quick report to let everyone know that HOPE BANK beacon will not be operating as there is a problem with wind reading operation ,so it is beeing looked at and will be fixed asap would like to thank BOM for getting onto this so quickly we love this beacon as moreton bay fisherman and users of the bay..
On a good note a few schoolies are staring to show up between cleveland and peel island.
July 22nd 2023
I dont know where the mackerel have gone hoping they show up soon as i have not heard of one beeing caught ,there are tailor and bonito starting in the rainbow and thats where they were this time last year but nothing at the moment.
The good news the whiting are in good numbers in the maroon gutter where plenty of small fish in the shallows but bigger fish full of roe in the deeper gutters,also some nice whiting from Wynum creek to st Helena in the shallow water.
The cuttlefish and arrows are still in great numbers from Ormiston to st Helena and tigers in the shallows at wellington point and the shallows at green island on the whole of the east side.
I remember hearing all these years about no sand crabs in the months with no R in them but after the catches of a few friends in the last couple of days i think that theory has gone out the window. anyway the weather has been great and the rain thats predicted falls will be great for the whiting coming into the rous and small boat channel.
July 16th 2023
Weather great tick’ snapper season closed till august 15th ,sad , and school mackerel have gone extremely quite everywhere very sad…but the good news its the best ever cuttlefish big and small and arrow squid season that i can ever remember and the whiting are hard to find but just need to put the time in finding them.
Ormiston 24 ft mark has some very large cuttlefish and they are all the way to east of st helena i have never seen boats in groups of 10 to 15 all catching cuttlefish and arrows great to see and they do taste great. different jigs are working better on different days but the orange and pink and red ebi prawn pattern from daiwa and the yamashita rainbow seem to be the most consistent and hate to say but the cheap kmart razorbacks are also working well .
great to get some wonderful feed back from a couple of our readers who caught them for the first time and had a ball with the family catching them ,thank you for the lovely email.
whiting are all thru the maroon channel but you need to find them i am getting them in very shallow water 3 to 4 ft and not in the deeper gutters squid strips i am finding best .
July 8 th 2023
Some glorious days out on the bay which is good news for all the families going out during school holidays, the cuttlefish and arrows have been lots of fun from ormiston to st helena but seems they are in deeper water again the whiting are in the maroon gutter both ends but a little hard to find and the blue hole at the sandhills has some nice fish as well ,jew fish seem to be all over the place lazarette gutter and the brisbane river is producing plenty,the mackerel have gone very quiet and they should not be ,just waiting to see where they pop up either the rainbow channel rous or close in just have to wait and see. and please be careful out on the bay in strong westerly winds dont listen to some so called tv weather man that tells you great day on the bay in 20 knot westerlies IT IS NOT especially in small boats.good only close in to shore and in the very southern part of the bay between the islands but not good in the middle .. good fishing spero
June 30th 2023
Cold and a little windy but its school holidays and personally i think a great time to take the kids out for some fun catching arrow squid and cuttlefish on the eastern side of the mainland and green and st helena islands protected from the westerlies .
The cuttlefish and arrows are sitting on the bottom from 19 to 30 ft depth so all you need to do is drift anywhere from ormiston to st helena mark the spot you find them and just keep drifting over them or continue they are all over at the moment.
A sinker above the jig is all you need drop to the bottom and wind up a little a jig every now and then helps ,but be prepared to drop lots of cuttlefish as they tend to grab jig from the middle this is where the razorback jigs help a little but i still like my favourites yamashita,daiwa and masuta.
I find a long net helps get plenty close to the boat even when they are not on the barbs as they hold on all the way to the surface if you are winding in slowly.
so take the kids out and the family get inked and have some fun.. to remove ink from the boat i find the 30 second outdoor cleaner from bunning is a miracle spray on the ink stains and you can see them dissapearing before youre eyes and just wash of no scrubbing needed..
have fun with the cephalopods its a great season so far.
Report supplied by Spero Kartanos
REPORT FOR JUNE 20th
The weather has been great and the fishing excellent with all our favorite species in good supply,whiting ,school mackerel,squire /snapper and plenty of our cephalopods cuttlefish,arrow,and tiger squid so no excuse to go out and catch something for dinner.
Whiting have been hit and miss in the rous and maroon gutter but still around and big fish when you find them and get the tide run correct bit this time of year they are on the chew at the sand hills a little further to travel but if you want whiting you might have to.
School mackerel are in good numbers in the peel basin and the two greens of the maroon banks heading to peel and the area of the lazarette going east has plenty as well a few are starting to get into the start of the rainbow channel south of myora.
Squire and snapper are all thru the bay from all the bay island drop offs and the artificial reefs lots of folks are telling me they are catching small fish or undersized you will get that with small hooks and small baits try going up to 5.0 hooks and baits like whiting heads or whole garfish small mullet or anything that the pickers cant get of the hook in seconds .
The cuttlefish and arrows are in abundance in the bay from ormiston to the east side of st Helena and for the first time very large cuttlefish which i have never seen before in the bay just get the drift with the wind and tide same direction and a ball sinker above the jig pink and oranges working well an just have about a foot of the bottom .they seem to be in 19 to 34 ft depth.
And at nigh behind the boat there is lots of whitebait in the light around the islands a bait scoop net and you too could be having whitebait fritters or crispy bait fish for lunch..
just wish it was not so cold early mornings….must be that i am getting old..
