Jamie Datlen with a monster 71cm grunter caught in the Burnett River!

Congratulations Jamie, please call into the store to collect your $50 gift card.

Catch of the week winner - Jamie Datlen

Inshore & Offshore

Nigel Dalton with a cracking 110cm tea leaf trevally

Trent Higginson with a nice GT caught at the Swains aboard Big Cat Reality

Andy Gatt with a quality flathead caught in the Burnett River on a Zman Grub

The Kolan has had another great week of fishing with this system really starting to show the long term benefits of what a flood event can do for a river. Plenty of bait has been throughout this river lately and the predatory fish have responded accordingly.

The grunter have been the standout fish with some seriously impressive fish well over 70cm being caught throughout the system, though most fish have been sitting in that 45 to 60cm range which are still fantastic fish and superb eating. The flathead have also been a consistent performer across the shallow flats and yabbie beds with trolling hard body lures a great way to cover ground and find concentrations of fish. For those who prefer to cast, the incoming tide has been the prime time to be up on the shallow flats working soft plastics and hard bodies through the areas where these fish are actively hunting bait. The whiting have been showing up in better numbers this week which is great to see with fresh yabbies and beach worms both producing solid results when fished in the right areas. Using a simple running ball sinker rig with a touch of pink or red tubing above the long shank hook is always a reliable setup for these fish. Despite the cold water the mangrove jack have continued to show up up river on the rock bars and deep snaggy banks with live poddy mullet the standout bait and strips of mullet fillet a reliable alternative. The crabbing has also been solid so it is well worth getting the pots in next time you are on the water.

Steve Rattray with a cracking lizard which measured 74cm

The Elliott has had a great winter season with some impressive variety on offer for those fishing this system. The amount of big flathead still being caught has been exceptional with these fish right up in the shallows during the incoming tide feeding on big summer whiting and poddy mullet. If you are fishing the run out tide switching to the drop offs and deeper banks has been the reliable move as these fish venture into the deeper water.

The pelagic action has also been solid with the mouth of the river around Dr Mays Island seeing the most action. Big queenfish, GT and even school mackerel have all been caught in this area with small metal lures and walk the dog style surface lures both being very effective. Mixed in with these fish have also been a few small tailor to around 50cm which have again been caught on small metal lures, always a welcome sight! The whiting have also been showing up in better numbers in this system over recent weeks with the bigger tides helping get these fish on the chew. As always fresh yabbies are the go to bait and be sure to use a super light ball sinker and leader for the best results. Up river there have been some whispers of big threadfin salmon being found by anglers using side scan and Live Scope to locate these fish sitting on the shallow flats and muddy banks. These fish have been eating around a tide turn with small prawn imitation lures working best, and if you can secure some live bait this will only improve your chances further.

Raewyn Sliwka with a nice 72cm flathead caught in the Elliott on her birthday

The Baffle is ticking along nicely with some great fish being caught by those who fish this system regularly. Despite the cold water there have been some quality mangrove jack around with fish up to 45cm being caught in deeper water with the rock bars around Winfield being a prime location. Fishing live bait during the bottom of the run out tide is your best shot at one of these fish at the moment and if you can get your hands on some live poddy mullet you are in with a great shot. For the lure anglers a slow rolled prawn imitation lure along the rock bars has been the most effective option in these tougher winter conditions.

There have also been some nice signs of grunter around with these fish caught throughout the system. Plenty of the smaller fish have been up on the shallow sand flats however the better quality fish have been cruising the drop offs and channels during the run out tide. The whiting have also been showing up in better numbers which is a step in the right direction with fresh yabbies the go to bait as always. And a fish we do not talk about too often is the black bream, but the Baffle has had a few of these fish showing up and nudging the 35cm mark which is a very respectable size. These fish have been caught along the mangrove lined banks with whole sprat and prawns being the standout baits.

Theo Kartalli with a solid mangrove jack caught locally

Lake Gregory continues to produce some consistent fishing for those getting on the water during the right windows. The deep water bite during the late afternoon has remained the most reliable session with these bass really coming to life during those last couple of hours of daylight. Those running sounders have had the clearest advantage by locating schools in the deeper water and ensuring every cast is going through them, with slow rolled metal spoons and micro jigs the standout presentations. Fishing major bite times such as a moon rise or moon set has also been making a noticeable difference so it is well worth timing your session around these events when possible.

For those fishing without a sounder there have also been some nice fish being caught up in the shallows on shallow diving hard bodies and soft plastics during the early morning and late afternoon low light periods. These edge fish are less predictable than the deeper schooled up fish but the low light periods give you the best chance of finding them active and willing to eat!

Nelson Philips with a giant Lake Gregory bass measuring 53.5cm caught on a Rapala Crush City Jerk Shad

Lake Monduran is still fishing really well with good numbers of fish spread throughout the lake and those spending consistent time on the water are getting some impressive results. Dawn and dusk have been the standout windows with these fish sitting nice and high in the water column during the low light periods making them considerably easier to locate and present a lure to. As the sun gets up these fish push progressively deeper which makes targeting them a lot more difficult, so focusing efforts around those first and last light windows and fishing right through into the night has been the most consistent game plan.

These fish have remained quite spooky so persistence and time on the water have been just as important as technique. Lures with minimal action continue to dominate with strolling lures and fly lures both slow rolled being the standout options. Once a fish is following the key is to slowly increase the speed of the retrieve and get these fish to commit rather than doing anything too erratic which will only spook them.

For those running Live Scope, getting into an area, dropping the pole and scoping around before committing to fish there has been the most efficient way to find the better concentrations of fish rather than wasting time in areas holding limited numbers. Wiggle Bay, White Rock and the first cut through area have all been holding good numbers of fish for those in smaller boats, while those willing to make the run to the back of the dam around 2 Mile and up the North Arm have also been finding some quality fish worth targeting!

Team member Mason with a quality Lake Monduran barra

Live the Tackle World L.I.F.E - Local Independent Fishing Experts

Liked this report? You can read our others here