Beau Britton with a monster red emperor caught during the recent weather window!

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

Catch of the week winner - Beau Britton

Inshore & Offshore

Brock Honor with a nice red emperor and pearl perch caught off 1770

Team Member Josh Mortensen with one of many trout caught on a recent trip at the Bunker Group

Ted Shilton, 6 years old, with a ripper 40cm bream caught on fresh prawn

The Kolan has continued to produce a great spread of species this week with the summer species really starting to come on in better numbers. The barra and threadfin salmon have been found throughout the system with the main river channels holding the best numbers so far. Getting a bite from these fish has been very challenging but those targeting them around tide turns during the early morning and late afternoon have had the best results. Live bait is a very reliable way to improve your chances, with live poddy mullet and prawns being the standout bait options for both species.

The mangrove jack have also been caught on the deeper rock bars throughout the system towards the middle to later stages of the run out tide, again with live bait the most effective option. For those unable to secure live bait, strips of mullet fillet, whole sprat and whole prawns are the next best thing, and for the lure anglers slow rolling deep diving hard bodies or weedless rigged prawn imitation soft plastics worked along the rock bars has been a great way to target these fish. Some nice grunter have also been consistently caught up river in the deeper holes and along the rock bars during the later stages of the run out tide, though there have even been some solid fish showing up right at the mouth of the system on the shallow sand flats during the incoming tide which is always a welcome surprise. The flathead fishing has continued to hold strong with good numbers being caught by those trolling hard body lures along the sand flats and drop offs, and once you do find a good concentration of fish it is worth pulling up and covering that area thoroughly with casts before moving on.

Alison Alexander with a flathead caught in the Burnett River aboard Burnett River Fishing Charters

The Elliott has continued to produce some exceptional fishing across a great variety of species this week. The pelagic action around Dr Mays Island and the mouth of the system has been a real highlight during the incoming tide with those targeting pressure edges and finding bait schools getting among some exciting fish. There have also been some nice sized grunter showing up in the deeper holes up river with whole sprat and whole prawns the standout baits and a curl tail soft plastic in a natural colour hopped along the bottom a very reliable lure option for targeting them.

Some nice threadfin salmon have been found up river on the shallow sand flats and mud banks during the later stages of the incoming tide with the top of the tide being a reliable little bite window for these fish. Just be mindful when fishing up the top of the Elliott as the system gets very shallow very quickly and it is easy to get caught out by a dropping tide. The bread and butter fishing across the shallow flats has also remained strong with whiting and bream both showing up consistently on the incoming tide with fresh yabbies the standout bait. Some quality mud crabs have also been showing up right up the top of the system so it is well worth throwing the pots in for an overnight soak during the next set of bigger tides.

Tanner Rowland with a ripper flathead caught off Woodgate Beach

The Baffle is still working through the snot weed issue that has been impacting the system over the last few weeks though we are starting to hear some encouraging reports that certain areas are beginning to improve. The weed is still quite heavy on the banks and floating through the system in a lot of areas making it very difficult to fish effectively regardless of whether you are using bait or lures, but fingers crossed we are past the worst of it.

Some nice sized black and yellowfin bream have been showing up along the mangrove lined banks in the cleaner areas with lightly weighted whole sprat and whole prawns producing the best results. Mixed in with these fish have been some solid grunter passing through the same edges with strips of mullet fillet working well on the rock bars in these areas. The flathead have been quite difficult with most anglers struggling to get through the weed to fish the shallow sand flats and drop offs effectively, though we have heard of some nice fish up around the 60cm mark being caught by those casting soft plastics through the sand undulations and up on the flats away from the bulk of the weed. There have also been some decent whiting being caught from the system by those finding cleaner areas and pumping fresh yabbies to fish on the yabbie beds and sand flats during the incoming tide. The outlook is a positive one though with plenty of small bait and prawns throughout the system indicating great recruitment off the back of the flooding event earlier in the year. As the northerly winds return and the water temperature rises we should start to see this weed thin out and the system fire up significantly, setting us up for what should be a really exciting mangrove jack and pelagic season in the weeks ahead.

John Tellis with a 69cm grunter caught locally

Lake Gregory has continued to fish really well this week with the edge bite remaining a real highlight for those getting on the water during the right windows. The early morning and late afternoon sessions have been the standout with topwater lures getting some great results during these low light periods as the bass push up onto the shallower edges to feed. As the sun gets higher slow rolled soft plastics and twitched hard body lures along the weed edges and drop offs have been the reliable way to keep the bites coming throughout the day.

The deep water schools are also still producing some really consistent fishing with a mix of presentations getting the job done depending on how the fish are responding on any given session. Strolling jerk tail soft plastics has been the most consistent performer overall, however slow rolling metal spoons and jigs has been producing some great reaction bites from fish that are otherwise proving difficult to tempt, particularly during that late afternoon sunset bite window when these fish can switch on very quickly. As the northerly winds return and the water temperature continues to rise the edge bite is only going to improve further with more bait being pushed into new areas of the lake and the bass following right behind it. The topwater fishing in particular is going to become a very exciting option during the low light periods as these fish become more and more active on the edges, and with some warmer weather on the horizon this lake is shaping up for a cracking start to the season.

Team member Seth with a solid bass caught locally

Lake Monduran has continued to fish consistently this week and the signs of the seasonal shift are becoming more and more obvious for those spending time on the water. The early morning remains the prime window with a lot of fish still sitting higher in the water column during those first few hours of daylight, though the late afternoon and into the night has also been producing some solid results for those willing to put in the hours. Right now, knowing how to catch one of these fish depends greatly on how you are fishing, as the edge bite compared to the open water bite are vastly different.

As the northerly winds return and the water temperature continues to rise we are already starting to hear some encouraging reports of fish being found on shallow weedy points, weedy banks and windblown points. Over the next few weeks this is only going to become more prevalent and this is where the fishing is really going to take off, particularly during the late afternoon and evening sessions. Hard body lures like the Samaki Redic DS80 and Wilson Live Mullets are going to be the standout options as these fish hunt the edges with a bit more energy and aggression and want a lure with some more action and presence. It is a great time to start making plans to head up to the dam as you really do not need the latest technology to get amongst the fish right now. Follow the wind, find the windblown bays and shallow points and get casting!

For those using LiveScope and targeting fish out in the open, the fishing right now demands a very subtle approach with stealth absolutely critical and casting angle just as important as lure selection. Do not just cast the moment you see a fish on the screen, take the time to position the boat correctly and approach the fish so that your cast intercepts it on a perpendicular angle, coming right across its nose rather than over its back or directly head on. Strolling soft plastics continue to be one of the most versatile and effective presentations at the moment as they allow you to fish with a very subtle and finesse action when the fish are being cautious, but also speed things up and create a more erratic and aggressive presentation when a fish shows interest and needs that extra trigger to commit to a bite. Fly lures and any lure with minimal action have also continued to account for good fish throughout the week.

Ryan Barber with a quality Lake Monduran barra which measured 104cm!

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

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