Malakai Steele with a donkey bream caught in the Burnett River.

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

Inshore & Offshore

The south westerly winds have been providing some good early morning windows again this week however the southerly picking up through the middle part of the day has been keeping most of the bigger boats on the trailer, making a run offshore not really viable at this stage. When those conditions do finally settle down and we get a proper window, the offshore grounds are going to be well worth the run. During the last good stretch we saw how well the big tides got the shallower reefs at the Bunker Group firing with some cracking coral trout and red throat emperor being the standouts. If a window does line up with the neap tides over the coming weeks it will be well worth targeting some of the deeper ground in the 30 to 50 metre range as these areas generally produce exceptional fishing in the lighter current with big sweetlip, venus tusk fish, red emperor and plenty of other quality reef species all very much on the cards.

For those fishing our inshore reefs the spanish mackerel continue to be the main attraction with the early morning and late afternoon sessions producing the most consistent results. Finding areas holding good concentrations of bait has been the key with trolling hard body lures or whole garfish through these areas at first or last light proving to be a very reliable method. The cobia have also remained in excellent numbers across all of our common reefs and wrecks in about 20 metres of water and these fish continue to be one of the most reliable and enjoyable species to target for the avid sport fishers. They are not particularly fussy eaters and will generally eat a well presented soft plastic, vibe or flesh bait, however getting the lure or bait down to the right depth and working it with an erratic hopping action has been the most consistent way to draw bites from these fish. With the quality and size of cobia being caught at the moment these fish are absolutely brilliant eating when handled correctly so make sure they are bled and iced immediately.

Some quality grass sweetlip, the odd grunter and some great sized stripeys have also been caught at our common reefs and wrecks throughout the week for those after a feed of table fish. The snapper are also starting to make their presence known which has a lot of local anglers very excited. Most of the fish being caught at this stage are coming from ground around the 20 metre mark sitting 6 to 10 nautical miles offshore, however as the water continues to cool these fish should push progressively closer into the shallower inshore grounds. Fingers crossed we see them right in close in the coming weeks as the snapper fishing along our coast is something truly special when it fires up!

Nelson Philips with a big cobia caught inshore

Chace Rasmussen with a huge 90cm mac tuna

The Burnett is absolutely firing right now with the bream being the highlight with some genuinely impressive fish being caught along the rock walls throughout the system by lure anglers who have really dialled in their approach. Slow rolling deep diving hard bodies tight along the base of the rock walls has been one of the most effective techniques, while fishing small blades and vibes through the mid water column has also been accounting for some cracking fish. For those days when the bite is a little quieter and the fish are being more finicky, switching to a small crab or prawn imitation lure rigged as lightly as possible to achieve a super slow sink rate has been a very reliable way to tempt a bite. That incredibly slow and natural presentation is often exactly what these bigger bream need to fully commit. Grunter and estuary cod have also been showing up in great numbers along the North Wall in particular with live bait proving to be the most effective option for both species by a clear margin.

The blue salmon are starting to filter into the system which is always one of the most exciting developments of the winter season. These fish arrive in big schools every year and while the numbers are certainly not there yet, the whispers of fish being caught are getting louder which is a very encouraging sign. Getting on the sounder and locating these schools is the most effective way to find them consistently, and once you do a soft vibe hopped steadily through the school is the classic and most reliable technique for getting bites. There have also been some really quality mulloway showing up in this system recently, a species that always generates a lot of excitement amongst local anglers. Live bait has been the standout approach for these fish so it is well worth investing the time to secure some quality live bait before heading out if the mulloway is on your target list this weekend!

Oscar Nowland with a 60cm queenfish caught in the Burnett River

The Kolan has been settling into a very consistent winter pattern and is producing some reliable fishing for those targeting the right species in the right areas. With the full moon arriving this Sunday the timing could not be much better for those planning a session on the water, with the afternoon and night time incoming tide set to be a prime window for targeting whiting up on the shallow flats and yabbie beds. Getting down to the flats at low tide to pump a good supply of fresh yabbies before the water comes back in is the most reliable preparation you can do for one of these sessions, and those who put that effort in are almost always well rewarded. Beach worms and pippies have also been solid bait alternatives for the whiting if yabbies are hard to come by. Expect to come across some nice flathead, bream and grunter when fishing the sand flats and yabbie beds too, especially during the incoming tide!

The mangrove jack have remained a consistent capture throughout the system for those targeting the deeper rock bars and holes, particularly during the bottom half of the run out tide when these fish set up and wait for bait to pass through. Live bait has been the standout approach and some quality fish have been the reward for those patient enough to sit on the right structure during this window. Some good sized estuary cod and the odd big grunter have also been mixed through these same areas which has been a welcome bonus for those fishing for jack. With the full moon bringing some serious night time tides this weekend it is also a great opportunity to get the crab pots in for an overnight soak, sticking to the main channels and deeper banks for the best results!

Chris Gilly with a stonking bream caught locally

Hamish, Glen and Justin with a cracking feed coming from a night fish on the Elliott

Team member Karl Eliason with a nice jack caught locally

Lake Gregory has continued to produce outstanding fishing this week and the sessions keep getting better as the water temperature drops and these bass school up in increasingly better numbers. The late afternoon bite remains the prime window with these fish switching on hard in the last hour or two of daylight and providing some genuinely exceptional fishing for those positioned on the right schools at the right time.

Slow rolling metal spoon lures and jigging micro jigs down through the schools have been the most consistent techniques for getting bites once the fish have been located on the sounder. Getting the lure down to the right depth and keeping it working through the school rather than above or below them has been the key to converting fish. If the fish are scattered these spoons are also great for doing massive long casts and fished with a simple slow roll to cover plenty of ground.

For those running live scope, getting a small jerk shad lure down in front of these fish and working it with subtle rod tip movements has been absolutely deadly, with the ability to watch each fish react and make real time adjustments to speed and depth making an enormous difference. If you have been thinking about heading to the lake, now is one of the best times of year to do so!

Team member Seth with a quality bass caught recently on a trip south

Lake Monduran has entered what is shaping up to be a really interesting phase of winter fishing with some notable changes in fish behaviour becoming very apparent over the last week. The unstable weather we have been experiencing has made these barra increasingly spooky and cautious, and subtle finesse presentations have never been more important. Fly lures, strolling lures and Zerek Live Mullets worked with a slow and steady roll have been the standout options with these presentations getting the most consistent bites. The minimal disturbance these lures create on entry combined with their very natural and subtle action in the water has been exactly what these pressured fish have needed to commit.

The bite timing has also shifted noticeably with the fish not really turning on until after dark on most sessions. Once that night time window does arrive though the fishing has been well worth the wait, with these fish becoming considerably more active and willing to eat once the light has fully dropped. Getting your angle right and presenting the lure so it practically intercepts the fish has been critical, as these barra have been requiring the lure to practically hit their nose before they pay it any attention. Once the fish knows the lure is there and shows interest, slowly work the lure away from them and if they begin to follow it be sure to gradually increase your speed to try and trigger a reaction bite.

Finding areas that are out of the wind and carrying less boat pressure has been a key factor in locating the more willing fish, and those targeting weed edges that are in close proximity to a deep channel have been finding some great numbers of fish too, especially for those without live sonar who are fishing the edges. These areas give the barra the perfect combination of ambush cover and easy access to deeper water which is exactly what they are seeking out during these cooler and more unsettled conditions.

Nathan Sutton with a 115cm barra caught at Lake Monduran last weekend