on orders over $125The festive season is over for another year, and as this time last year, the weather around the Bundaberg area has let many keen anglers down. All the new fishing goodies that you snagged from Santa shall await the water with great anticipation.
On the bright side of things, the rain has stirred up the local estuary systems and it is well worth it to throw the crab pots in when you get a chance. Because of the rain many of the small creeks have been running quite fresh and this has pushed the fish out into the main arms of the rivers.
The estuaries are producing nice fish if the effort is put in, with nice catches of jack, fingermark, cod and other bits and pieces being caught. It is prime jack fishing with the deep holes and rock bars being your best chance. Stay away from the little creeks as they might be very fresh.
Live baits, plastics and hard-bodied lures have all been working on the jack and fingermark, with live baits my pick as you’ll have a higher success rate at hooking a big red monster.
The mouths of the local rivers have accumulated numbers of trevally, queenfish, dart, school mackerel and with our creeks the way they are, barramundi as well.
To target trevally, queenfish, dart and schoolies, you best chance is to throw small to medium slugs into feeding fish. If no feeding fish are present on top of the water, try live baits such as sprat, mullet or hardy heads.
If you are a more experienced angler and wish to pursue a fish of a lifetime and catch a big saltwater barra, the mouth of the creeks and the edge of the freshwater are the places to be. Casting hard-bodied lures, soft plastics and big live baits are the techniques to try. If you are unsure about lure size and colour, drop into your local tackle store for some friendly advice. Be aware, however that it is still closed season for barra until the 1st of February.
Offshore, fishing has been almost non-existent with the less than ideal weather. Before it set in, however the reef fishing was hotter than ever with huge numbers of school mackerel being caught and some very impressive Spanish being landed. Lamont Reef was producing great numbers of coral trout with plenty of anglers bagging out.
Spearfishing will be touch and go with all the dirty water in the creeks and rivers. If you are heading to the beaches be careful as the north/north easterly winds have washed up staggering amounts of blue bottles onto the beaches. If you are stung, apply hot water as it will take some of the pain away from the sting.
Happy holidays – be safe on the water and great fishing.
Jake Hartfiel
Green Acorn