on orders over $125Still the wind is with us for yet another week, with no end in sight. Once again the anglers around the Bundaberg area will be restricted to fishing the protected estuaries and the local freshwater impoundments.
With the barra season now open and reports of good fish being caught already you might want to target these fantastic sport fish.
The Kolan River is well known for its timber structure and rock bars and is certainly worth a look. Live baiting for an estuary cod around rock bars will certainly give you some fun on light gear. Try throwing some lures for a barra as well. Get right in close to those snags and aggressively work your suspending lure in the strike zone. This process may have to be worked a bit to achieve a result. At the entrance to the Kolan system you will find many sand bars which are excellent areas to target your bream, flathead and whiting on a run-in tide. Good fish can be found here if you have freshly pumped yabbies and cast-netted prawns. Try small handfuls of your favourite burley pellets to keep the fish in your area.
The Burnett River is still continuing to fish well. All number of species are being targeted. Grunter down toward the mouth area on soft plastics and bait as well will get you some good fish. A good leader is needed to maximize your catch. The actual rock walls of the Burnett are good places to catch big bream right at the crack of dawn. They will be readily feeding on small prey and will happily take a soft plastic or floating prawn. Be prepared to also use strong leader as you fish near rocks and oyster encrusted areas.
The upper town reaches are still producing whiting, flathead and the occasional jewfish under the bridges in the deeper holes. Try sitting quietly for jewfish with live baits or strip baits. They will run hard but can be easily turned on good gear.
The Elliott River in its upper reaches is producing good catches of bream and whiting on a run-in tide. Fish the sand flats with prawns or yabbies. A good strong run-in tide will keep the lines straight and enable you to see when the fish strike. A few mangrove jack are being caught as well. A bold-coloured suspending lure will do the trick. Make sure your gear is up to the challenge – jacks are fast! If you haven’t turned them quickly they will make a run for cover and it’s all over. You will have to fish in the upper reaches at the moment because of the wind. If you can get down towards the mouth there are excellent sand banks to work for big flathead in the shallows on soft plastics.
It might be worth throwing the crab pots in and working the estuaries for prawns at the moment. Every system has excellent eating prawns and with the full moon fast approaching, get into them before they go out with the tide. Just remember your 10 litre per person limit as well.
Tight lines, everyone,
Brett Robinson
Green Acorn