on orders over $125
Welcome back to another Tackle World Bundy fishing report.
Inshore/Offshore
If the weather plays ball this weekend hopefully we can send it out wide and chase some nice reds, nannies and trout! Due to the recent fresh that has been pushing out of the rivers plenty of debris like logs and branches have been common obstacles waiting for an unsuspecting boatie. Be cautious when travelling from mark to mark as one of these can ruin a perfect days fishing. There hasn’t been as many tuna and mackerel busting up in close at the moment but with this dirty water I would find that spot where the dirty water meets the clean salty water and troll or cast some lures. One of the stand out lures I have been using is an Ocean Legacy slow sinking stick bait in the 105mm or 123mm. Slow twitches along the edges of the dirty water line has been the most effective retrieve. Another way is to throw a Flasher lure in the 20-50g and just rip it in like a baitfish in destress looking for its school.
With the building moon this weekend we should see a lot of the reef fish turning it on for the people who can get to the spot for that first light bite. Once that sun is over head the fish get more finicky and tend to be more reluctant to the bait and lure offerings you throw at them. One of my favourite ways of catching coral trout is slow pitch jigging, this technique is super fun as you really have to work to get the trouties from burying you in the reef. My go to setup is a PE2 or PE3 rod, 50lb leader and a Samaki prawn in Golden Carrot colour paired with a 7/0 jig head. Depending on the current and depth of water you can use a 1/2oz and upwards weight to get the lure to sit in the strike zone for as long as possible. Another lure that has been super effective as of late is the Mustad Mini Ink Vader which is an octopus imitation lure and with all those legs you really don’t need to put a lot of work into the action. You can even leave this lure in the rod holder and let the boat do the work.
Burnett River
The Burnett River has and is still seeing a lot of water being pushed through from the top reaches which has moved a lot of the bait towards the mouth. I would be focusing my fishing around this area and even along the beaches at high tide to get away from the fresh.
Elliot River and Coonarr Creek
My pick for rivers to fish would be the smaller systems that don’t have all the fresh running down them from out west. The Elliott River and Coonarr Creek are two great options. The Elliott River has seen a good amount of tailor being caught on small 10g Samaki vibelicious and even the odd barra being caught along with the usual flathead, whiting, bream, grunter and dart. Surprisingly when I was throwing around a Berkley Pro Tech Brimz 38d lure for bream I was getting dart up to 41cm at the mouth of the Elliott on the run out tide. There has also been a few mud crabs around so throw those pots out away from the fast flowing water, up the creeks is the best bet.
Baffle Creek and Kolan River
Baffle Creek has seen a lot of fresh in the past couple weeks and with Monduran Dam still spilling over the wall the Kolan has copped a bit of fresh too. Two species that seem to be on the hunt has been the grunter and flathead. Both these river systems have seen great numbers of grunter and flathead patrolling the shallow flats towards the mouths. A good way to catch a feed is on the run in tide, sit on the side of the flat that the current is coming over as the bait is getting pushed in that direction. Predators that are aggressively hunting will be on the flats whilst they can, hunting bait in the ultra-shallow water. More fish will be situated in the deeper water surrounding the flat, try the pressure edges created as the current hits a shallow flat as these always hold bait and therefore the bigger fish won’t be far away. The stand out lure has been the Squidgy Dura-Tough 100mm wriggler in a bright colour which helps to throw a larger silhouette in the dirty water. Also don’t forget to throw those pots out as both of these systems have been consistently producing quality muddies whilst they have been on the move.
Monduran Dam
With the weather warming up slightly especially through the middle of the day, fishing into the afternoon has been the go. Bays where the water is a couple of degrees warmer have been holding more feeding fish. I would definitely be targeting my fishing around these warmer points and bays, that’s when a good sounder comes in to play to find the water temp and side view to see where they are sitting. Not only does the side view help you find fish, but it also helps read their behaviour by where they are sitting in the water column. This helps you choose a lure perfect for the barra as staying in the strike zone for as long as possible is key.
Lake Gregory
With the recent weed cull in the lake, most of the bass have been found schooling up around the points that drop off into deeper water. A good quality sounder is a great investment especially during winter time. The water is also really dirty at the moment but that hasn’t stopped a few of the locals who still consistently catch fish in these non-idealistic times. Most of the bass have been caught on deep diving hardbody lures or vibes. The bass this past week have been liking a long pause when using hardbodies with small, sharp twitches to keep your lure dancing in front of their face.
That’s all folks
Stay safe on the water and be mindful of your fellow fishers
Josh Mortenson
Tackle World Bundaberg
If you would like your catch photos published to be in the running for a $50 gift card every week, please email your details and photos (of local catches only) to: accounts [at] tackleworldbundy.com.au
Green Acorn