Fishing Report 21st May 2009

Finally we’ve had a consistent run of good weather and a lot of boats headed offshore.  Everyone was well-rewarded with some excellent catches, and most said they were the best catches for a while.  Most anglers bagged out on reef fish such as coral trout, red emperor, hussar, parrot, sweetlip and a heap of other mixed bag reefies, with most species being some of the biggest anglers have seen in a while.
 
There was also plenty of pelagic action around the reefs with big spanish, cobia, and trevally all being reported.
 
The local river mouths are still holding some great fish with good catches of schoolie mackeral and chopper tailor being caught.  Trolling small 100mm minnow-type lures in white or blue has proved most successful method.  Up river there has been plenty of flathead, bream and whiting.  The whiting are in the top reaches of the river and prawns have been a favoured bait.
 
The bream are running the rock walls and using lightly weighted hooks with half sprat, chook gut and peeled prawns have been best.  Most of the flathead have come from along the sandflats by trolling 10ft diving lures.
 
The Isis Impoundment (Lake Gregory) produced some excellent bass fishing for the first round of the ABT Bass Electric with most local ABT members qualifying for the grand final.  Well done, boys!  Using Blades and Spinnerbaits helped the boys get through.
 
Barra in the dams are still hard to tempt but with the cooler weather approaching, the barra will move back into the shallows and may come on the chew a bit better.
 
Till next time,
Tim Mulhall