on orders over $125Well, with the ordinary weather we’ve had around the Bundaberg area as of late, fishing has been mainly restricted to creeks and estuaries, especially with good runs of prawns in most systems.
The Baffle and Kolan systems have been producing the best catches of prawns especially on the lower parts of the tides. They have been out in the middle parts of the creeks, especially near the small run-offs. Here in the Baffle good catches of mangrove jacks are showing up. Good 40-50cm fish have been smashing good suspending lures, and on live bait as well. Good flathead as well near the shallow sand bars next to the drop-offs. Try your favourite soft plastics or hard-bodied lures to entice them out of the sand. Flathead are an easy species to catch as they do like a well presented lure or soft plastic.
The Burnett River has been fishing well with excellent grunter caught at the Burnett Heads entrance along the rock wall. Best baits are just a humble piece of prawn or your soft plastics. They will take hard-bodied blades at times. These have an excellent vibrating action through the water which attracts the fish. On the 1st of Feburary at midday it is again open season for the barra, so have everything ready to target these hard-fighting fish.
The Elliot River is producing good hauls of mud crabs at the moment, as well as flathead and whiting. Best reports for the whiting are on a night-time fish just after this full moon on a run-in tide. Any of the smaller creeks in the Elliott system seem to hold good quality fish on live yabbies or prawns. Good shows of quality grunter as well, in some of the deeper holes, especially along Sharks’ Nest or Fallons Rocks. You will find good flathead and whiting here as well. Try throwing your cast net for live bait. Livies are deadly baits for bigger fish
Coonarr Creek is certainly worth a look on the higher tides as you need them to get your boat up to the best drops. Go up the creek and try the rocky outcrops. Flick a live bait or a good suspending lure in close to the snags. This is where you will find mangrove jacks. Stop by some of the sandbars for a lazy flathead lying in wait to ambush bait or more importantly your lure.
Just a reminder about mackerel frames. You can drop them into Tackle World Bundaberg as Fisheries Queensland like them for scientific studies.
Good fishing for you,
Brett Robinson
Green Acorn