MOST waterways are still suffering the effect of recent rain and not producing many fish in their upper reaches. The most productive fishing areas have been close to bar entrances, river mouths and deeper holes.
There’s been plenty of bream around, particularly for land based anglers fishing areas close to the foreshores at Tingalpa Creek, Brisbane River and the Gold Coast Broadwater. The Brisbane River is still turning up threadies and mulloway in good numbers but all reports have come from those fishing after dark.
Most are being caught by slow hopping vibration lures over the bottom but bait anglers using live or fresh banana prawns are also catching their share. There’s also been a few better quality snapper caught around the end of the reclamation pond rock walls at night, especially from deeper holes.
The bay is not that muddy, except in the south from water flowing out of the Logan. As a result there has been some mackerel around the Chain Banks and off The Sandhills. There’s also a few mulloway reported off the southern tip of Goat Island and on the West Peel artificial reef. Surf beaches are fishing well for chopper tailor, particularly in northern NSW from South Ballina to the Tweed border, although there’s been few big fish reported.
Strong winds and swell has made offshore fishing almost impossible. At this time of year, especially after big seas offshore, main species on the bite will be small snapper, pearl perch and tuskfish.
The current has been the main issue making it almost impossible to fish on the wider grounds.
On the freshwater scene, everyone is talking redclaw. They will be a major target for Easter boaties.
It is the prime time of the year and the rain has fired them up in all impoundments.
Best results have been in less than two meters of water at night.
Prolonged heavy rain often means smaller bass dominate catches and that’s what’s happening in most impoundments. The better catches are in the upper reaches of impoundments.
