LOTS of rain in the past week has had a big impact on estuary fishing.
Many rivers are discoloured, have low salinity levels in their upper reaches and catches are dominated by the less desirable catfish and eels.
Best results have been on the run-in tide towards the river entrance or deeper holes.
Flathead catches were good this week, but most were caught close to bar entrances.
On the Gold Coast, anywhere in sight of the Seaway has fished well. Jumpinpin from Short Island to the southern tip of North Stradbroke Island has been a hot spot.
There has also been quite a few trevally and the odd kingfish in the Seaway. Flashy lures or live bait has been the best way to entice them.
The discoloured water has fired up good numbers of small bull sharks in the Logan River. The best live baits are small catfish, herring, boney bream and mullet. The best fish fillets are tuna, tailor, mullet or pilchards.
There has also been increased numbers of small mulloway this week, especially from Luggage Point and the entrance to Boggy Creek in the Brisbane River. Banana prawns caught in the southern Bay this week. Top spots were deeper holes in the Redland Bay channel and around the southern bay islands.
Mud crab catches have increased since the rains. The runoff has them on the move out of the shallows into deeper holes and around the mouth of most rivers at creeks.
Floating weeds around the pots has been an issue in some areas.
There has been some big cobia caught in Moreton Bay this week. The place to find them has been wrecks, rocks and ledges. Use plenty of berley to get them interested, then use a live bait to get the hook up.
Any of the beacons or ledges down the western side of Moreton is a good place to start.
Offshore there’s been a mixed bag of cobia, kingfish and amberjack on wrecks and bait reefs. Mosthave been caught on knife jigs or live bait.
