There has been a big variety of fish caught by anglers trolling lures through estuary waters.
Trevally have made up most of the catch with a few mangrove jack, chopper tailor and estuary cod thrown in.
The technique is to troll hard body lures along canal rock walls in the late afternoon and into the night. At this time of year whiting can be relied on as an easy feed and great fun on light gear.
There has been some good quality fish in the Nerang River, the Broadwater has plenty of small whiting with better quality in the northern waters around the Coomera River and Brown Island.
At Jumpinpin the better catches have come from the Slipping Sand area, Canapia Passage and the sandy banks in the wide channel between Crusoe Island and North Stradbroke. In the Logan River top spot has been around the green beacons at Ageston Sands. Further north there has been good catches in Tingalpa Creek, the channels around King Island and off Donnybrook in Pumicestone Passage.
Mulloway catches have been good. The beach anglers have had the most fun. The best bait has been a big bunch of beach worms. They have also been caught at Jumpinpin Bar and the Southport Seaway with most fish under 80cm.
There were not many mud crab reports this week but there were sandies caught throughout the bay as far south as Giant’s Grave and in the northern Broadwater. There has been schools of mackerel in the bay, mainly inside South Passage to the Rous Channel and north along Moreton Island. They have also surfaced off Goat Island and the Measured Mile.
Offshore fishing has improved after a few slow weeks with average catches. Dolphinfish have been in good numbers on most of the wider reefs, FADs and wave rider buoys.
They scare easily so you generally get only one shot at them. Trolling has produced mainly tuna but also a few wahoo at rocky headlands and reef areas. Those dropping baits on the bottom reported an increase in snapper, pearl perch and trag this week as well.