FISHING REPORT   – 17-05-2013

BASS

Cressbrook is only producing low numbers of smaller Bass at the moment, try around the points and drop-offs throughout the dam, soft plastics, soft vibes and blades will give you the best chance of landing a fish, while live shrimp have been the pick of the baits. The fish are still quite scattered at Somerset at the moment, Pelican Point, Queen Street and the start of the timber at Kirkleigh have been the best spots to target, with slow rolled soft plastics and blades picking up a few fish. Boondooma Dam is still pretty quiet at the moment, using bait will give anglers a better chance of landing a fish, reaction lures around the timber in the Stuart and Boyne arms would be worth a try as well, Bjelke Peterson has improved a little this week, with a few smaller Bass taking live Shrimp around Bass point and as far as the Redclaw go, Boondooma, Bjelke Peterson, Somerset and Cressbrook are still producing reasonable numbers at the moment, but as the weather continues to cool, the numbers will decline.

YELLOWBELLY AND COD

Not a lot has changed at Cooby Dam this week, it continues to produce good numbers of Yellowbelly, although they are starting to decline a bit, targeting these fish with blades, ice jigs and soft vibes has been the best option for lure fishing, while frozen Saltwater Yabbies have again been the pick of the bait. The fishing is still a little slow at Glenlyon, but it has again produced a few Yellowbelly around the 35-40cm mark, with frozen saltwater yabbies, live shrimp and worms landing the most fish, while bigger spinnerbaits and Jackals have produced some nice Cod around the 60 to 70cm mark. Coolmunda Dam has been fishing well for Yellowbelly this week, using bait in the deeper parts of the dam, has produced the most fish, there has been a few smaller Cod landed as well about, again bait has been the best option. Fishing is still a little slow at Leslie Dam, with a few Yellowbelly taken on live shrimp and frozen saltwater yabbies in the deeper water, but there were a few fish caught, hopping mask vibes in the shallows and Bjelke Peterson has finally started to produce some Yellowbelly off the points in the dam, with bait being the best option. As for the rivers, the Macintyre at Goondiwindi has again produced some quality Yellowbelly on frozen saltwater yabbies and also trolled hard bodies, the Cod fishing is still going well, with a lot of fish hitting dark coloured spinnerbaits worked around structure. The Balonne River at St.George continues to produce good numbers of Yellowbelly, bait has been the best option for these fish, while some decent Cod have been taken on spinnerbaits, the fish are very tentative in the Dumeresq River at the moment, so you will have to use a bit of stealth when fishing this area, if you do, there are some quality Yellowbelly and Cod getting about, with live bait and spinnerbaits getting the best results and the weirs along the Condamine River have again produced a few Yellowbelly and Cod on live bait, frozen saltwater yabbies and spinnerbaits.

GOLD COAST AND TWEED

Offshore fishing was a bit quieter this past week, due to the conditions not being great, however there has been some quality Snapper taken on 9 Mile Reef while a few keen anglers have ventured out to the 50’s and landed some nice Kingies, Snapper and Wahoo. Inshore fishing has seen plenty of School Jew along the wall at the entrance of the Tweed River, good quality Bream and Flathead throughout the Tweed and Jumpinpin area, a few Chopper Tailor at Kalinga Bank, and plenty of Gar hanging around the weed beds, throughout the Broadwater.

SUNSHINE COAST

Offshore fishing has been pretty good again, with the wider reefs fishing well for Kingies, Mackerel, Wahoo, Snapper and Long Tail Tuna, trolling lures and drifting live baits has been effective and there has been some good action just out from Kings Beach, with some good catches of Snapper and Mulloway. Inshore, Maroochy and Noosa Rivers have produced Bream and Flathead throughout, good Whiting on the sand banks opposite the Power Boat Club, School Jew at the mouth of the Maroochy and Noosa Rivers and the Pelican Waters canals have produced a few Trevelly and Bream.

HERVEY BAY

The closer reefs have been fishing well for Snapper and School Mackerel, while inshore, the beaches have produced a few Whiting and smaller Bream and the Urangan Pier has fished well for Flathead.