FISHING REPORT   – 21-06-2013

LAKE BOONDOOMA BASS PRO

As predicted, the ABT Bass Pro tournament at Lake Boondooma proved to be as tough as everyone expected. The top two anglers for the weekend both weighed in 5 out of 6 fish, but after that it was slim pickings, with only 21 anglers testing the scales. All up there were only 35 Bass weighed in for the weekend, at an average weight of 1.05kg. As for the top two, both fished the Stuart arm of the dam, both used blades, with a short, sharp, hop retrieve, keeping the lure in the face of the fish for as long as possible. Quite a few of the fish that were caught, were good quality, so hopefully this dam should fish well, when it finally clears up.

Not much has changed at Cressbrook this past week, it is still a bit hit and miss at the moment, look for schooled fish around the points and drop-offs throughout the dam, it’s also worth a try around the edges, particularly early morning and late afternoon, soft plastics have probably been the best option. Not a lot has changed at Somerset Dam over the past couple of months, the fish are still quite scattered, Pelican Point, Queen Street and the start of the timber at Kirkleigh are the best spots to target, with slow rolled soft plastics and blades picking up a few fish. Maroon and Moogerah Dams have both produced some Bass this week, at Maroon the fish are holding deeper and vertically worked plastics and ice jigs have been successful, while TN60 Jackals, cast to the edges, has been effective at Mogerah. As far as Redclaw go, Boondooma and Bjelke Peterson are still producing smaller numbers at the moment.

YELLOWBELLY AND COD

Cooby Dam is still producing low numbers of Yellowbelly, blades, live shrimp and frozen saltwater yabbies have again been the popular options. A few smaller Cod on spinnerbaits at Glenlyon this week, a few Yellowbelly are taking live shrimp. Coolmunda is still producing a few Yellowbelly on bait, also a few reports of smaller Cod hitting Spinnerbaits. Much the same in the Warwick area this week, at Leslie Dam, a few Yellowbelly have been taken on live shrimp and frozen saltwater yabbies, there was a 107cm Cod taken on a spinnerbait during the week and Boondooma has seen a few fish taken on live shrimp, Jackals and Spinnerbaits in the timbered areas of both arms. As for the rivers, the Condamine, Dumeresque and Macintyre have all got a slight run in them, but if you can find some back eddy’s or spots where the flow isn’t so strong, a well-directed cast, with a spinnerbait, Jackal or any sort of reaction lure around logs and snags could pick you up a few fish. If you want to head a bit further west, the Ballone River is fishing well for Yellowbelly and Cod, with spinnerbaits and hard bodies working well.  We have a full moon this Sunday night, so it will be a good opportunity over the weekend to chase a Cod on these rivers and a few of our local dams.

GOLD COAST AND TWEED

Offshore fishing has been a bit better this week, with good numbers of Squire in close, mixed reefies and Yellowtail Kingies on the 36’s, Cobia on the Artificial Reef and Spanish Mackerel are down deep on the 24’s. The Tweed River has again seen a few Black Fish and Bream around the rock walls and bridges, and a few Tailor off the beaches, while up around Southport, good numbers of quality Bream are in the deeper holes throughout the Broadwater, the Seaway has produced good numbers of Tailor and Trevelly and there’s been quite a few Yellowtail Kingies getting about as well, although not a lot of people have been able to hook any.

SUNSHINE COAST

Offshore fishing has gone really well this week, the closer reefs have produced Squire, Sweetlip and Long tail Tuna, with early morning being the best time to go, quality Pearlies on the bottom end of the Barwon Banks, some decent Red Emporer on North Reef and the Hards and plenty of Snapper taking plastics and bait across most of the reefs. Inshore, at Caloundra a few Luderick have been caught off the Boardwalk, big Bream and Trevelly in the Pelican Waters canals, big 38-40cm Whiting throughout the passage, Gar in the Mooloolah River, Jewies around the Motorway bridge and the mouth of the Maroochy River, all different types of Trevelly and good size Flathead throughout the Noosa River and the beaches are producing plenty of Tailor and some big Bream up to the 1kg mark.