FISHING REPORT   – 20-09-2013

BIG BASS FIRING AT SOMERSET

Somerset Dam has produced some cracking fish this week, with good numbers of fish over the 2 - 2.5kg mark, there has also been quite a few over the 3kg mark, with the biggest for the week being 58cm long and tipping the scales at 3.79kg, Bay13 and Pelican Point have been the best spots, while slow rolled soft plastics, tight to the bottom, has been the best method. Not a lot to report from Cressbrook at the moment, it has been a bit quiet this week, Boondooma has again seen some decent Bass taking live bait in the Stuart arm, casting Jackals and spinnerbaits around the timber should produce some decent fish as well. Bjelke Peterson has fished alright again this week, working around Bass Point has produced some good results, casting Jackals and smaller spinnerbaits to the edges early morning and then using ice jigs and blades in a bit deeper water as the day warms up has been very effective as well.  Moogerah Dam remains fairly consistent with some schooled Bass still located in the main basin; these fish are taking a variety of lures, including soft plastics, blades and ice jigs, there have also been reports of some nice fish being landed off the edges, while casting Jackalls.

YELLOWBELLY AND COD

Cooby Dam has again produced decent numbers of Yellowbelly, the fish still seem to be hanging just out from the weed edges and trolling shallow diving hard bodies or casting spinnerbaits and Jackals in tight to the weed has again been effective, while using bait in the deeper parts has produced a few fish as well. Glenlyon has fired this week, with plenty of Cod from 70cm and upwards, as well as heaps of Yellowbelly being caught. The biggest Cod was 110cm long, while hard bodies and spinnerbaits have been the most effective. Lures are starting to become effective at Coolmunda as the water temperature rises, this week has seen quite a few Yellowbelly caught on trolled lures, working them close to the bottom has been successful, while bait has worked well around the timber. Leslie Dam was a little quiet over this past week, however, there were reports of some nice fish landed on lures, one local angler landed some nice Yellowbelly, with the largest measuring 50cm, and a few undersized Cod were caught on Jackalls and spinnerbaits. The bait anglers are still landing a few fish just opposite the dam wall; with live shrimp and frozen salt water yabbies proving to be popular. Connolly Dam fished very well over the weekend, with some nice Yellowbelly taken on salt water yabbies, with the best time being late in the afternoon, a couple of local anglers had success on mask vibes, landing 16 nice fish on Saturday afternoon. As for the rivers, the Balonne at St.George is fishing well for Yellowbelly on live bait, with a few fish starting to take spinnerbaits, there has been quite a bit of action in Dalrymple Creek, just to the west of Allora with a few anglers managing to land some nice fish over the past week and Kings Creek near Clifton has produced some good catches of just legal Yellowbelly on spinnerbaits and jointed shads.

GOLD COAST

Offshore fishing has been a bit quiet due to the wind this week, but the 36’s north east of the Seaway have produced some quality Snapper, while the close artificial reefs have been good for Trag Jew of an evening. Inshore fishing has seen Trevally on metal lures in the Seaway, Flathead everywhere on soft plastics and trolled lures from the Broadwater through to the Pin, quality Whiting at the Council Chambers in the Nerang River and good numbers of Dart, Whiting and Bream off the beaches.

SUNSHINE COAST

Offshore fishing is very similar to last week, with some big Snapper and average size Pearl Perch on 12 Mile Reef and the Barwon Banks, the inner reefs have been good for a mixed bag of reef fish, while a few smaller Black Marlin and Sailfish are still getting about. Inshore fishing has seen plenty of big Whiting around the Power Boat Club, quality Flathead on soft plastics at the bar entrance, small Trevally in the Pelican Waters canals, some decent Bass in the upper reaches of the Mooloolah River, while in the Noosa River, Tailor are hitting surface poppers in Woods Bay, big Flathead and Whiting throughout, some nice Jewies to 80cm in the deeper holes and the upper reaches have seen some nice Mangrove Jack getting about.

FRASER ISLAND

No real changes from our last report, the fishing on Fraser has again been good over the last week, north of Happy Valley has been popular, and the average size of the Tailor is still around the 55cm mark.