FISHING IN THE NEW YEAR
If you feel like you've got a case of cabin fever or the occupants of your house, unit or tent are climbing the walls, you're not alone. With probably the wettest Christmas ever behind us, here's hoping the weather gods will bring some sun. In the meantime, if you are still playing it safe while clouds hang ominously over the Sunshine Coast, check out these sure-fire ways to let the kids and big-kids-at-heart wet a line without getting too wet:
Head to the Barra Park: What's the perfect way to spend a day fishing where you are pretty much guaranteed a catch with the added bonus of being only meters away for a large undercover area? Suncoast Barra Fishing Park is the answer! Close-by, it's located on the northern banks of the Maroochy River at Bli Bli. It boasts three large saltwater ponds of over 18 acres of fish rich waters. If you've never caught yourself a barra or the king of the jungle of estuaries, then Suncoast Barra is the best option which doesn't involve a 900km drive to the top end! Plus barramundi thrive in muddy waters after plenty of rain. With several sheltered areas, bbq's and plenty of space it's an angler friendly environment. The aim is to provide a relaxing location, ample fish for all plus chances to set new catch records. This park gives all anglers a free tub of pellets for bait/berley on entry, but you can easily use live, fresh or frozen baits, lures and fly gear. For more info give the team a call on 54487514 or check out their website: http://www.
Get the Advantage: There are plenty of keen anglers out there that are trying their hand at soft plastic fishing, but are struggling to hook any decent fish or those anglers that would like to fine tune their soft plastic skills. So if you are happy to get your feet a bit wet, enlist the expertise of the man who know fishing best: Brian from Angler's Advantage Charters.
And a subtle hint for the weather gods - may their New Year's resolution be something like - perhaps 2011 could be the year of less extreme weather patterns...hasn't Queensland had enough drought, flooding, cyclonic winds this past year?
LOCAL FISHING REPORT
Noosa: Whiting throughout the lower river. A few trevally in woods bay at night on the high tide. Golden trevally, flathead and bream from the lower reaches. Mud crabs in Weyba Creek and in Lake Cooroibah.
Maroochydore: A few good bream to 42cm along Mudjimba beach yesterday morning. Whiting, bream, tarwhine, flathead and trevally from the mouth on the making tide. Jewfish in the middle reaches. Flathead, a few whiting around 30cm, a star gazer and bream from Chambers Island. Mud crabs from, Chambers Island, Bli Bli and the canals.
Kawana: Yellow fin bream, grunter bream and the occasional whiting along La Balsa Wall. Whiting, dart and a few flathead between Kawana and Wurtulla beaches. A few grunter bream in the upper reaches. Mud crabs in the canals and in the upper reaches.
Caloundra: Bream and whiting from Moffat and Shelley beaches. Mangrove jacks in the creeks. Whiting throughout the lower reaches. Bream, whiting and flathead from the mouth of Currimundi lake. Mud crabs throughout the passage.
Tiana, Courtney, Drew, Jarred and James were enjoying their school holidays fishing with the family at Maroohy River mouth when they caught this 66cm dusky flathead.
Tim Turner spend a day out on the water with Anglers advantage and landed this quality Maroochy river bream on a Nuclear chicken Gulp minnow.
Sarah braved the wet weather on an Anglers Advantage charter for this golden trevally on the dirty water line in the Maroochy River mouth.