Rain Rain Go Away!!!
So Easter 2019 was a wet and windy one, for a change… That said it was to be expected really.
With not too many weather windows offered in April for a chance to get over the WBB many anglers stuck to the creeks inside the straights for most of the month.
To say the Crabbing was good would be an understatement!! Anglers keen to get on the water and chase a feed of Muddies found the crabs were on the march & rewarded with some solid numbers of A Grade Crabs being caught. Setting your traps up in the shallows around the Mangroves with nice fresh bait was the winner. Most punters have been averaging 3 to 4 legal crabs a pot. The locals and the holiday makers all getting amongst it.
Even with the water temp dropping 3-4c in the last couple of weeks, Snapper & Kauri Crk have still been producing some good catches of Mangrove Jack in the high 40’s. Smaller live baits and fresh strip baits have been the go for the cooler waters. There were even reports of a few rat Barra in the upper reaches of Kauri Crk taking live baits also. The creeks on the western side of Fraser have seen a few nice catches of both Blue & King Salmon and again the standout lure has been the Molix 3.5’’ RT Shad. The welcome bycatch of Estuary Cod has also been mixed up with a few nice QLD Grouper being landed lately. Don’t forget that the QLD Grouper is a No Take Species in Queensland, so a quick pic and back in the drink for them.
Peter Herbst with a cracker of a Queensland Grouper on a Molix 3.5 RT Shad
We have started to see some good Pelagics turn up in the bay around Big Mick & The Bluff in the last few weeks with the cooler water temps. Trolling lures like Halco Laser Pros have been working well along with trolled Gar rigged with a nose cone and a squid skirt on a short length of single strand wire. Don’t disregard the humble floated pilchard either. The fisho’s in the know have been catching some great eating Spanish Mackerel up around the meter mark using this method. Mixed in with the Spanish there have been some monster Queenfish well over a meter, GT’s and Longtails caught.
Great Sandy Straits Sports Fishing
We hope you all had a great Easter and were able to get amongst a few yourselves.
Also don’t forget that if you get on to a few, feel free to post a couple of pictures of your catch on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/thechandlerybaitandtackle/ #thechandlerybaitntackle
Find us at the Tin Can Bay Marina, Emperor St for all your boating and fishing needs.
Cheers & Tight Lines
The Chandlery Bait & Tackle