June Fishing Report

G’day Crew, hope you’ve all been keeping well and getting out and wetting a line over the last few weeks.  How good is it to see lots of new faces in town since Queenslanders have been allowed to travel state wide.  It’s so good for our little town, our region and our state. Our local retailers and industries are all benefitting from seeing tourists return.

Welcome back to The Bay guys!!

Now, let’s have a look at what has been getting caught in our local area the last few weeks.

Customers have been reporting some solid catches of Sand Crabs in The Bay, in the deeper water.  The Mud Crabs are also around all though they are starting to slow up a little but the crabs we have seen have be of quality.  Crabbing at the back of the bay, in the shallows, around full moon has been producing.  We have weighed a few here in the shop during the month that were getting up around the 1.7kg mark.

Neil Moy with a nice couple of Muddies

Schools of Choppers are about in The Bay, nothing of size really, just big enough to cut a soft plastic in half.  A few legal fish up around the Power Lines and even in Browns a couple of weeks ago.  The bigger fish should be showing up along the beaches now.  Speaking of fishing the beaches, Jew fish have been showing up, though only a handful of smaller specimens so far.  Slide baiting a live Tailor, Whiting or Squid into a good gutter is a good place to start with a good measure of patience added in the mix.  Surprisingly, a couple of decent Mangrove Jacks were caught off Rainbow Beach by a few Whiting Fishos last week!  I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on Facebook…

Chase Matthews with his 1st ever squid!!

Offshore Fishos had a few opportunities to get over the WBB.  We spent night out wide at the start of the month but were plagued with NW winds from daybreak.  We did manage to scratch up a good feed of Tuskfish, Coronation Trout, Lippers and some nice Jobfish.  Didn’t see a Pearly a Snapper or a legal Red for all our efforts but that’s fine, our families still got a good feed of fresh local reef fish!

Josh with a 13.kg Red that ate a Zerek Live Shrimp

On that note, Snapper & Pearl Perch are off the menu! 

DO NOT FORGET, closed season starts this month and runs from the 15th of July to the 15th of August.  They will be NO TAKE and no target species, just like Barra are in their closed season.

Winter Whiting are still being caught in good numbers with Fishos reporting good size fish being bagged.  The Bream will now be on the chew and targeting these guys with a small hardbody lure or small plastics and some light line is sure to make for some good fun.  Strips of fresh Mullet on a 3/0 suicide hook fished back into the structure should also see you bag a feed.  The Squid are not disappointing this year either and have been copping a pounding the last few week.

There are a few Spotted Mackerel getting around in The Bay around the yachts now, so keep your eyes out as the bust-ups are quick.  A light spin rod or a 7wt flyrod would make for some good fun on these guys.

The Boss with a solid creek Dimond caught on a Zerek Fish Trap

Golden and Dimond Trevally have been making an appearance along the drop-offs on the runout tide and the first couple of hours of the flood.  Using vibes in a 65mm to 95mm sizes have been working well.  It may pay to go heavier with your choice of vibe so you can spend more time in the strike zone.  Even trolling small deep divers along the drop offs will work and you have a good chance of pulling a Flathead or two.  If all that sounds like a bit of hard work you can always pup a few Yabbies and soak a bait for them.

Rubee and brother Jack Walton took out this months Fishing Photo Comp
Jack looking very impressed with his capture

Well that’s it from me this month Crew.  Stay safe and healthy and if you haven’t popped in and seen the new layout of the shop lately, well you should 😉

Find us at the Tin Can Bay Marina, Emperor Street for all your boating and fishing needs.

Cheers & Tight Lines

Chris

May Fishing Report

G’day Guys & Gals hope you are keeping warm?  Looks like It is time to breakout the uggies & beanies, crank the fire pit and bust out the hot toddies, man It’s cold today!!  As I write this it has gone from 23c yesterday to 14c today and personally I think that is dam cold.  Well it is when you’ve spent the best part of the last decade living in FNQ & the NT.  I guess the cooler weather should bring a stabilisation in weather pattens, although I hear from the BOM that it’s meant to be a pretty wet winter, but we will see what comes our way over the next couple of months.

With the relaxation in the COVID 19 restriction we are bound to start to see a few more boats on the local waterways as people are now allowed to travel further afield.  Our local population of fish seem to have been thankful for the break also.  Many locals have been saying that the fishing the last few weeks has been the best in a long time.  This is partly due to less traffic on the water but personally I think it has more to do with the good down pours and the good flushing out that the creeks got at the end of summer.

The Winter Whiting have been getting caught in good numbers and have been of good size with mid 20cm fish being common.  The mouth of Kauri has been the hot spot, also drifting around the Lady Woodward & the powerlines. 

The squid are still around in good numbers and the YamashitA Sutte R Jigs in NEB have been popular with most of the TCB Fishing Club members.  Pink & orange colours have also been working a treat on the local Cephalopods, no surprises there.  Still haven’t seen any good tigers yet but they can’t be too far away. 

Ron Cox with mnaged to put the breaks on this slob of a Blackspot Tuskie!!

On the squid jig front, keep an eye out on our Facebook page for a YamashitA promo this month.  We have teamed up with our good friends and supplier of the YamashitA jigs, E.J.Todd and will be running a comp to promote the release of one of their new jigs! Logon to our FB page to find out more www.facebook.com/thechandlerybaitandtackle

A few Squire have started to show up in The Bay the last couple of weeks, fresh squid baits & divers being the bait of choice for most anglers.  There are also some good Blackall being caught and a few Grassies in the mix.  The 40’ has been fishing well the last couple of weeks for those guys.  We have also seen some solid Blackspot Tuskies being caught on crabs along Teebar ledge.  There have been some solid Golden Trevally being caught on also.  Vibing the drop offs on the runout tide has seen some good fish being caught.

Mal Kay with a nice Goldspot

There were a few nice Jacks still being caught in the creeks midmonth before this cold spell really kicked in.  A few of the young lads that had been using the Madeyes Paddle Prawns rigged weedless and slow rolled out of the snags hunting Bream also got a few nice Jack.  This cold snap is sure to quieten them down but the Bream fisho’s will be happy to see this cold weather kick in.  Flathead are also out in force now.  Some of the local guns have been getting some great fish stalking the shallows on a rising tide with 60 & 90mm hardbodies.  A steady retrieve & making sure your lures are smacking into the mud and kicking up a puff of dust is key.  I am sure you all know how much fun the old Flatskulls are in shallow water on light line.

The Pelagics have still been hunting up around Inskip and there have been some big Spanish being caught.  Slow trolled live baits and the trusty Laserpro in 160DD & XDD doing the job up there for the fishos into trolling.  The guys casting slugs at the bait schools have been getting Mac & Longtail Tuna but the big Spanish have been holding deeper under the schools and picking off the scraps.  So sinking a Halco Twisty down through the bait schools a good 10/15m will work if you are targeting a feed of Mackerel.  Again, try retro fitting your slugs with a single hook for a better hook up.  I like to use the Mustad Tarpon hooks in 5/0 & 6/0 as they are an inline hook.

Nice Tuna on fly for the Boss

We have been getting great reports of Sand Crabs on the march in The Bay so now is the time to get the drop dillies out and do a little prospecting for some Blue Swimmers.  Whiting frames would be my pick of baits for these tasty guys.

Well that is it from me this month Crew, but one last thing from myself, Emma and the whole Crew at The Chandlery Bait & Tackle, we would like to say a
MASSIVE THANK YOU for the ongoing support you have shown us especially in these trying times.  Thank you all for shopping local and helping us keep the doors open.

Cheers & Tight Lines

Chris

Winner Winner Brett North took out the May Fishing Photo Comp with a nice Green Jobfish

February Fishing Report

G’day Crew,

Hope you have all been staying dry the last few weeks with the downpours we’ve been having.  But honestly how good has this rain been, good for the sea and great for the land, bring it on!!  On the topic of rain didn’t TCB cop a proper washdown at the start of the month 350mm+ in the space of a couple of days and then there was follow up rain for the rest of the month.  Now that the creeks have received a good flushing out things should start to fire up again.

Rain hail or shine the Mangrove Jacks have been on the chew and the local Jack fishos are saying this is one of the best years they have seen in the last four or five.  Fresh Mullet strips and smaller live bait seem to be the key for most anglers in the dirty water.  We have seen some good fish coming from the heavy structure in Snapper Creek, Teebar & of course Kauri has also been producing.  As I write this there are still a couple of weeks of fishing left in our 2020 Mangrove Jack Fishing Competition.  The comp is in full swing and competitors have until midday the 29th of February to enter fish.  Most of the anglers have been able to upgrade their bag quickly and get extra points.  The competition for top spot is close at the moment and looks like it’ll be won on time of fish registration.  So stay tuned to find out who takes out the comp.

Mitch pulling an all nighter for the comp

Those who did braved the weather got stuck into a few and not just Jacks.  Up the creeks we have seen an explosion of small Poddies & Gar getting around and this is a welcome sight.  Cod and Bream seem to have been around in good numbers and sizes.  Grunter have still been on the menu for most Fishos and the better catches have come from fishing the evening tides, with Squid baits working the best.

Shawn getting on the scoreboard for the 2020 Mangrove Jack Comp

February has seen the Crabs getting flushed out too.  Plenty of customers have reported good catches of Bucks, the flats and the drop-offs have been the places to catch a feed.  Fresh bait and a good soak over a tide is the go.  Mitch got out in the middle of the down pour with a couple of mates and managed to get a good feed over a few days at the start of the month. 

Anymore than a handful is a waste they say… Not this time!!

Don’t forget that the bag limit changed for Muddies on the 1st of September 2019 and is now 7 per person or 14 per boat with two or more people on board.  In the coming weeks we are due a run of Prawns and the rain will have only helped the cause.  Sounding around the deeper water should see you come up trumps in places like Browns.  We did get a few reports of some nice Prawns coming out of Crab Creek in the middle of the month.

The end of January and the start of February saw the offshore fishing producing the goods.  There were some ripper Snapper around, in good numbers and good sizes.  Most of the Snapper that have been getting caught have been well over the 800mm mark. 

Ray got this proper Knobbie on a recent trip out with Ed from Keely Rose

The charter guys also found some quality Reds not too far from home mixed in with the Snapper.  Good catches of Tuskies, Pearlies, Red Throat & Spangled Emperor, Cobia, AJs & Spanish kept the rods buckled.

Cole with a Spangled from a recent trip out jigging metals.

Schools of small Tuna have been popping up everywhere out wide so it would pay to have a Halco Twisty rigged and ready on a 20lb spin outfit.  I am a big fan of retro fitting a single hook off the back instead of trebles.  I find the hook up rate higher and if you are releasing the fish, a little more humane and quicker to get out of the fish and yourself, if you’re that unlucky…

That’s about it for now Crew so till next time tight lines and we will see you on the water or in the shop.

Find us at the Tin Can Bay Marina, Emperor St for all your boating and fishing needs.

Cheers & Tight Lines

Chris

WINNER WINNER!!! Mitch Martin Taking out the February Fishing Photo Comp!!
Young Harry has been getting a few nice Reds lately

January Fishing Report

G’day Crew hope you have all been getting out and wetting line this past month.  How good was the rain we got mid month, saved me washing the car for another six months.

I know I said it last month but to say the Mangrove Jack are on fire at the moment would be an understatement!!  Now if you thought December’s catches were up there with the numbers and quality, January is giving it a touch up that’s for sure.  Kauri has been producing the goods and fishos have been catching fish from just under legal size to the well and truly legal high 40s.  It’s great to see such a range of fish being caught in out system.  It shows that they are breading well and there is a healthy population in our local water ways.  Carlo & Bullock Point boat ramps have also been hot spots especially for the land based fishers.  Mixed in with the Jacks there have been some pretty impressive Barra bycatch and the fish that we were shown looked to be all over a meter mark (fish were all reported to have been release.) 

Wyatt Lee with an entry into the 2020 Mangrove Jack Comp

Speaking of Barra as of the 1st of February Barra are now back on the cards for a target species.  Here’s hoping that we see some good catches in The Bay this year.  There are more Barra here than most people know.  If you actively target them & fish for them in their prime bite times and put in the hard yards I’m sure you will be rewarded in the long run.  Feel free to pop in and have a chat if want to get out and chase a few Barra this season.

Besides the very welcome rain we had in January we also got some cracker days on the water and the fishing didn’t disappoint.  Mackerel made an appearance offshore in numbers and everyone capitalised on them.  Spanish and Spotties were all on the menu.  While in good numbers the average sizes of Spanish were around the 8kg mark with a few bigger models in the mix also.  The trick has been to get them past the Shark which seem to be in plagues at present.  Good catches of mixed reef fish filled the eskies with Tuskies, Trout, Pearlies, Grass Emperor and some solid Reds all coming home for dinner.

Megan With a nice Snapper from a recent trip on Keely Rose

We had a lot of holiday makers come through the shop the last couple of months reporting good catches of Squid.  Not in the numbers that we see in Winter but most days consisted of double figures.  Most of the action was from around the Carlo cardinal marker when the tide had some movement to it. The ever loved YamashitA jigs were again a popular choice with the punters.

Mitch has got Crabs again….

Mud Crabs are also on the menu now.  The quality of the crabs we have been seeing in the last few weeks are A grade.  The better crabs have been coming from up on the flats.  The catches in the creeks seem to be smaller empty C grade crabs.  If you are unsure on how to tell the difference between an A grade crab & an empty crab swing in and see us and we can run you through a few pointers to get the crabs with the best yield.

We have not had too many reports of flathead and whiting this month, maybe it’s because everyone seems to be out hunting Jacks while the going is good…

On that note, our Mangrove Jack competition is in full swing now and the race to the top is tight.  1st & 2nd place is likely to come down to the time the fish was registered.  So sit tight and we will announce the winners next month as the comp runs till the 29th of February. 

That’s about it for now Crew so till next time take it easy and get outside and wet a line.

Find us at the Tin Can Bay Marina, Emperor St for all your boating and fishing needs.

Cheers & Tight Lines

Chris

	Australia, Bait, Cooloola Coast, EjTodd, Fishing, Fishing Tin Can Bay, Fraser Coast, Fraser Island, Molix, Tin Can Bay
WINNER WINNER!!!!! Lester Cross took out the January Photo Comp with the cracker of a photo!!
Rae has been getting a few the last few weeks also
Karl on board Keely Rose with a beautiful Red Emperor

September Fishing Report

Man has the year flown by!!  September 18th marked our one year anniversary of running the shop.  Emma and I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everyone that has shopped with us, supported us and accepted us into the TCB community.  We are humbled and proud to say that we work and live here in this beautiful part of the world.

Any way enough of that lets talk fishing!!  So we have been blessed with a good run of back to back days of good weather this month.  Warm days and cool night have been welcomed and the fishing has been heating up too.  The weed has been painful to say the least, would love a good 200ml to clear it out.  But those who have persisted have been rewarded.

Up the creeks have been producing some thumper Summer Whiting on fresh Yabbies or some of our local Beach Worm sourced from the island & DI.  We’ve had good reports of Fisho’s also getting a good feed of Whiting on top water lures like the Noman Drawings and Sugarpen’s.  Try fishing a flooding tide on the flats where you’ve pumped Yabbies in the past would be a good start.  Keeping your leader shorter than normal will help to get a better action out of these lures as you crank them over that flats & with such small hooks back the drag off a little.

Mitch opening the account early

Jacks are starting to pop up and I’m sure as it gets hotter, we are going to see a few Barra turn up for the dialled in angler.

Flathead are well and truly fare game in The Bay now and the Biwaa Deus 4’’ in Kaleido & Star & Neon Scale Minnow proving to be winners. 

The Flatties love the new Biwaa Deus 4’’ in Kaleido

We have also been seeing some of the topwater Whiting Crew catching some good fish in the mid 60’s also.  Flathead on surface lures can be a long day sometimes but well worth it when you see that first hit of a croc rising up and engulfing your lure.

September saw the offshore Guys & Gals getting out and catching a good feed.  While reports of Pearlies were a little hard to find, the Snapper, Moses, Hussar, Tuskie & Grassies were playing the game & don’t forget the AJ’s.  Yes they are still out there in good numbers so why not drop a jig down and get stretched!!

Good customer Sandra getting done on an overnighter.

Rumour has it that there have been a few nice size Kingies getting around in The Bay.  A well presented live Squid is going to be like a lolly to these guys.  Personally, I don’t mind a little sashimi Kingy.  There has been a good run of early season Queenfish showing up around the Inskip area.  These guys have been partial to live Pike or Herring floated out the back but they are way more fun on a popper or a stickbait if you can find them schooled up.  Personally, I’m also partial to a little sashimi Queeny or even better, done Nummus style.


Josh with a nice Kingy from The Bay

That’s all for now Crew & don’t forget our monthly photo competition is running on our Facebook page.  There is a $100.00 voucher up for grabs each month and the winner will be announced on the 1st of every month on our FB Page

WINNER WINNER!!!
September Fishing Photo Comp “Winners” are the father son team Daniel & Casey Bates With their 105cm King Threadfin Salmon caught in the Mary River. Well done Men!

Find us at the Tin Can Bay Marina, Emperor St for all your boating and fishing needs.

Once again from Emma & myself thank you all for your ongoing support

Cheers & Tight Lines

Chris

Couple of Pearlies from a trip out on Keerly Rose


Again Biwaa Deus 4’’ in Kaleido undoing this fun sizes GT