Fishing Report

Welcome to our weekly fishing report for the Gold and Tweed Coasts! The weather has been delightful, with cooler mornings, abundant sunshine, and lighter winds. As we look ahead to the weekend, both Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be fantastic fishing days. So, grab your gear, check the latest forecast, and let’s explore some fishing options for this weekend.

Targeting Tailor from the Beaches

If you’re a beach fishing enthusiast, the westerly winds this week have created excellent conditions for catching Tailor along the coastline, from the Tweed Coast up to South Stradbroke Island. With a small swell, you can focus on fishing the numerous gutters that dot our local surf beaches. During daylight hours, try casting metal slugs and surface lures to cover more ground and locate feeding fish. Opt for weighted lures ranging from 40 to 65 grams to match the size of the bait the Tailor are feeding on. Keep an eye on the sky for bird activity, which can indicate fish feeding, and watch the waves for signs of fish moving through. Using a variety of baits on gang hooks can also be effective, especially during early morning or late afternoon fishing sessions. Choose sinker sizes between 5 ball and 8 ball based on wave size and gutter strength. Whole WA Pilchards, Mullet Fillet, and Bonito Fillet are highly recommended baits.

Targeting Flathead in Shallow Waters

Anglers have been reporting good catches of Flathead in the shallow waters atop sandbanks throughout the Broadwater and Jumpinpin areas, particularly during high tide. Flathead tend to be more active in warmer water, so focus your efforts on areas where the sun has heated up the water, making the fish more likely to bite. As the tide begins to fall, explore the deeper edges of the sandbanks, as well as creek and river mouths, where Flathead lie in wait to ambush bait fish exiting the creeks. During low tide, deep gutters are ideal spots, as Flathead patiently await their prey. You can target Flathead using various methods, such as casting soft plastics, working with metal and soft vibes, or drifting dead baits like White Pilchards, WA Pilchards, Prawns, and Yabbies.

With the beautiful weather and favorable fishing conditions on the Gold and Tweed Coasts, this weekend presents a great opportunity to indulge in some fantastic fishing. Whether you’re targeting Tailor from the beaches or pursuing Flathead in shallow waters, be prepared with the right gear and baits. Remember to check the updated forecast before planning your fishing trip to ensure a successful and enjoyable experience. Tight lines and happy fishing!

Quotes from  the Boats

Clint from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reports:

“This week saw some very good fishing and weather on most days. It is often said the best estuary fishing after major floods is the second winter after the event. That is certainly what is happening this winter in the Gold Coast Broadwater. Flathead catches of 20 to 40 a day have been the norm, and the best lures have been Zman 3 inch minnowz rigged on TT jigheads, Ecogear ZX40’s, and MMD soft prawn vibes. The best spots have been shallow edges from 0.5 to 2 metres deep where the lizards have been sunning themselves on the chilly mornings. Flathead fishing will be good here until December. Arrow Squid are around but I wouldn’t say massive numbers, although I have been trying to balance catching them deeper plus flatties in the shallows all in one session each day. The water temperature also rose from 18 to 20 degrees before this cold snap. Hopefully they’ll come on more soon, they have been smaller in size in areas hard hit by anglers. Some solid Tailor made an appearance this week in the Broadwater North of Crab Island, the bigger and regular schools should be on their way. I love catching these feisty fish, they are so sporty and are also one of my favourite fish to eat. There has also been a lot of beautiful size Flounder widespread in all areas and depths from Sundale bridge to Sovereign Island. Next week after the full moon the morning high tides get later which is good for Squid fishing. The tides are not very big though. Squid do like some flow to bring the food to them so North of the seaway will probably fish best. The water has been crystal clear a lot of the time so look for more discolouration to find better quality fish and squid.”

Gavin from Sea Probe Fishing Charters reports:

“The 50 fathom grounds has been really good still with King Fish, Amberjacks, Sambo, Snapper and Pearlies and even the odd Black Marlin, best baits are live bait, Squid, Pilchards and Mullet. ”

LINKS & INFO

If you have any great catches or photos you would like to share, please email us and let us know how you went. mail@coomerahouseboats.com.au.

Stay up to date with all fishing regulations in Queensland https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries

Hire a tinnie with your Coomera Houseboat hire to maximise your fishing range on the water:  http://www.coomerahouseboats.com.au/our-fleet-type/hire-tinnies/     

Seabreeze is a great website to access a local forecast http://www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/  

Good luck with the Fishing. Brett