Gladstone Blog

Winter has arrived with fresh evenings, chilly mornings and a wind chill factor which makes 9 degs feel like 2 degs!!

With this time of the year the seasonal runs of species through this region can be amazing like the size of the Spanish Mackeral which hang around places like Rundle Island, Black head, Sable chief, Settlement point, Seal rocks, Jenny Lind Bank, Ethel rocks, Middle and outer Rocks, and the headlands around Roundhill, and Agnes Water.

These missiles love to hang around a bit of structure or places which are going to hold some food for them.

Johnny Mitchell has always stated that fresh baits will beat any other and after watching his DVD called Spanish Mackeral you start to realise that the bigger the bait the bigger the fish, so if you haven’t seen it then best you do.

He also has one of there featuring Mudcrabs of which yours truly has a cameo right at the end and even though I’m not a fan of Muddies I recommend those who are keen to learn more to watch this one as well because the amount of muddies being caught in this region at the moment is ridiculous!!

These DVD are available at you favourite tackle shop or off Johnny’s website.

This time of the year also brings out those chasing Fingermark Perch which quite often are a by catch of those chasing Barra, but these are regarded as one of the finest table fish in the sea.

Related to Mangrove Jack, Fingermark or Golden Snapper as they are known in the north (Lutjanus Johnii) will fight to the death and if your gear is not up to scratch you will lose.

Other species moving through the region are Black Jew, Cobia or otherwise known as Black king, GT’s, and massive Queenies are all regulars.

Justin Nye took some clients out this week and they nailed some massive fish in close and if you are keen to learn about fly fishing then go no further. I see that he has brought out some promotions this week on his face book page.

We need to support these guys as they too add to the colour of our region, and the richness of the fishing experience we enjoy on a daily basis.

A couple of people have made the comment to me as to where the hell are some of these places we speak about being Tullarook, Jenny Lind Bank and more because w=once you move out of your local region it’s like double Dutch.

I once stayed in Roslyn Bay marina and listened to the foreign language they use there on the radio like “we are heading up to the paddock..” and to be honest where the heck is that?

So, because of that query I thought I’d put together this basic map of our region and label the spots so that you too know where some of these gun fishermen are referring to, many of which are pretty self explanatory like “12 mile” which is basically there area between Facing Island and Rock Cod Shoals which is 12 miles off shore.

Between there and the coast we have places like Eugene’s Pots which are a cluster of small bommies or Coral in the middle of nowhere which more often than not hold good trout and the occasional Red.

Off Agnes water and 1770 we have the inner and outer wides and although I don’t usually slip down that way it’s the area between Lady Musgrave, Fairfax and the coast where the bottom is littered with 1-2m coral bommies and around 30-50m depth.

Cabbage Patch is the area between Masthead and Wistari Reefs and is always a great spot for trout, Sweetlip, Parrot and the occasional Red.

This map is very basic but I’m sure you get the idea, as its not meant as a navigation aid or anything accurate because it’s just a tourist map.

This weekend it is looking a bit breezy tomorrow but not too bad and Sunday all things are pointing to the odd shower and lighter winds as the day progresses.

Big tides this weekend folks with the full moon occurring and some cool southerlies today and tomorrow eventually turning south easterly on Sunday should keep the sea conditions down a little but that breeze will be cool.

Have a cracker weekend I’m off to the caravan and camping expo in Brisbane working the Southern great barrier Reef Stand. Drop in and say gidday if you nearby.

Hooroo Dags