Written by Andrew Chorley
November is a great time on the Fraser coast for fishing, with our billfish season ramping along with our inshore reef species.
Burrum
Jacks have been the most popular target species in the Burrum River now.
The warmer weather will certainly switch them on.
The best bait option is using prawn imitations, paddle tail plastics and hardbodie lure.
For bait fisherman, mullet fillets and live baits have been working well. For anglers looking for a feed of flathead trying the mangrove islands and black bank has seen a few turn up. Over the full moon, sand whiting has been reported with specimens up to 40cm coming in on live yabbies particularly at night.
Local Reefs
The shallow reefs off Point Vernon and Pialba have produced a few coral trout, cod and sweet lip. Trolling has worked on the trout with fresh baits also getting some attention. On the deeper reefs, school mackerel have been taken on metal spoons and live herring. Golden trevally has also been about and are often a sporty bycatch while targeting reef species. Reef dwellers like sweetlip, cod and coral trout have also been reported.
Platypus Bay
Platypus Bay has seen a few school mackerel trickle in over the reefs and bait grounds. It won’t be long before we see spottys. Sweetlip, scarlets and blackall have been reported coming in on baits fished on the bottom.
Wide Grounds
The wide grounds can be tough this time of year with the ever presence of menacing sharks (tax man). Working your spots quickly and constant moving about is the best way to get a feed. Coral trout, sweetlip, snapper, scarlets and various mackerels have been reported from the Southern gutters and reefs through the central bay. Offshore blue marlin is the prize at the moment with crews landing multiple fish per day outside break sea spit it is great for the local game fishing scene. The juvenile black marlin has been a little slow inside, but good numbers can be found outside the 4 and 13-Mile crossings. Big Mahi Mahi have also been reported outside, along with reef fish.
Sandy Strait
The Mary River has been fishing well in the upper reaches of late for threadfin salmon. The threadies have been caught on soft vibes and trolled hard bodie lures along with taking live baits. Grunter, flathead and bream have been reported from the mid-reaches of the Mary system with a few nice cod in the deeper holes around the mouth.
In the Sandy Strait, mac tuna can be found in the channels with scarlets, sweetlip, cod and tusk fish coming in off the ledges. Please remember Barramundi are off limits from November 1 until February.