Written by Andrew Chorley
Burrum
Spring rains stirred the Jacks up in the Burrum and they should continue to fish well through January with prawn imitations getting the bites. The guys using live baits have also done well so take a cast net to gather some bait if you are serious about catching a few.
Whiting have been taken in the lower reaches along black bank along with flathead and the odd grunter.
Out the front mac tuna can be found on the surface along with the odd spotted mackerel. The Burrum 8-Mile has produced a few golden trevally, grass sweetlip and blackall.
Wild Grounds
The wide reefs can be a little harder to access with the easterly winds blowing a bit harder out wide this time of year.
Sweetlip, coral trout and hussar have been the main catches with sharks being a real problem and will be for a while yet until things cool down.
Heading south over the wide bay bar is a better option with less sharks and good reports of reef fish coming from down there.
Platypus Bay
A few spotted mackerel can be found in Platypus Bay but can be very patchy. A slow and gentle approach to the schools is the key with the extra boat traffic they become very spooky and can split up. Golden trevally, queenfish, longtail tuna and broad bar mackerel can also be found on the bait balls.
Local Reefs
Sweet lip has been in great numbers but again sharks have been very bad. Once a few fish have been landed moving on is a must to avoid feeding sharks.
Try the shallow reefs for better success and less sharks with dawn and dusk seeing the best bite periods.
Cod, coral trout, blackall and parrot have been reported coming from the local inshore reefs. Big GT’s have been about with a few anglers getting some big specimens to 25kg.
Urangan Pier
Off the Urangan Pier golden trevally, Spanish mackerel, and GT’s have been caught in the second channel on live baits.
In the shallows, gar, whiting and flathead have been reported. Walking the beaches is another good option with some good whiting catches being reported off the beach at night.
Sandy Strait
Early mornings have seen some good fish being caught around the mouth of the Mary with threadfin and a few blue salmon being reported.
Grunter and flathead have been caught up the Susan River with some good whiting also about.
The Turkey Straits has had some good reports of whiting also along with queenfish, GT, grunter and flathead.
Taking the crab pots is also a great idea it has been hit and miss but some good crabbing is still on offer if you put in the time.
