Written by Andrew Chorley
December is spotted mackerel season and are the perfect species to enjoy around the BBQ this Christmas. The spotted mackerel are a great sportfish and with them we will see the pelagic action heat up!
Platypus Bay
Platypus Bay has seen huge tuna schools move in along with schools of spotted mackerel . Under the tuna golden trevally, school mackerel and tea leaf trevally can be found. Bait fisherman have reported scarlets, snapper, blackall and sweetlip on the reefs.
Wide Grounds
The wide grounds didn’t fish well over the big tides but should improve this week. Scarets, snapper, hussar, cod and coral trout will be on offer. Over Break Sea Spit reports of some good small black marlin sessions have been reported. With low inside looking wide will be a good option.
Local Reefs
The local reefs fished well this week with sweetlip, blackall, coral trout, grunter and cod being reported. In the shipping channels school mackerel and mac tuna have been reported. The odd longtail is in the mix with a few schools about on dawn.
Urangan Pier
The Urangan Pier has been a little quiet but will improve in the coming weeks. Spanish mackerel, queenfish and golden trevally have been reported from the second channel. In the first channel whiting, gar and bream have been reported on the high tide.
Sandy Straits
In the Straits the fishing has been good over the past week. Whiting were good over the full moon with the night tides fishing the best. Grunter and flathead have been around the creek entrances, salmon can also be found working bait schools. In the Mary river system salmon can be found in the lower reaches. Putting the pots in will be a good option with some good numbers of mud crabs reported this week.
Burrum
The Burrum has begun to clean up with some good fishing now in the lower reaches. Whiting have been active with specimens to 42 cm being caught. Queenfish have been found herding up bait around the flats out the front along with school mackerel. On the Burrum 8 mile tuna schools can be found working. Live baits have produced golden trevally, cod and the odd late season snapper on the 8 mile.
