By Andrew Chorley – @herveybaysportfishing
The last month of winter should see some great fishing, with our Snapper season opening mid-August. Anglers will be ready to get out there and land some nice fish. Bread and butter species are also a highlight this time of year, so dust off the light gear.
Burrum
Out at Burrum, reports are that there are some good whiting catches coming from the mid and lower reaches of the Burrum River, along with some big flathead between the ramps. Mangrove Jacks will be a good option in the Burrum system as we come into spring. Weedless rigged soft plastics, prawn imitations and hardbodies worked around the snags, rockbars and deeper holes will be the best methods to find a Jack.
Local reefs and beaches
On the reefs out from Gatakers school mackerel, squire, sweetlip, coral trout and blackall can be found. With flesh baits and soft plastics producing some fish. Big flathead can also be found along the rock edges of Point Vernon and the mangrove fringes on the high tide around Eli Creek. Soft plastics and small hardbodies have been working well, along with whole baits like herring, pilchards, and hardy heads, worked slowly across the bottom for the flathead. Other local reefs, like the Roy Rumus Artificial, have been producing some pan-sized snapper, with bigger models coming after dark. Please remember snapper are no-take until after August 14. Other catches have been grassy sweetlip, cod and coral trout on the local reefs and artificials.
Wide grounds
Out at the gutters, sweetlip, moses perch, snapper, and parrot have made up the main catches. As the waters warm, expect a few more coral trout to hit the deck out there, with live baiting being the preferred method to target them. Around the Rooneys area, snapper should be active over the bigger tides when the season opens. Soft plastics worked around bait schools have been effective, as have soft vibes and live baits. In Platypus Bay the fishing has reported to be a little quiet which it can be at times as we head into a new season, snapper are still a reliable target with various species of trevally giving anglers a bit of sport.
Urangan Pier
Off the Urangan Pier, local anglers have reported some great fishing with big longtails coming off the end in the mornings. Some nice flathead up to around 3kg, bream to 1kg and some nice tailor were also reported off the Pier.
Sandy Straits
Down the straits, big spawning flathead continue to be found almost everywhere, with some specimens reported close to the one-meter mark. Soft plastics are always a favourite for anglers when targeting flathead, but small hardbodies can also be just as effective. If you are after some added sport, try catching a big flathead on top water lures. Small to medium size walk the dog lure’s can be deadly at times, with big flathead smashing them off the surface. Further down the straits, whiting, bream, tailor, blue and threadfin salmon have also been reported in and around the creeks and in the deep holes.
