Fishers Spoiled for Choice in Gladstone Region

FOR those who know this region and the different spots to wet a line there is such a vast number of places to go and also species to catch.

From the harbour with the barra and the enormous king salmon out to the reef with those magic reds, trout, sweetlip, and mackerel, through to the inland systems like Awoonga, Callide, Monduran, and Cania Dams, for barra, mangrove jack, saratoga, bass, and in some spots we are seeing some pretty big longtoms being caught in Awoonga and in the Dawson River.

The local fishing pages on Facebook have seen some pretty good catches of black jew, mangrove jack and a snodger of a grunter measuring 69cm, which Thimoteus Newland caught and released this week, on a humble prawn bottom fishing.

I see Steven Strathdee spent some time out at Cania, and decided to walk the banks flicking stick baits around the snags and had a ball with the perch and bass.

The same thing applies with walking the banks of the Boyne - in "stealth mode" I call it - and targeting those snags which will hold barra, and jack.

In fact, you really don't need too much water for neither species, as the more shallow you get (Kermit the frog "knee deep") the more the little surface poppers, and walk the dog lures, come into play.

These predators will tend to sit, and wait in the lee of a rock, or gravel bank, as the water or tide comes in over the top, bringing with it some dinner, and it's these places you need to target.

To add another dimension, try fishing very light, say down to a 4-6 lb line, with an 8-10 lb leader, and only then the challenge commences.

This weekend is new moon Friday, with huge tides, nice balmy northerlies, and reasonably flat seas.

Tomorrow morning it looks as though the breeze could be down to 10 knots or a little less, from about sun up till around 2-3pm at the time of writing this.

It will swing around to the east after lunch, providing a very nice ride home if you venture out wide.

Sunday looks as though it'll be 10-15 easterlies all day, but that won't bother some.

The low tide around 4ish Saturday arvo is a big one though, and the likes of the Boyne Entrance will be practically unusable from 1 or 2 pm, and those using this access need to plan ahead.

For those chasing a feed of crabs, then this weekend should be awesome with some big chocolate bucks around at the moment, and coupled with the big tides you should be able to access some of those creeks, and drains which can't normally get to.

For those new to the region and keen to get into some crabbing, learning how this whole line of fishing works can be quite tricky and a good start to learn about the "art" of crabbing is to pick up a DVD of Johnny Mitchell's called the Mud Crab, at most tackle shops or via his website.

This year's Boyne Tannum HookUp being the 20th year, has now been open for entries for a little while and there is a steady flow of those booking their spot in this incredible event.

Having it back on the original weekend, being Queen's Birthday long weekend in June (6,7,8 ) is very cool.

And the committee, many of whom have been volunteering there time for many years now to bring you this extravaganza, are planning to blow you away beginning with that major prize boat from Curtis Coast Marine, Haines Signature, Suzuki, and Garmin.

You can't win this, nor any of the other nine boats if you aren't entered.

Entry is easy by simply going on line to www.boynetannumhookup.com.au and following the instructions.

Remember once it's full, it's full, but numbers are only restricted with senior entrants to 3000, whereas with the kids they are open to as many as they can get.

Finally share a thought for those at VMR Gladstone who diligently man the radios and the rescue boats, to help us out when things don't go the way we plan.

They are in constant need for volunteers on the radios. If you aren't a member then my best advice is to be one.

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We're Getting Hooked on Big Catches | Gladstone, QLD

WOW! Doesn't a nice weekend on the water make a difference to one's well-being?

The fish were biting, the wind had dropped out and the sea flattened out somewhat, allowing most to get out on the water.

Last week saw a few getting into the black jew. Like Ray Noe, who landed this beauty up near Rundle.

Well done, along with Terrin Sharpe and Jon Pike, who just love showing off their big jewies as well.

The whole region fished very well, with plenty of barra caught in Raglan Creek, the Calliope and right across the whole system.

How about Greg Elliot's barra on the front page of The Observer this week?

What an awesome fish. And there were others - like Andrew Barnes, who caught and released a 1.3m barra, Brent Barnes-Mayman landed a 1.3m cobia, and Mark Bycroft landed a nice 45cm Jack using a vibe lure.

There were so many good catches on the weekend.

Yours truly had the pleasure of being invited out with Johnny Mitchell and although a 3am rise is just not right, I got out on the water at 4am (yawn), fishing the 8-15 mile range outside the entrance to the channel, targeting nannygai, reds, trout and whatever else chewed on the line.

Learning more about the sounder, bait collection and even my method of striking a fish was all part of the learning curve with this chap, and like a good golfing stroke, all these little coaching tips certainly help increase your chances of nailing that fish.

We came home with 17 keepers and ended up with about 8kg of fillets.

Mark Patton was able to slip out on Monday morning before the wind popped up and among his binful was a 5kg grassie sweetlip. Solid fish Mark, well done.

This weekend, Greg Realf and I, along with Glenn Churchill from the GAPDL, are manning the Gladstone and Banana Region's stand at the Brisbane Tinny and Tackle Show in Manly.

The goal is to answer any questions people have about the region and in the past the four of us (Matty Branthwaite helps as well) have been kept pretty busy.

There are a lot of perceptions about our region down south, but as those who slip out on the water can contest, we have it very good, with a variety of places to go and myriad species to target.

The HookUp major prize is a fully kitted out Haines Signature 602F.

The 20th Boyne Tannum HookUp is rapidly approaching, and Darren Brown, from Curtis Coast Marine, posted a photo of the major prize on his Facebook page - a Haines Signature 602F Hardtop fitted out with Garmin electronics and a mighty 150hp Suzuki four-stroke.

Visit www.boynetannumhookup.com.au to enter.

This weekend looks as though it'll be a tad ordinary out front, with 15 knots expected tomorrow afternoon, plus maybe a shower.

Big tides, though, and for the best results the last couple of hours leading up to and down to the high and low tides seem to produce the best results.

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Gladstone Region and Reef Have the Best Fish Around

Matt Branthwaite holds up a solid north west red emperor.

THIS is the last of my columns for the year and I just wanted to reflect on some of the awesome fish which have been caught around the region during that time.

We are so blessed to have a spectacular river and estuary system on our door step which consistently yields arguably the biggest barra in Australia.

In addition, I think we have the best muddies, prawns, grunter, massive king or threadfin salmon, schools of blue salmon, monster black jew, pull-your-arms-off fingermark, the sweetest tasting whiting, and bream so big that you can knock a fillet off them and come home with 2kg of fillets.

On top of that, we go through to cobia off the beach, flathead which consistently go over length and have to be released, and so much more.

That's just the inshore stuff!

Offshore the fishing we have here is something that the Mexicans (south of the border) and our south-east Queensland counterparts drool over.

Having been part of the Boyne Tannum Hook-up since its inception, I have seen some of the biggest mackerel caught up at Rundle Island weighed in, coral trout which would cost an absolute fortune.

But what about the solid red emperor, or the sweetlip, or as "Time Chrutchill" (Tim Churchill) refers to them, RTE (red throat emperor)?

The Gladstone region, and the Southern Barrier Reef is a very cool place to work, rest, invest, and play; and all of us, who live here, know that.

The places we can visit in a boat are spectacular and at times you have to pinch yourself to ensure you aren't dreaming.

Place like Yellowpatch, Pancake Creek, Seven Mile, or up Grahams Creek on a still foggy morning when the water is like glass and every now and then a "boof" can be heard from a barra having his, or her, brekkie.

What about waking up beside North West, Masthead, or any of the islands, and reefs, just offshore, and looking over the side into crystal clear water, watching the fish swim along the bottom 10m below.
So cool.

It's just a pity the region isn't like that this weekend because this wind looks like continuing through the whole weekend and only possibly dropping out a bit on Monday night.

There are plenty of unstable weather patterns around this time of the year, so if you are intending on slipping out the front over the Christmas break please ensure that you log onto VMR Gladstone, or Roundhill, if you are coming out of Town of 1770.

Know what the weather is doing as well as the tides, especially what they are doing when you approach them in current against wind.

Know your limits, and know the conditions, because it is Christmas and we don't want to lose anyone.
Finally I'd like to wish you all a very merry, and safe Christmas, and hope that the fat fella brings what you want.

If you are short of an idea, why not buy Johnny Mitchell's new DVD called Wild Adventures Curtis Island, now available off his website, Pats Tackle World or Barra Jacks in Rocky if you are from up that way.


Eight years in the making and some of the footage will leave you gobsmacked!