Fisho's Weekly Fishing Report - 11th July 2025
by Fisho's Tackle World Hervey Bay 11 Jul 01:02 PDT
Superb weather this weekend
The past week was very kind to boaties, with just the westerly wind yesterday tainting what was otherwise a brilliant week on the water. A remarkable lingering sea fog created some confusion and perhaps a few anxious moments for boaties tearing about blindly in recent days. It is indeed rare to experience foggy conditions all day in these parts.
The week ahead looks almost as good as the State of Origin final score Wednesday night. Wow, what a game! If you can fish anywhere near as well as our boys played that game of footy, it will be PBs and bag limits all round. Well done to the mighty maroons - may this be the beginning of another era.
The westerly will blow itself out as today wears on, leaving us with light winds before nightfall. The perfect opportunity to get out there under the glow of tonight's full moon. Saturday will dawn clear and substantially cooler. Light winds to 10 knots both Saturday and Sunday will see our boat ramps overflowing again as boaties tear off into the wide blue yonder.
Go early if hitting the bay Monday, before the westerly breeze returns and takes the edge off the afternoon session. Another brief north-wester is expected to build through Tuesday before a subtle south-easterly change arrives Wednesday and swings the breeze back onshore. All-in-all, a great forecast for the next few days. Sunny skies and light winds - what more could you want!
The passing of the full moon tonight will see it waning thereafter as the tides begin to diminish slightly day by day. The bigger night-time high tides will create wonderful opportunities for those of you that are comfortable on the water after dark. And for those that aren't; the daytime tides will be manageable and productive also.
Lack of herring frustrating pier fishos
The consistent lack of herring beneath the Urangan Pier has meant minimal action for pelagic-pursuing pier fishos of late. Even the bream numbers are less than you would expect at this time, and flathead aren't nearly as common as they can be mid-winter. Having said this, there is plenty of fun to be had with what bream are there, and the full moon tides will have them on the chew.
Evening sessions can produce the best quality fish for those defaulting to frozen baits. Mullet fillets, mullet gut, hardy heads and frozen herring have been presented to the bream lately, as catching fresh bait has been too challenging. Prawns and yabbies are worth trying after dark as well, when the pickers aren't as ravenous.
An 8-foot-long tiger shark was hooked and fought from the pier this week. Its captors dragging it up on the sand for some happy snaps before the obligatory release. Shark fishing is usually more popular from the pier in warmer months, for good reason, but this capture just goes to show what can be swimming past on any night of the year.
Take a stroll and catch a fish from shore
No word on how the local shore-based whiting gurus have fared this week. Holidaying family fishos have scored a few larger fish amongst their catches of run-of-the-mill whiting, so no doubt a couple of cunning gurus are taking home a feed. After dark is the go when the water is as clear as it is now. The bigger whiting will feed well under the glow of the moon, right up in the shallows, then retreat elsewhere for the daylight hours.
Focussing on local creek mouths has meant success for a couple of holidaymakers. Flathead have been both the major target for some and an accidental catch for others. Pulgul, Eli, O'Regans and Beelbi are all worth prospecting, and there is no better way of doing so than with a light flick rod and a selection of soft plastics. Go small enough in the leader and lure size departments and whiting and bream can both be added to the day's catch.
Efforts at River Heads have been rewarding for some, but not all. Flathead have again been the saviour when nothing else can be tempted. Be there at the right time and it can be chaos if a school of blue salmon decides to home in on the herring out there. The kids can have fun catching bream on baits, so long as they work around the strong currents and avoid constantly snagging up.
Jewfish are always a chance over the full moon period too. They are just as often caught on live baits as lures these days, but surely the most satisfying way of catching a jewie at the heads is with shallow-diving hardbodies or paddle-tailed plastics cast and retrieved from the rocks. Night time is the right time for this activity, and low tide is central to the prime period.
The Booral Flats saw more than just whiting and flathead this week, as schools of blue salmon tore into the baitfish sheltering in the muddy shallows. Blues of all sizes can be encountered, so don't panic if you hook into a larger fish that tears off for the horizon. They won't bust you off, but their raspy mouths will take a toll on your leader. Remember, when chasing salmon on light leaders; go easy when you hook a big one.
Winter whiting schools on the move
Gatakers Bay was central to most of the effort from the winter whiting fleet of late. Good catches in those waters tapered-off to almost dismal at times this week apparently, whilst very nice hauls were being caught elsewhere. There are bound to be more whiting caught off Gatakers Bay, Point Vernon, O'Regans and Toogoom, but the latest gossip suggests a move is worthwhile.
The grounds out at the NU2 fired this week. Plump whiting of better size were hauled aboard and bag limits filled with enough effort. Some folks found good numbers down south-west of Woody Island too, so one might suspect a drift or two through the waters south-east of the harbour could produce. Better weather, without the westerly tendency might see the more adventurous winter whiting fans head for the eastern side of Woody or Fraser's western flanks.
There are many whiting grounds throughout the straits that deserve your attention too. River Heads locals know where they can catch a feed whilst burning a cup of fuel, whilst the grounds further south remain the domain of those that launch from hamlets such as Maroom, Poona and Tinanbar. Those folks down that way have the added advantage of alternative target species galore, but do have to contend with tidal restrictions for access.
The question of which bait is best for winter whiting sparks debate regularly. A lot of old hands will swear by yabbies, and that can be backed up by observations by others fishing nearby that are catching nothing whilst those using yabbies are slaying the whiting. Small prawns, peeled and cut into smaller pieces catch winteries for some folks, and beach worms are always popular.
Yabbies might be what it takes to tempt the larger, warier fish in diminished schools, but when the bite is a good one and the fish are competing for their tucker, the humble tiny squid strips and GULP worms are all that is needed. Best pinned to our "whiting slayer" bait jigs, these simple baits are convenient and nearly always effective. If they aren't working, try another spot with more fish, more-so than another bait.
Prime times to fish the flats
It is that time of year again when grown men will down tools to go pump yabbies during an afternoon low tide, just so they can be on the water that night catching their beloved sand whiting. More effort will be put in over upcoming new and full moons, but there are bound to be a few eyeing off the tides for this moon. The north-wester stuffed their chances over the past couple of evenings, so a default session or two post-moon might appeal.
This caper can unfold across various local flats and estuarine waters. The vast flats fringing Fraser's western side are where many locals have history so they will continue their efforts over there. Those efforts should be rewarded handsomely this year too, as restricted netting means more whiting for the recreational fraternity. Tales of woe, where a whiting fan lamented the loss of productive grounds to mass harvesting are largely now a thing of the past, we assume.
The Booral Flats, the Shell Gutter, the Turkey Straits and grounds off Toogoom, Coongul and Moon will all be potential whiting hotspots in coming months. For now, the best results will come from night time forays, where the biggest of the 'ting can be fooled into taking yabbie or bloodworm baits.
River and creek fishos aren't left out of the whiting hunt either, as great catches can be expected from the Burrum system, the lower Mary and Susan, as well as many mainland creeks feeding the straits. Creek whiting can be an easier target in daylight hours to some extent, but the biggest of the biggest still seem to be caught after dark.
Bycatch of bream, grunter, flathead and even salmon can both frustrate or excite a whiting fisho, depending upon how one-eyed he or she may be. Many folks have taken to larger hooks (size 2 or even 1) for their whiting exploits, just to cater for the bycatch that can bend or fall from smaller hooks. Not all grounds have bycatch issues, but be prepared just in case.
The daytime flats fishery for both whiting and bream on lures is starting to ramp up. If you enjoy finesse fishing with tiny topwater lures then you are in for a treat over the next month or two. From the fringing flats of the bay islands, to the vast flats of the straits and western Fraser, you can rack up a serious scorecard of whiting and bream in a single session. Diving hardbodies, softies and tiny blades will all have their moments in this pursuit, so you won't get bored in a hurry.
Packing slightly heavier outfits capable of delivering lures for the likes of flathead and grunter is highly advisable. Both species are flats specials now, but even more-so as spring approaches. That same outfit will come in handy if the blue salmon rock up, or if you trip over a few threadies in your travels. Needless to say, the likes of queenfish and golden trevally can be sight-fished on the same or similar tackle and some serious line-burning fun had on our flats.
The tides will fall away quickly once the moon wanes too much, so make the most of this weekend if flats fishing appeals. There are options galore, and bright sunny mid-winter days are about as good as it gets for this caper. Trust me, the first time you encounter swirling schools of blue salmon in skinny water, or sight cast to goldies, grunter or flatties spotted in the gin clear water, you will be hooked. Oh, and watch out for broad-barred mackerel on our flats too. Pin one if you like, or just steer clear to avoid the lure losses.
Wintertime River fishery can be exciting
This week's unusual warm spell no doubt had a few folks thinking wintertime barramundi. Both the Burrum and Mary systems gave up a few fish this week too, so theirs was a good call. More of the same can be replicated this week, even though cooler times are returning.
Should the barra be a tad too challenging, then a shift of focus to threadfin salmon is a wise move. Their numbers aren't overwhelming right now, but you can find some with a little effort. Deep holes should be scanned for signs of salmon schooling therein. Soft vibes are the obvious choice for this scenario, whilst you might need to resort to prawn imitations if they are ignoring your vibes.
Blue salmon schools are cruising our river systems and often take up temporary residence in the same waters as the threadies. You can actually tell the difference between the two species on a large-enough side scan screen, and I am sure that scopers have no trouble telling blues from threadies with enough practice. The Burrum's blues won't be a whisker on the Mary's in the size department, but both systems offer decent numbers.
Whiting and bream have been eagerly targeted in the Burrum of late. Bigger tides helped their pursuers score a feed no doubt. The bream will continue to bite with less tidal flow, but the whiting bite will wane dramatically in coming days. The best bite from the Burrum's grunter has probably been enjoyed pre-moon too, but they too can be caught in deeper waters when the tides lose their strength.
Tailor have been menacing the lower Burrum's baitfish on and off for a few weeks now. Full moon tides make them move a lot and bite well as they go, so go for a spin this weekend if you like. Cast and retrieve small metals, or take a leisurely troll through the channels or across the flats between Buxton and Burrum Heads. Sit back on the pick with gang-rigged pillies out the back, old school, if you wish. A little berley will help you if you do, and could draw in bycatch of bream or grunter too.
The crab and prawn feast continues
Supplementing recent prawn feasts with a little sweet crab meat has been on the cards this week. Quality mud crabs spurred on by the full moon and less chill in the air continue to find their way into crab pots in our creeks and rivers. Their upstream march is almost complete, so to speak, so pot placement will become more paramount in coming months. Experienced crabbers will put in the extra effort and be rewarded, if not a little muddy for the experience.
A feed of sand crabs was that bit easier with the pull of the full moon this week. Pots soaked in a few metres of water closer inshore saw limited success, whilst those that could get their gear a little further out into the bay scored better. The sandies certainly haven't been everywhere, so a soak and shift strategy can be necessary to learn where the crabs are marching. Typically, its deeper water in a given area over the neaps, and up into shallower waters nearby during the springs, if that helps.
The Gregory River banana prawns have been large and abundant for a couple of weeks now. There are equally good prawns elsewhere too now doubt; in the Isis, the Cherwell and the Burrum itself; but the Gregory is proving easiest as the prawns are consistent and easy to find. Deep holes and shows on your sounder make them obvious, even if the crews in other boats throwing cast nets and retrieving top pockets full of glistening prawns don't.
Snapper and pearl perch closure looms
You only have until this Monday to catch snapper and pearl perch, as come the 15th they will both be off limits for a month. This makes a trip offshore deep dropping this weekend even more appealing to many fishos no doubt, as deep dropping efforts during the closure can be risky and time-wasting if you are still learning the deepwater fisheries offshore.
The same can be said for shallower offshore waters such as those off the Wide Bay bar, as both snapper and pearlies can be hard to avoid on certain grounds down that way. That is why experienced skippers will avoid those grounds until the 16th August to let the spawning fish do their thing. Knowing the type of reef habitat that holds other species and limits interactions with pearlies and snapper ensures offshore forays are successful over the coming month, but if you are not quite there yet, then just move on every time you drop in on the prohibited species.
You won't find any pearl perch in Hervey Bay waters, but there are snapper. Many quality knobbies were caught in local waters this past week, as the weather and the tides turned it on at just the right time. This weekend will be all about snapper for a number of fishos, and continued success if highly likely. A far cry from a couple of weeks ago, when snapper within Hervey Bay were scarce as rocking horse poo.
Grounds that produced larger snapper this past week include the Burrum 8 Mile, the Outer Banks, the Simpson arti, Moon Ledge and the Roy Rufus. Quality fish were lost to sharks here and there, but thankfully, not everywhere. Squire were even more widespread and turned up at Sammies, Mickies and near select ledges in the shipping channels.
Heading up the island proved fruitful for some folks. Daytime squire were abundant enough to fill boat limits pretty quickly on some sites. The odd larger snapper or two falling victim to standard soft plastic fishing techniques on others. It's all about the bigger tides up that way, as tidal flow in central eastern Platypus Bay is minimal at the best of times. This weekend will be good.
Masses of yakkas and herring, as well as other species of baitfish, have moved in on the reefs and weed patches up in Platypus Bay. Bycatch of large longtail tuna is random when fishing around these bait schools, whether on live baits or whilst working softies for snapper. There are schools of queenies in places up there too, offering that bit of extra fun on the spin gear.
The 25 Fathom Hole produced a mix of both large and small snapper, with no issues from sharks. Dropping in on the hole for a quick drift or five on your way to or from the Gutters is commonplace. Expect little else other than snapper, or perhaps the odd nannygai these days.
No current and a steady bite offshore
The East Australian Current (EAC) is flowing at a minimal pace offshore at present, which is great for reef fishos and deep droppers. A few crews made the dash earlier this week when the weather improved and scored the usual array of deep water tasties on deep drop tackle. The bite was rated as 'steady', yet hauls of pearl perch, snapper, flamies and other jobfish accompanied comet cod and bar cod on ice for the long haul home.
Sharks are still a problem along the 100m line, so fishing deeper to 200m or more is the go if you have the mechanical advantage (ie; electric reels and bent butt rods). Persisting with drifts some distance apart will put a very nice feed in the icebox on the shoal country should the sharks catch up with you there. RTEs, spangos, maori and blue maori cod, coronation trout and plenty of hussar and tuskfish can be expected from the shoals, whilst red emperor are the added bonus from the right sort of country.
Be aware that the humpback highway is heavily congested at present, as thousands of whales make their way north. These are the very same whales that will spin around somewhere on the GBR and head back down our way in a month or so's time. Obviously, keeping a keen eye on the water will help avoid collisions with the whales, and night time travel offshore should perhaps be limited.
Avoid the sharks for a feed at the gutters
Sensible folks that head for the Gutters these days enlist the 'run and gun' approach to their reef fishing efforts. Anchoring is rare in daylight hours, as prospecting drifts determine the whereabouts of the sharks. Head for the most prominent and well-known ledges at the Gutters and issues with sharks is pretty much assured. Scoping out the smaller, more isolated patches of reef is favoured these days, where a handy feed can be secured to justify the long haul north.
Coral trout are the main target species for many folks, and they have been on the chew. The numbers may not impress anymore, and the average and upper sizes are well-shy of years past, but quality fish can still be caught. Nannies are a bonus or a given, depending upon your level of experience up there, and the odd large red emperor occasionally avoids the sharks.
These most sought-after species can be supplemented with a few grassies, tuskies, moses perch and cod, and some might even be tempted to turf those big spangos and blackall into the esky. Reef jacks would be caught more commonly at night, like they used to be, if it wasn't for their penchant for living in the gnarliest of country - right where the sharks hang out.
Large spanish mackerel and extra-large cobia are regularly featuring in catches from the Gutters. No doubt a couple more of each will be caught up there this week. Trolling large and well-built deep-diving hardbodies like Rapala X-Raps or Halco Laser Pros is a great option for folks learning their way around the Gutters. Not only can you catch huge fish, but you will soon find spot after spot as you traverse the gutter edges looking for fish and country.
Expect the trevally hordes to inundate many of the prominent ledges at the Gutters, and over Rooneys way too. The most common species is the long-nosed trevally, which is renowned as the best eating of the genus. Various trevors can be caught in a day's jigging, so why not take the kids for a run and get them stretched. They will have a ball.