Fisho's Weekly Fishing Report – 8 August 2025
by Fisho's Tackle World Hervey Bay 8 Aug 03:12 PDT
Big cobia are a regular feature of Hot Reels Fishing Charters © Fisho's Tackle World Hervey Bay
Wet and windy this weekend
We all endured that nasty cold snap last weekend and some lucky folks got to enjoy a couple of decent days on the water thereafter. Milder conditions right now are quite pleasant, but what is on its way looks less-than-ideal if you had plans to go fishing this weekend.
Right now, there is highly unseasonal rain bearing down on us and the rest of the region, as a north-west rain band sweeps across the continent. Intermittent rains today are supposed to intensify overnight and develop into heavy rain periods and possible storms on Saturday. That should see us through the worst of the precipitation, with a few remnant showers still possible on Sunday.
Certain internet-based weather predictors have issued alarming warnings of up to 300mm for our region for this event. Sensationalising what might be just a couple of inches or rain perhaps? Certainly good click-bait either way!
Winds-wise, this weekend isn't looking good at all. Today's 25 knot south-easter could reach 30 knots inshore overnight, and will still prevail at 20-25 knots throughout Saturday. South-south-easterly winds between 15 and 25 knots Sunday will ensure only the uber-keen will be on the water. A good weekend to consider some tackle maintenance or restocking and perhaps accrual of extra brownie points for when conditions are more favourable.
The early working week looks slightly better, but only just. 15-20 knots from the south-south-east seems likely until mid-week when a mix of lighter onshore/offshore breezes will appeal more to boaties. Such a shame this weather event has landed on us for the full moon period. Saturday's full moon would otherwise be central to many fishing escapades that will be sorely missed at this special time of year.
Urangan Pier remains taboo for herring schools
Fleeting visits by small schools of herring that occasionally linger for a period of a single tide has meant less action than might otherwise be expected at Urangan Pier. Thankfully, the pike are there consistently and make for great alternative baits, if not better baits than herring, for select species. Think flathead, jewfish, cod, queenies and goldies and pike really shine as the bait of choice. Harder to catch - yes - but worth the effort.
A few flathead have been swung over the rails recently, along with a modest number of fairly average bream. No word of whiting at this time, but stay tuned for a change in that scenario as the summeries move on in later this month. In the meantime, its all about the flatties, the chance of a night-time jewie, some bream and perhaps a crack at tailor or mackerel should the herring decide to return in abundance.
Creating a little excitement amongst the kids has been the odd tiger shark capture from the pier in recent times. They have only been 'small' tigers in the scheme of things, but at 8-10 foot they have still been a handful from an elevated land-based platform. Swum to the beach and duly released as required by law, these random tigers may or may not return. Larger tigers have been known to frequent pier waters in August in the past, so let's see if any monster-sized models turn up this year.
Local creeks offer excellent fishing
The pier may not be overly exciting of late, but our creeks are really producing. Eli, O'Regans and Beelbi have all been fishing well, and their surrounding flats and beaches will have their moments over this full moon too. There has been a significant variety of fish caught lately that include flathead, whiting, bream, small GTs, queenfish, tailor, cod, blue salmon, threadfin salmon and even barra.
Only one of the aforementioned creeks has filled that catch card for all species of late, whilst the other two are still giving up a good mix of bread'n'butter species and random other predators. If you can handle the weather this weekend, then the rain event itself could create some pretty special fishing opportunities. Flooding at this time of year is rare, so should such an event unfold, then it could be just as much a shock to the system for our fish as it will be disappointing for us.
The big full moon tides create enough opportunity for local flats fishing without a rain event, so consider flats adjacent to a creek mouth (such as Eli) that is somewhat tucked out of the south-easterly and see what is on the chew during the early flood tide. Whiting most likely, with flatties not far away and the chance of queenies or tailor when the tide rises enough.
Spinning from the rocks on the more sheltered platforms at Gatakers Bay might appeal to some hardy folks. Quality tailor have been caught there on and off over the past couple of weeks. Metals wound at a medium-fast pace will attract them as will the even more exciting stickbait approach. Should the baitfish move into the sheltered waters, then it might not be just tailor, but rat GTs and mackerel that come looking for them.
Bream remain a sound target species for rockhoppers wandering the Pt Vernon foreshores. Windy weather will have them feeding in the shallows under cover of wave motion, but presenting unweighted baits or any form of lures to them will be incredibly challenging anywhere other than where the wind is at your back. You might need to rely on a sustained berley trail for a period to draw them in and hold them if you consider this effort warranted.
River Heads is lousy with baitfish
The Urangan Pier's missing herring schools can be found around many inshore reef sites, and also down at River Heads. From obvious schools flicking on the surface, to sounder screens wall-to-wall with herring, it should come as no surprise that the area is attractive to a host of predators at present.
Jewfish have been somewhat elusive this winter at the heads. Efforts by boaties scanning and vibing or jigging plastics past key rock outcrops or holes offering respite from the current has been rarely rewarded too it seems. Is a late run on the cards? Maybe. The annual run of bully mullet wasn't enough to draw them from productive hunting grounds elsewhere, as yet.
Flathead are being caught by those wandering the rocky shores of the peninsula flicking softies and shallow-diving hardbodies. The very same lures can be used to catch any blue salmon that cruise by too, as can stickbaits and spoons. Tailor and mackerel are a chance down that way when the tide is high enough and the water quality good. The masses of herring are a big drawcard for these species, and even a few broadies might show up soon.
Otherwise, its bream for the dead bait brigade, estuary cod and flathead for those fishing live baits, and maybe a future jewie for those that persist over the full moon. Low tide at night is prime time for this caper for those with the nous to take on the rocks flicking lures in the darkness. Learning how to contend with the raging tide and discovering the ever-changing eddy formations is fundamental to success in this scenario.
Abundant baitfish offer prime tucker for Mary River predators
The herring aren't limited to just the River Heads sector of the Mary. There is a serious abundance of herring milling about in the first 5 miles of the river, where the water is quite clean and clear. There is just about as much baitfish further upriver in stained waters too, making the Mary a highly appealing place to be if you are an estuary predator.
Blue salmon are far and away the must prolific predator in the Mary at present. Schools of these pesky poor cousins of the threadfin salmon can be found by scanning deeper holes, rock and gravel bars and quite often just open water expanses where baitfish are traversing. The blues are thick enough to suggest that you are bound to catch at least some, whether you want to or not. All you need be is in a half-decent stretch of the river at the right time and working small softies or soft vibes through the water column and you will soon hook up.
Fans of trolling tactics might not know this, but right now, they have a pretty good advantage over their casting counterparts. The blues might be schooled up here and there, but largely, there are many on the move in scattered fashion that are easier targets for mobile trollers than for those drifting and casting. The same can be said for the threadies, as they too are still mostly scattered and randomly cruising the river in lieu of amassing in schools. This scenario will be totally reversed fairly soon, and casters will again have the upper hand, but for now, get your troll on in the Mary system and you should do very well.
Various hard-bodied lures with varying depth capabilities and profiles will work. Deeper divers for the ebb tide will appeal to fish suspended deeper in the water column or hugging the bottom. Shallower divers come into their own when trolling closer to the bank during the flood tide, and can also be used mid-river where salmon are chasing baitfish closer to the surface.
Those of you that remember the video Bargy put together with John Haenke years ago will recall the success he enjoyed catching big barra and threadies on the troll in the Mary. Well, that same stretch of water featured in the video is once again alive with hordes of herring, so perhaps you can mimic history and pick up where Bargy left off. Vastly better tech and better lure offerings these days can only make the task easier.
Trolling aside, you can spend a day on the Mary looking for threadies and barra. There are some monsters of both species on offer if you can find them and talk them into biting. Impressive numbers of juvenile recruits are also very encouraging, and a healthy sign for the future. The fact that the threadfin salmon quota for our district has been filled is good news for the recreational fishing fraternity. Big numbers have been harvested from the Mary's waters of late, but no more will succumb to that fate for now.
There are quality grunter to be found in the Mary or Susan Rivers, and ample flathead in the lower reaches. The vast flats of the lower Mary are often overlooked for greener pastures in deeper waters, but at this time, you can have a ball chasing blues and occasional threadies in skinny water then default back to catching a few flatties along the fringes thereafter. A feed of whiting is only a yabby-pumping session away too, or you could head for the South Head rocks and mix it with the bream if you favour. Options galore!
As if you didn't need other choices, there is also the local mud crab fishery to consider. The Mary's muddies are highly sought after. Normally, you just have to work around the local pros, but those guys have had to contend with other non-local commercial crabbers mooching in on their patches lately apparently, so you can bet they are bit edgy with all the competition. Find your own waters and don't run your pots alongside them and you won't have any issues.
On a non-fishing related side note, local pig chasers could keep themselves and their dogs pretty busy if they hit the mangrove-lined banks of certain stretches of the Mary/Susan. Pig rippings are very obvious along vast stretches of the southern side of the Mary well downstream of Beaver Rock. Just one area of many where wild pigs roam and feed unhindered in this decidedly unappealing terrain.
Burrum system continues to impress
The mighty Burrum River system is highly popular right now, as the fishing has been very good. There are schools of salmon to be found with enough effort, and plenty of barra to stare at on your sounder screen even if you cannot catch them. Tempting these fish was a little more challenging than usual courtesy of that nasty cold south-wester last week, but better times prevailed since then.
There are some solid grunter calling the Burrum home at the moment. They bite well on the bigger tides such as what falls around this full moon. If you can sneak in a session soaking yabbies along any of the recognised grunter 'runs' in the Burrum this weekend, then success should come. Otherwise, look for them further upstream by hopping small prawn imitations through the stretches of water between the major holes and features.
Whiting will feed over the sandbanks of the lower Burrum this moon, possibly as far up as the mid reaches. Parking the boat in virtually no water on a favoured bank and fishing yabby baits as the tide rises after dark is the local recipe for success. Good numbers can be caught in deeper waters nearby after the tide starts to ebb too, so you have many options.
Frustrated whiting fans that cannot access open water or make the journey over to Fraser's flats and creeks this moon might consider the Burrum as an alternative. The quality of the fish is just as good, but the numbers won't match Fraser or the straits. Burrum whiting to 40cm are not uncommon by the way, and 45cm trophies are caught occasionally. Expect the usual fish averaging 35cm and you won't be disappointed.
Bream fishos have been spoilt on the Burrum this winter. Anchoring and commencing a berley trail soon lines them up behind your boat, and a handy feed can be procured fairly efficiently. Going old school and fishing lightly or unweighted mullet fillet baits down your trail is a proven method, but you can mix it up with your baits if you wish. Focus your efforts somewhere rocky will ensure there are ample bream nearby, and you won't have to venture beyond Buxton Hole to find prime bream waters at present. A good class of fish, in the 30-38cm bracket is waiting for you, and you never know, you might even catch 40cm+ fish that are eluding so many folks this winter.
As you all know, the Burrum's flathead population has been particularly active of late. They remain a great target species for those lingering in the lower reaches, whilst smaller numbers can be found on select sandbanks and corners of the mid reaches. A few small river GTs have emerged in the Burrum this week apparently, so this might be the precursor to the arrival of bigger numbers of these scrappy little buggers and the schools of queenfish that happily feed alongside them. Happy days for the kids in the near future.
Tailor and mackerel have been terrorising the baitfish in the lower Burrum of late, with quite a few fish being caught by those spinning spoons and other metals from the shore at the heads. Both school and spanish mackerel have entered the river and have been active just after dawn at Burrum Heads. Tailor have been regular captures there too, in varying sizes. A better class of tailor should feature amongst catches for those that target them this moon.
Fraser Island's surf fishery prime for improvement
It was sad to hear repeated tales of woe from fishos that made the effort to fish Fraser's surf scene last week. We tend to write-off a bad week as just that and hope for better return for effort in the future. Big swells south of the island crept this far north and had some impact over recent days, but the island and its waters still look sensational and are bound to bounce back.
For the record, there were tailor caught up near the Maheno this past week, and a few random catches elsewhere. There were quality whiting being caught further south, along with a few dart, the odd flathead and some tarwhine. Generally-speaking though, not a shadow on what we might expect from this vibrant surf fishery at this time.
Beach fishos further south to the border have enjoyed improved fishing this past week compared with the week before, so let's hope similar improvement is in store for the Fraser Island scene. This next couple of months is the most popular period for fishos to visit the island, and many locals and visitors will be making the pilgrimage. Tailor are the main drawcard for many, but dart, tarwhine, bream, flathead, jewfish, spanish mackerel and even GTs are all possible leading into spring.
I've penned a Surf Fishing Blog (article) that will appear on the Fisho's Tackle World website and hit your email inboxes this weekend. It is a basic guide, covering many aspects of this wonderful surf fishery that we are so blessed to have on our doorstep. Many folks flock to the island as part of their annual rituals, whilst far too many are yet to experience it. If a trip to Fraser fishing its glorious beaches is on your to-do list, then check out the blog and drop in for a chat when you are ready to gear up.
Reef Fishos limited by weather - again
It doesn't look like there will be much effort on the reef fishing front until at least mid-next week at this stage. A quick recap of last week's efforts suggests there is good fish to be caught if we can get out there. Inshore, it has been the estuary cod that have been surprisingly active for the dead of winter. They typically tend to be more lethargic at this time, and very likely are, yet they seem to struggle to let a tasty-looking ultra-deep diving lure swim by unmolested.
Beefing up the leader attached to your Dr Evil or other deep diving lures will not only assist you in extracting the cod and trout from their reefy terrain, but will also deter any warier old snapper from taking a swipe at the lure as well. No guarantees of course, just observation as to just how many more snapper you can catch on the troll with 30lb leader as opposed to 50-60lb.
Speaking of snapper, apparently there are numbers gathered in spots inshore and up the bay. Moving on has been necessary if you drop in on them at prime bite times. We trust everybody is doing the right thing and leaving them to spawn in peace. You can go your hardest after the 15th of this month when the season for snapper and pearl perch re-opens. That is only a week away now, so drop in and secure some of the fancy new softies that we just stocked that are bound to be future snapper slayers.
The northern bay reefs remain home to some very large cobia. Pictures hereabouts from a local charter operator give you an idea as to the sort of beasts you can tangle with. They release very healthy if you limit your gaffing efforts to lip only or manage to wrangle them alongside for an in-water de-hook and release. Great sports fish cobes, and prone to follow the bait schools right into the bay. Some have done just that of late, so big fish are turning up in the southern half of the bay these days too.
Spanish mackerel are scattered across the bay. Small numbers, but big fish. There is so much baitfish that they have a plethora of feeding stations at their disposal. Top notch predators such as spaniards have the luxury of choice, so it might be bonito or baby schoolies that excite them in a given area. Yakkas and herring etc are the favoured live baits due to their ease of procurement, so its often those baits that the spaniards fall victim to. Word of consideration by Qld Fisheries to future changes to existing spanish mackerel regulations have just hit the grapevine. More on that subject as the facts come to light.
Those fishing Rooneys recently found coral trout and cod on the chew, along with schools of golden trevally. Meanwhile, those that made it offshore on Tuesday-Wednesday found the sharks weren't as bad as they had been recently over the shoal country in 40-60 metres. A mixed bag of reefies was manageable with only the odd reposition required when the noahs arks moved in. Deep droppers did well too, catching mainly flamies, rubies and bar cod whilst trying to avoid snapper and pearl perch.