JackTheLad

My parents and brother are visiting for 10 days in May. Being from Hong Kong, they're really interested in Australian marine life... of the edible kind. Any suggestions on best places to go fishing and crabbing?! Preferably within 2 hours' drive of Brisbane?

A search on google suggests Noosa River being one of the best for mud crabs. Is that the consensus?

Has anyone been catching some big whitings lately anywhere?

Cheers,
Mrs JTL

Ceri

May is not really the best season for Mud crabs, when the weather starts to cool down - It all depends what May is going to be like weather wise. you may get the odd couple, but they tend go off a bit that time of year.

There is a saying here in Qld any month with an R in it is muddie time. Mind you that is a bit of B*llux, some of my biggest ones have been in months without an R in it.

You'll get Mud crabs anywhere in the rivers and creeks here, Brisbane, Pine, coochin, Noosa, maroochy you name it. It's a summer species - you ought to have a go now in the nights, the rivers are still full of them.

Can't answer you about where is the best place for whiting, I never really go out and target them , pan fish, but you'll get them all year round and anywhere there is water . There are two species here winter and summer - the winter being the smallest. I only catch them for use for live bait if I can't get any poddy mullet in the cast net, just the right size for live bait. bit of worm is the best for them around here. You're better off targeting something a bit bigger, like Tailor in May off the beaches up the SC area, and GC areas - dawn and dusk being the best for Tailor as with most fishing.

Go into any tackle shop and buy a tide guide , just a few dollars - it will give you an idea what bait to use for fish, and more importantly size and bag limits.

If you are going up to Noosa , again go into any tackle shop in the area - there is a publication/guide ( magazine) for a few$ "fishing Noosa" I think it's called. It will give you maps of places around Noosa and what fish etc.

Your question is a bit like how long is a piece of string . Munroe ( spelling) bridge fishes really well up that way some times. all the rivers and beaches are OK up that way - but you're best fishing them in the evening/night

Pin cushion used to be quite a good spot up in the SC, but it keeps changing everytime I've gone there - erosion with the tides ( next to the camp site), think the last time I went there was before christmas, and it had changed again. That used to fish really well.

If you just want a little spot of fun/relaxing whiting fishing try Bribie on the 4 wheel drive beach, nice day out for parents.
If you want to catch them closer, around Brisbane - Boggy creek is full of them, you're guaranteed to catch one there with a bit of worm - not the best of scenery though ( but personally I wouldn't eat anything that came out of the Brisbane river, most people do though)


If you parents are fit and up for a hike- I'd say forget about the rivers, go to Noosa national park, you've got your pick of rock, and beach fishing - depending how far you want to hike. Beautiful scenery too.

If they are interested in all marine life, from dolphins to sting rays etc etc - and they are not fit, and you want to go somehwere closer than SC; take a couple of deck chairs, and a picnic to Bribie - near the bridge in the evening with the rods, species here which are most caught - whiting, Bream, flathead, grinners () , stingrays - plus of course the big boys. You'll also have dolphins coming in most nights rounding up the fish in the shallows too.

Good luck, but I do recommend you fork out for some guides from the tackle shops on the area if you know nothing about the areas around there, and species of fish, bag limits etc. They are pretty cheap, so won't break the bank.

Happy fishing

http://www.fishingnoosa.com.au/ ( I know this bloke sells the Noosa guides) There's some fishing reports on his site too.

http://www.browniescoastwatch.com/ fishing reports Brownies ( wouldn't go much on these reports though - written by tackle shops, you wouldn't believe what they wrote before about something - Old Frank down southside used to write for them, had my fish in there once - they made out the whole area was fishing good - it took all night to catch it lol, not a bite before)

some forums, with fishing reports ( Aus wide- but plenty on local areas too)

http://www.sportsfish.com.au/forum/f...ID=26&CAT_ID=7

http://www.fishnet.com.au/

JackTheLad

Thanks very much for that, Ceri. I was expecting some response from you as I thought you were one of the few who enjoy fishing. "Thanks a million" from my brother too.

Will check the links out.

I might go get a couple of traps and set them up for the muddies in the mangrove area near us this weekend. Just need to look up tidal times.

Cheers,
Mrs JTL

kevinbloomfield

Excellent reply there, we are hoping to go to the sunshine coast sometime next year. I am not currently a fisherman but I do want to become one when we get there. Can you tell me if I will be able to fish from the beach in and around mooloolabah?
Not bothered about big fish, just fancy chilling out on the beach with just the surf to listen too!!

Kevin

smood

Can anyone tell me if you require a license to beach fish in Oz? I am shipping over all of my gear but have no idea if there are any restrictions for sea fishing.

cresta57

Sailing into Mooloolaba Marina we'd just told our son to reel in his line when he managed to hook into a large [for him] Tuna fish, while reeling that in it was taken by an even larger Shark just as we were entering the breakwater. I'll dig out the picture of his half a tuna complete with bite marks when I have a moment or two.

Barbara_CH

I am pretty sure you only need a license for freshwater fishing. Definately NOT for the beach. Different in NSW though.

Hope that helps, happy fishing!

Barbara

JackTheLad

I was walking the lad tonight around the park beside Raby Bay near Cleveland (its a kind of seawater canal area). The park is pitch dark apart from the moonlight, got the shock of my life when JTL (the dog not me) started barking, and there were 3 guys sitting on the canal edge fishing, smoking and drinking beer.

Normally I'd have had a chat with them, but JTL (the dog not me) is a bit hyper about strange people in dark places, so I just waved and moved on.

But I assume there is fish to be caught in Raby Bay. Or at least a good excuse to sit and drink beer and smoke on the banks!

Cheers,
JTL

smood

Thanks B

I am heading for SA next month and I will hopefully hook up (sorry for the bad pun) with some locals to find out the good marks and which bait is best.