What to do in the Broadwater ?

[KGW3]

Launched at Labrador yesterday for the first time in the Broadwater. Wasn't really blown away.. Weekday and still pretty busy, so a December Saturday would be a nightmare. Plenty of wash from big boats using the channels, tide and current seem to be eccentric as the boat kept changing direction at anchor.
Sand bars everywhere even at mid to high tide.
The seaway was running a swell, so we gave the bar crossing a miss as the sea was a bit rough for a 16 footer.
On the west side of South Stradbroke, the tide was so strong that the anchor wouldn't hold. And only Pufferfish biting...Maybe we have been spoilt at Bribie and Caloundra, but I think that the Broadwater is just a means of access to the ocean and a place for 2 bob lairs to show off their expensive and powerful toys..
And... and excuse to sell "waterfont" realestate...

Am I wrong ?::)

[bennykenny]

if you cant find fish in the broadwater you dont know how to fish.

[the gecko]

Sounds like a normal day on the broadwater to me.

Andrew

[BAT]

Thats the broadwater for ya possibly the busiest waterway in Australia if you ask me. The big shiny ass boats and their wake's that just seem to go up and down the broady with what seems like no rime nor reason other then to show off, its just a joke! Could be very interesting if the proposed new speed limits come into force where boats 10M and more in length can only do a max of 10 knots in the broadwater and 4 knots in the rivers ;D . However i have found it to produce fish once you spend a bit of time on the water, just be prepared to be surrounded by boats once you seem to look as thou you know what your doing.

Cheers BAT

[gunna]

I live on the Sunny coast but used to fish Broadwater a fair bit. I think its much more productive than up here at the top of Pumistone.

[KGW3]

Benny.. Maybe you are right, but there were few LEGAL fish caught in the Broadwater yesterday that I could see. It's more about getting a nice uninterupted place to anchor without traffic for me. If they are biting.. it's a bonus.

[bennykenny]

well maybe for you but the last 2 days ive pulled two bream at 36 and 34cm and a dozen or so smaller and also half a dozen flatties between 38 and 62cm and that was only going out for a quick flick for and hour or so each day, i just think that you cant come to a place once and judge it, when you dont know what its really like, its all about putting time in and learning the water, in any new spot that you go to.

[KGW3]

Sounds encouraging... I won't give up just yet... You seem to have good local knowledge which in itself is priceless.

[Gill]

Day time on the broad water, very busy indeed. I understand where you are coming from, but hang in there mate.

Gill

[ashh]

If Im going to fish the broadwater, I go after dark. I find it more productive at night and your not continuously looking over your shoulder watching for the next 40ft crusier going 30kt and throwing a half metre+ wake.
And fishing from my 3.7m tinny, I actually feel much safer fishing out in the open water off the coast rather than being anchored up in the broadwater, depending what the winds doing of course, otherwise I just head up one the rivers :)

[PinHead]

BAT..15 m and over for the proposed speed limits..if 10m then I am changing my boat to 9.98 m. I have seen some very good catched all the way from the Broadwaters to the PIn.

[hooknose]

Mate you gotta be kidding that yesterday was to swelly to attempt the bar crossing, I went across in my 3.75 dart with no dramas, if in doubt hang close to south wall.
Cheers !!

[KGW3]

Hook

Didn't say it was too big to cross, just not worth going out there with the swell on Wednesday.. Thursday would have been better. The missus gets as crook as a brown dog without motion pills in the swell although chop seems OK, and she would have wanted to get back within 5 minutes.