Best Fishiing Times

[batten]

hi all, good to b back. im trying 2 plan a trip for the future out to salamander reef and the cape, and im wondering wot u guys out there think would be the best time to do so.eg full moon, new moon etc.please help

[Kendall249]

I've had mixed experiences off the Cape and at salamander, I don't know what the best moon phase is. Though one trip to salamander I had 2 hrs of non-stop action. This was after a day of nothing worthwhile. Got out to Sally at about 4:30, throwing metals lures and poppers across the bommies. After about half an hour we noticed some bait schooling around the rocks with the falling tide. This was followed by 2hrs where the lure was followed in by a mass of trevs and queenies fighting with themselves, getting struck, getting busted-off or landing a fish. Every cast was action, landed about a dozen fish in two hours (actually lost count) and lost about half a dozen lures. The largest fish landed was a 90cm queenie and 80cm GT. It was a spectacular sight with double-hookups on tail walking queenfish.

This was in Dec/Jan with a falling tide a couple hours before sunset, sorry I can't remember anymore details than that, though there was a fair bit of run in the tide. I have also had a number of fishless trips to Sally.

Hope that helps somewhat.

[Kendall249]

Here is a photo of the three queenies that were kept

[Scott nthQld]

Ok first thing is to remember to work around the CRFF closures starting on the October new moon through to the December new moon, 3 closures each of a 9 day period 4 days either side of the new, for official dates refer to the DPI website. Then again, if you're local, you'd probably know that already. IMO the closures are useless anyway, during their spawning period around the new moons, the fish don't feed. They tend to be a lot more active feeding during the full, when they gorge them selves to get ready for another giant fish orgy.

For me, the more run the better, so If you are targeting reefies, this means a few days either side of the full, this will also bring the pelagics into more activity. Tides will be depending on the spots you fish I think, some of my spots do better on a coming in tide, others on the run out, but little activity occurs during the slack water.

I try to plan trips around the full and new moons for the run, but that doesn't means there's no activity during the neap tides. Fishing is very hit and miss, there can be fish boiling everywhere, taking everything you throw at them one day, but the next, in the same conditions there'll be nothing. But then again, thats why its fishing.

[batten]

hey guys, thanks for the info, how deep is the reef, and is there much of a drop off around it, also is day or night better.

[Blackened]

G'day

Best time to fish? when everyone else is at work

Dave

[Kendall249]

Batten, from memory I think it averages about 16m in depth with a max of about 20m on one aspect. It has a relatively steep dropoffs, though it has a fair bit of submerged structure. As with most spots around this area they seem to fish better a night, thats for bottom species anyway. Definatley take care when going to Sally on high tide and/or at night, as the rocks are just under the surface at high tide.

[ronnien]

batten,

what are we fishing for?

ron.

[batten]

hopfully bottom species, might hav a troll around the edges etc first

[Scott nthQld]

like I said, pelagics love a bit of run, so if you go out with the intent to focus on the macks, pick big runs.

For bottom species, I still like a fair bit of run, but you still need to get your baits to the bottom, so 3-4 days either side of the spring tides would be the go I reckon.

A gun fingermark fisho once told me that the darker the better if you're going after them, cos if you don't get the live squid, you aint playin the game, so you need a moonless (or close to) night to put the light out to bring squid to the boat. I suppose it you were to use live squid for the other bottom dwellers, the same would still apply. Try fishing with low diameter line, like braid, this way the rig will get to the bottom faster and it won't float too far with the current.