Where to Catch Spanish Mackerel

[paulez2]

I more than anything want to catch a big Spanish Mackerel. (well, at least legal size)

I live in Brisbane and have never caught a Spanish Mackerel when fishing on the Gold Coast or North QLD.

I fish out of a Kayak and have heard Noosa is a great place to catch Spanish Mackerel.

I am looking for advice on best time of year and best area to troll around. Doesn't have to be specific.

[liltuffy]

Look up some of Carnster's threads, he does well off a yak down the coast

[Back In Black]

A bloke on a yak landed a 14kg model last week off Little Halls, 3km from Noosa river mouth.
Tony

[Smithy]

I reckon you would be better off fishing out of Caloundra 2nd to studying Carnster's pics and working out where he puts in compared to Noosa.

[Just_chips]

Carnster fishes palm beach reef and the gravel patch. You can launch straight out through the surf at 11th avenue and it is only a short paddle to palmy. Suitable yak locations up the coast are many and varied but include:



Sunshine Reef accessible by either Sunshine beach in small swells or by launching from Noosa and paddling around the headland - aprrox 7klm one way.
Noosa close reefs (+/- 3klm) such as Jew shoal, Halls and little halls, also in front of the river mouth itself is also not a bad spot. Most of the close reefs from Noosa are accessible via launching from Noosa main beach and there is a regular bunch of yak fishos doing this that call themselves the Noosa Yakkers, google them and get in contact.
Double island point if you have a 4wd, launch on the northern side of headland.
Coolum reefs are accessible by punching straight out through the surf or even launching from Stummers Creek.
Out in front of Pt Cartwright is accessible by launching in the bay at Mooloolaba.
Rapers Shoal is accessible via Wurtulla / Currimundi beaches - swell dependant.
Caloundra / Brays Rock & the blinker areas are easily accessible via launching from the kings beach, moffat beach, or the small boat ramp just around from Kings beach.
Lots of options really. Many troll lures such as Rapala CD9's & CD15's, Halco laser pro in the 120 & 190 sizes, yo zuri hydro magnums etc. Also much success is had with the humble pillie with a squid skirt on a trolling rig, also livies slow trolled are dynamite if they are accessible. Livies are easily gathered at palmy on a small reef just behind the breakers, slimies are gold.

Good luck with it. I'll hopefully have a bit more time to devote to the chase this summer too. But I'm getting a head start and taking the yak up to Fraser next week where they have been present already harrassing the schools of tailor. But generally they are a viable target from November/December through to May/June.

Lots of info about this on the dedicated yak fishing forums such as AKFF.

Kev

[carnster]

Hey Big Kev have U been stalking me? LOL.
Paule be careful paddling out if the swell is anything but tiny, particularly in the Goldie and nnsw.
It looks easy but i have seen plenty of guys get smashed up big time. In fact kayak fishing in general looks easy, but it can be very dangerous unless you know what you are doing.
Mackeral can be caught anywhere in SE Qld from sunny coast (and much further north) and south to well into NSW. Plenty of kayak and boat fisherman caught little or no mackeral at palmy last season. My advice is plenty of time on the water, avoiding the crowds, varying your techniques and most importantly lots of MOJO.
Best of luck and enjoy.

[Just_chips]

Hey Big Kev R U stalking me? LOL.

Muwhahaha... Not yet!!!!!

[paulez2]

Hey Big Kev have U been stalking me? LOL.
Paule be careful paddling out if the swell is anything but tiny, particularly in the Goldie and nnsw.
It looks easy but i have seen plenty of guys get smashed up big time. In fact kayak fishing in general looks easy, but it can be very dangerous unless you know what you are doing.
Mackeral can be caught anywhere in SE Qld from sunny coast (and much further north) and south to well into NSW. Plenty of kayak and boat fisherman caught little or no mackeral at palmy last season. My advice is plenty of time on the water, avoiding the crowds, varying your techniques and most importantly lots of MOJO.
Best of luck and enjoy.

Hi Big Kev,

I am a fairly seasoned Yak fisherman having fished Palmy in the past and have been through all the surf launch thing etc My best at Palmy was a big hookup on a Cobia but du to my inexperience at the time I lost it. My understanding is that mainly spotties are caught there but generally tough going.
I have fished a lot in North QLD just a little north of Townsville (where I head out between 4-7k offshore) and have caught big GTs, Big Barra, Big Queenies but I am just looking for advice on the best time of year and best location for Spaniards.