Mackerel in Moreton Bay

[hodges4]

Had a disappointing day on Sunday.
Travelled from Brisbane R to Curtin Reef to the Sandhills, through the Rous and up the Rainbow looking for surface feeding spotties to chuck lures at. Never sighted any. Also very noticeable was the absence of surface schools of anything. Plenty of birds sitting on sandbanks but very few looking about. Listening on the radio seemed like everyone else had a bad day also.

Whats the go on spotties. We got a few in January but nothing since. Have they become a weekday fish or are there certain tide/weather conditions I should be looking for. The times I have been out lately have been very calm and clear water early in the morning.

John H

[Vic1]

I think you're better off chasing them on an outgoing tide, preferably in the afternoon.....weekdays doesn't hurt either. They seem to be able to create baitballs far easier on an outgoing tide

Didn't see any on Friday (loads on longtails and mac tuna instead), but he week before they were thick from Wellington Point to Peel....

[Lucky 1]

Dont feel too bad John, I caught bugger all on the weekend too. Fished the 35's of Straddie, square patch, deep tempest and finally came around cape moreton to cowan where I finally caught my first squire of the day (about 40cm). Immediately after motor wouldnt start so had to be towed home by coast guard !

[Flex]

Maybe it was just a bad day. Been plenty of mackerel in the bay recently.

Often when I fish remote reefs in north QLD where even the most useless fisherman can catch fish all day long, Some days you cant even buy a bite. In the very same reef system that was firing the previous day.Sometimes fish get spooky,or somthing happens and they shut down for a day or 2.

[honda900]

Flex,

I must admit I had one of the worst days in the bay as well, even the known spots were very ordinary, . Caught plenty of catfish though..

Regards
Honda

[Curley]

Hi Guys

We were out off Bribie, half way to the shipping channel, on Sunday from about 9 am to noon and plenty of mackeral. Sadly they wouldn't take my flies but we got a mac tuna before they disappeared.

Cheers

Curley

[mbt]

seems to be plenty about on the smaller tide runs , new and full moons not so good at the bribie end, also some good reds taken of bribie to on the shallow reefs.

[trueblue]

seems to be plenty about on the smaller tide runs , new and full moons not so good at the bribie end, also some good reds taken of bribie to on the shallow reefs.

Which shallow reefs off Bribie are you referring to?

[matken]

i went out to the pearl channel looking for mackerel on saturday morning and saw bugger all on the surface. however i did hook up on three mackerel on sp's only to get bitten off. i had two of them at the back of the boat but i couldn't tell if they were schoolies or spotties. they all hooked up while bouncing sp's over reefs in about 30 ft on the drift.

[mbt]

true blue , the small coffe rock patches out from the surf side.

[shaneoo]

same story here boys we left from shorncliffe and headed striaght to the nelson, plenty of show on the sounder but no takers, we did see some tuna working the bait, but couldnt get within 50 meters of the buggers. We then headed to the drop offs over at morten again plenty of show on the sounder, one good run and a bite off but thats it. But the dolphines put on a good show. Maybe this weekend, have u seen the weather forcast it will be like queen street.

cheers shaneoo