Can anyone tell me when they first started catching spotties in Moreton Bay last season.
I used to chase them 10 years ago but cant remember what time of year they start
Still a bit early mate, They tend to arrive at Hervey Bay around November/December and Moreton Bay is around Christmas time or just after.
School Macks arrive earlier than the spots. We should start to see them increase in numbers from now onwards, with December/January the peak time.
Cheers
Craigie.
John ,just checked my records, November last year they started up but in the southern bay areas. fish were good size spotties.they hung around one particular spot for quiet a while until everyman and his dog was there including me.Garretts young mate opened his account for the year with 20 fish landed in one session and before everyone had realised he had a few good sessions being the only fishing for them. Around xmas though for most of the bay.
Chief, Craige, thanks for the quick reply. I saw the post for spotties off Caloundra and thought they might be starting shortly. I guess the best idea is to check the posts from last year to see when they started.
Craigie, these schoolies, are they the same as spotties to catch ie slugs cast at surface boils or do they require a different approach and do they hang out in the same areas.
thanks all
Last edited by hodges4; 13-08-2007 at 04:45 PM. Reason: addressed question to wrong person
october we got our first of the season last year
That will set the cat amongst the pigeons!!Originally Posted by Fisher4life
Remember the fracas last year when some people started to assert they were catching spotties - when often they were schoolies... Webby was going OFF!!... just waiting for him to find this thread...
So... what do you think Brian??
Not pointing at you Josh... I know you know your stuff and had some great sessions to prove it.
I cant say when they hit the bay - but I know we saw some pretty big schoolies - up to 6kg maybe more around Sept last year... so schoolies - spotties whatever they are should start to show soon.
Cheers,
Adam
this was the first mack catch of last year, my old man and i were both very shocked that they were in already. You can deffinately tell the difference if not by the clearly defined spot's, but also the much cleaner, yummier taste.
Last edited by Fisher4life; 17-08-2007 at 03:27 PM.
There used to be a saying , that when the chrissy beatles turned up the spotties turned up, but that went out the window years ago when the ring netters were around.
A few moons ago before the carnage of the ring netters was allowed, spotties used to turn up in the nth bay mid to late octerber, then the ring netter did there bit, and you usually did see them to after christmas, as not too many survived the run south past the ring netters.
But in the last few years since ring netting stopped, they have slowly started to show their face a little earlier each year, and the quality not the quanity has started to improve to what it use to be like.
So hopefully this year and with the wx warming fast, we may see them turn up earlier then last year, we just need the quantities to increase.
For years you never saw them between peel and bird, but this year for the first time in many moons they were there.
So heres to the fish gods that we have a better and longer season.
and with the new Inshore Finfish reg's hopefully out by then, we wont see the confusion any more as you wont have to worry about wether its a spot or a doggie but just the size and how many you can take.
regards
The spots are definately on the increase.I caught and saw many more last year than ever before.It only stands to reason that they will search farther afield for a feed and hence possibly earlier and further south.
I saw and caught many more spots last season than ever before(in the time that i have chased them).It only stands to reason that in increased numbers they may arrive early and farther afield(south) than they have been in the recent past.Ben
Any more hints Webby
A Proud Member of
"The Rebel Alliance"
I found last season that the quality was better than I have ever seen berfore with most fish around the 90cm mark. The numbers were nothing like the good old days before ring netting where you could fill your esky with them no trouble at all. We got most prechristmas with the first late Oct around the central eastern bay area
Cheers
Neil
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"The Rebel Alliance"
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