New to boating, new to Moreton Bay...

[TimiBoy]

Hi Folks,
Seems it's a big secret where people catch decent fish in the Bay - I catch a lot, but too damn small. No one shares any info, even though I only take what I'm eating today (frozen fish blows). Maybe I can find folks here who don't play cards so close to their chests?
Always see photos of folks who've caught 10Kg Knobbies, "yeah sure," I say, "caught it at the damn fish shop!"
It'd be nice to have somewhere to go when it's too rough outside, where my guests won't be frustrated feeding the fry... They're cute little buggers though, man how many 22cm whiting have I caught?
HELP!!!!!

[loophole]

23 cm whitng are only fish fingers

[tunaticer]

If you are targetting the 10kg knobbies in the bay man you will have to put in the hours man cuz they are very few and far between inside the bay. The guys with the good results are doing just that lots of hours and no real special locations they pay attention a lot more than the average fisho does tho and learn how to putt the good ones occasionally.

Jack.

[reelchippy]

So true jack

[bluefin59]

The bay fishes different species at different times of the year ,i can only suggest you keep an eye out in the reports section you will soon see what is on and about where its happening mate ...matt

[loophole]

well said Jack

its all about knowledge..

Tim you will learn,,,,, maybe you just have to spend more time at school ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
err I mean on the water

[Cheech]

With the bay, there are so many boats, you do have to get most of it right to get on to legal fish. I fished the bay for about 3 years before I got my first bay nobby.

It really is all about time, tides, and often moon phases.

On Saturday I decided to head out as I had not been to my favorite place (mud island) for a couple of months. I got to the ramp a bit before dark, had a bit of a fish, but had trouble holding anchor. Had to re-anchor about 4 times, which was not easy being on my own in a 21 fter with a bit of a sea and windy. The tides were not how I liked, so ended up with nothing for 4 hours work (though I expected that because I know the time was wrong). Decided to have a kip and wake up after the tide change (about 1.00am). Then fished through till 4.30am. Result was 4 squire, 3 of them between 50 - 55cm and a sweetie.

The point I am trying to make is yes the esky looked pretty good in the morning, but I was stuffed. It was very hard work. I then anchored up on the sheltered side of the island for a couple of hours sleep before heading back in the morning.

What amazed me when I woke were the number of boats out there on Sunday morning. I was almost on my own during the night when the fish were on, but then when the fish were off, everyone was out there at gentlemans hours buzzing around and probably wondering why they could not catch a fish.

The mysterious fish catching marks are not really that mysterious or secret. Where I caught my fish on Saturday night, you would be very unlikely to catch a legal fish during the day. But during the day there are usually 20 or 30 boats in the general area.

Anyone that wants to catch good fish consistently need to pick an area that is known to give results, then put in a lot of hours at different times and moon phases, and get to know what gives better results.

Here is a tip, everyone says the run in tide is the best. If you checked the tide times for Saturday, you would see that the period I caught no fish was the run in, and the time I targeted to catch fish was the run out. I only found that out by trial and error for that particular spot.

Take this advice, or not, is up to you, but as I said, there is no special spot as such unless you do all the rest. And forget it if the bait is not good enough to eat yourself. You will get the pickers and vermin, but snapper are a bit more fussy than that.

Cheech

[Doogle]

Timiboy, you are not alone.

I am quite new to boating and to the Bay too. I haven't yet had a lot of success catching anything too big either.

All I can suggest is that you keep your eyes on the other clusters of boats and see what the sizes they are catching. If consistently small, look for another cluster and move on. Somewhere on the bay, someone has to be catching worth-while sized fish and we just have to find out where.

A few pointers from those "in the know" would certainly help you, me and many others new to the activity become better and keener fishermen.

Doogle

[manchild]

All this talk about different spots.The only way to learn is to pick a general area and stick to it.Fish it by day and night all sortof conditions and take notice of the conditions .When you mastered said area move onto others and do the same You build up you knowledge in time and have a lot of fun ,dont get me wrong but to give away that knowledge on an open forum would be silly,and even if you got a location you would lack local knowledge .Its easy to say go to mud island ,but what time what technique what tide ?
cheers
George

[revs57]

G'day Tim,

Yep the bay has its mysteries, I still haven't worked it out! As Cheech was saying, tide, time and moon has a lot to do with it.

The Snapper come into the bay and hang off the Rous wall, but you've gotta get there at the right part of the tide to have a crack at them. Some places have such a small window.

The North East side of Mud around the cardinal markers has its moments, but cops a flogging. Its locally called the "car park", but tide and moon ahs a lot to do with fishing there. The top of Lazaret gutter (North of Peel) is supposed to fish well on the rising tide from about half tide and up, toward the top of the tide you can try over the reefy bits behind the Cardinal markers on the North West corner of Peel - I've been done over by some unstoppables there. If you can locate the houseboat off Spit Beacon (West Peel), that's always worth a drift.

Swano works the reefs off Scarby and Woody point (Redcliffe peninsular) regularly and successfully with the SP's, again, tide and moon are factors.

I'm no expert and still learning about the bay, there is no substitute for time and experience. A guide could be a worthwhile investment to get you kick started, you don't just pay for a days fishing, you buy his local knowledge too. Either that or try to see if you could deckie for someone here who knows the bay ropes.

For me, I've come home with an empty fish box more often than not when I've fished the bay, that's why I've focussed more on the offshore reefs - at least we get a reasonable feed most times.

Cheers

Rhys

[Scalem]

TimiBoy,

About a year ago I posted up the question "were there any 100cm Snapper in the bay" and bugger me, before anyone got off the starting blocks, one of our members caught one on the same weekend I raised the question..... Well done Foggy!! But the point I want to make is there's guys on AF you will come to know, and they really do know their stuff and more than willing to assist, some have already done so.

Become familiar with your search tab and look for subjects you want to know about. Even if Ausfish members suddenly stopped posting, there's enough in the archeives to give you a years' worth of reading. The rest is up to you, a sounder, a boat ( preferred but not 100% crucial) and line in the water.

For me, I pay absolutely no attention to tide times or moon phases. If I have a Saturday not choked up with committments and the weather is good, you get to learn how to read the conditions and fish accordingly. Most times the dinner bell will ring for the fish some time during the tide if you are patient enough to wait. Often it's after most of the other boats have bugged out..... And besides, just being out there is all I really care about. Catching fish is a bonus!! Hope you enjoy your trips into the bay!!

Scalem

[wags on the water]

And besides, just being out there is all I really care about. Catching fish is a bonus!! Hope you enjoy your trips into the bay!!

Scalem

Timiboy,

What I have found is each persons spot X doesn't fish the same day in/day out. If you do a search on gooogle, you'll find general gps marks for the bay. These marks are very general too (no structure). Once you find the marks, sound around or drift these areas to find your very own spot X, Y and Z.
Since coming the bris,my first 13 trips in the bay resulted in 1 bream, 1 whiting and 1 small squire.
Some of those trips had their moment, seeing dugong and turtles, and my 2nd last trip (monday) - no fish but saw a pod of 6 whales feeding in 60m, and 3 whales (2adults and a calf) in 6m of water near the south passage bar.
Yes it would be nice to bring home a feed, but you can't buy these moments.

Cheers,

Wags

ps - welcome to the site. Boat size limits you to certain areas of the bay and beyond. What size boat do you have? and what areas are you targeting?