Bundaberg-On the "Not To Return List"

[Frank OO]

Bundaberg is one of the places that will be on my “UNLIKELY TO RETURN LIST”.

After six weeks of excitement, the day had finally arrived. Thursday morning 07:00am and we were on our way to Bundaberg. Phil and Ron “Reel Obsession” had already left Ipswich an hour before so the timing should be right for both of us to meet at the Bribie turn off.

The Bribie party consisted of a few members of the local fishing club and everyone was looking forward to catching massive numbers of Red fish and everyone had made sure that the tackle boxes were full of Jig Heads and hundreds of 7” Nuclear Chickens.

After a very easy trip we arrived the Absolute Ocean Front Tourist Park at 12 noon. A quick bit to eat and we were off. We were made to feel very welcome by VMR Bundaberg when we logged in. They must have been a bit quiet because we were one of five boats that had left the ramp.

Cochrane Artificial Reef was only 17 kms away and we arrived in no time. Bait everywhere and fish showing from top to bottom. We were ready. An hour later we were still ready. Finally at 4:00pm I caught a massive Snapper that weighed about 1.5kg. Phil had about the same amount of luck with a 8kg Golden Trevally. That was the end to a very uneventful first day.

The second day was still filled with excitement because Fixation had generously offered some of his very best spots to ensure that we were going to really enjoy this trip. We left at 5:00 am Friday morning and bashed our way to the Southern Gutter through some very pretty white water. After what seemed like an eternity we finally arrived to a calmer Southern Gutter and started exploring some of the many ledges and we were again excited to see so many fish on the sounder. We were welcomed by some very long Long Toms and millions of Whiptails but NO FISH.. We moved from south to north but nothing wanted to play the game. At about 3:00pm we decided to go home and think of a better plan of attack.

Saturday Morning 5:00am and we were off to Cochrane Reef for the early bite. Yep that’s all it was one early bite when Chris caught another small Snapper to about 1.5kg. Two hours later we decided to head for the Northern Gutter for some real fish. We were greeted by a Brown Sea Snake and a just legal School Mackerel. After loosing about ten packets of Nuclear Chickens to small Parrot and Whiptails I finall caught my first Nanygai. Hoorah!!!!! I shouldn’t have got our hopes up because apart from a Chinaman Fish and another Golden Trevally that was all for the Trip to Bundy.

The weather was perfect, The company was great, The food was plentiful, Shame about the fish.

I have included some photos for interest only:

Frank OO

[BAR UP]

Hey Frank, the pick of you with your large Nanny you look pretty pissed off to say the least. A lot can be said for fishing around Brissy but rarely do we come home fishless. Thanks for your Bundy report. If Frank 00 cant catch a fish there's something wrong !! ,Peter.

[jtpython]

MAte thats a shame you should have come up the coast a little to further to Gladstone or the Cap Coast
Hope it was a good holiday for you otherwise
JT

[Frank OO]

Hi Peter,

Yes your observation is pretty spot on.

I am sure that there are times when Hervey Bay fires but I have never returned with so little fish for so much effort.

Frank OO

[goggles]

Long run for no fish,was up there start of April and the bay outfront of Burnett Heads was alive with baitfish. Landed longtail tuna and mack tuna. Was there any surface activity at all. Wayne

[missile]

Frank lived in bundy for about ten years. ITS always been good. but you get them days every were.thats fishing!!!!

[outsiderskip]

hi frank
long way to go just for a few fish
could have done better in brissie
river

pete

[revs57]

Thanks Frank, you've just really encouraged me...you're human after all!!!! Yep, a real disappointment for so much effort when the fish dont want to play. Been a bit of that lately. I'm wondering what that's a bout?

Those few that we've caught have been in prime condition, good and fat. The snapper look like they've been grubbin in the mud for cockles or oysters or something, they are full but muddy in the guts.

I'm wondering if there is some effect from the wetter season we've just come through, after el nino bringing a higher level of nutriments in the water, more food around in the food chain, how all that has effected the marine eco system? I also would have thought with the weather lately, the fish would have been replenished and on the chew cause its been pretty crappy and they haven't been hammered? Yep, you were fishing the moon on th eup, you'd have thought it would be good.

We've had a few similar stories down here on the last three trips, fished the new moon for one fish to 4.5kg and trips thurs/fri last week on the up to the full moon for a meserley catch...oh well, that's fishing as they say. Can't brain them every time.

maybe this relegates us out of the top 10%???

Cheers

Rhys

[Lucky_Phill]

Frank.... doesn't stack up hey .. bugga !

I stayed at that Cara Park earlier this year, nice place. Waking up to those sunrises was great, but I was there to work, so no fishing was done.

I have mates that live and fish up that way and have filled eskies on ocassions.

There are places I would have prefered to hit like the Western Warregoes, South East Bombie etc, but you just never know where the fish will be hiding.

Mate, you're just going to have to make it to one of the Ausfish M & G's at Agnes Water / 1770. Every year in Oct.

Cheers Phill

[Frank OO]

Hi JT,

The next trip is in August. We are planning to go to 1770 during the Brisbane Exhibition weekend. The moon should be right but the westerlies could be blowing a bit.

The weekend was great and even the Fisheries inspectors said we had a good catch when he looked at the two tiny little Snapper. I tried to get him to tell me where he goes and he suggested we were fishing in all the right spots but maybe we should try at night time.

I could be going for a trip to Rocky soon so I might give you a call when I know what days I will be there.

Hi Goggles,

I fished there with Eric Grell about 8 weeks ago and the place was alive with Long Tails, Mack Tuna, Trevally, Snapper and Queenfish but they place was dead this weekend. We did see a couple of small schools of baitfish just 2 kms in front of Bargara and we scored 1 School Mackerel.

Hi Missile,

I am sure that there are some fantastic fish out there because the sounder was absolutely full of fish but they just weren’t playing. Hope I didn’t offend you but I really don’t think I will bother going back there. The Burnett River entrance is great, safe and easy to navigate. The people seem very friendly. The pub in Bargara served up great food. The facilities were perfect. Just no fish.

Hi Pete,

I didn’t see too many photos of massive fish on your post although the Brisbane River has been producing some great Salmon. Missed you on the radio mate. Look forward to listening to you on Sunday.

Hi Rhys,

The only top ten I might be in is the top ten idiots that will travel the world to go fishing. I have noticed that the fish are not biting as well this year.(For all you greenies, it is not the fact that the place has been overfished). I thought that all the bad weather that started in November may have failed to produce the bait and that is why we have had such a poor pelagic season. All the spots where I would expect to see schools of bait, Snapper, Pearlies and Ajs have been very quiet.

I would have thought that the Snapper would have been firing by now but the place is very quiet. Maybe you are right. The wet season may have produced an over abundance of food in the water and the fact may be that the fish are just not hungry.

It just means we will have to try harder and search for some new spots.

Thanks guys for the feedback

Frank OO

[Frank OO]

Hi Phil,

I think with all new places, you can't expect to get the best results but with the help of Fixation who used to live and fish ther all the time, I thought that we would at least have some success.

I might have to talk to you about 1770. Roz helped us to find a couple of spots last year but I am determined to catch some big Reds on plastics like Foxy .

Frank OO

[Spot82]

Southern Gutters, depending on what marks you had and how you were fishing nearly always fishes well, so I am not sure what you were doing wrong. We always anchor and always fish with stip baits or liveys and have no probs catching plenty of fish. Southern gutters has been producing heaps of trout to 10kg on livies of late as well as good scarlets. Gutters also fishes a lot better at night than during the day.

I have never fished with plastics up that way and it seems a lot of the species up that way aren't typically caught on plastics - reds, trout, scarlets, etc, hence why we always stick to fresh bait.

I have found fishing off moreton/mooloolaba and fishing the wide bay area is completely different and possibly that is where you have come unstuck, local experience is priceless and isn't easily gained in some cases.

[Liberty]

Hey Franko

You've restored my faith in fishing humanity.

:-)

Long way to go without a bite... Tough luck.

Nigel

[black_sheep]

Frank, I think the fish heard that you were coming!

Not much happening off the Barwons but we did at least get a a mixed bag of 15 keepers.

I flogged the SP's with very little success and bait accounted for all the keeprs.

Don't discard the place too quickly mate, I heard they stocking barra there soon!

[Frank OO]

Hi Spot82,

That is really good information and the fact that you said that there are plenty of Trout etc is great news.

Don’t tell too many people but we actually used stripes of Whiptails and some livies on Saturday to see if it made a difference.

The main object of the trip was to see if we could catch a lot of different species using soft plastics. I have fished the Cochrane Reef previously with great success and I have caught Coral Trout, Trevally, Cobia etc using Plastics but I had never caught a BIG Red Emporer on a plastic.

I understand what you have said and I appreciate the fact that the fish do bite well on Bait but the fish seem to bite on plastics every else around Australia.

I honestly believe that they were just not on the chew.

I am still happy that we were able to see and experience another beautiful part of Australia

Frank OO