Douglas Shoals Marks

[mustang5]

Hey Guys,

Fished Douglas once before and only caught on to some moon/bat fish on the section west of the main shoals. Sounded around for what felt like days with not much luck.

Would appreciate it if someone could PM a starting mark or tips just so I can finally fill an esky in the Gladstone Region.

Heading out to Douglas and maybe Moresby Sat arvo and happy to bring a few fish back / 6 pack in return for some marks.

Thanks

[Spiderpig]

The best reds are caught on what seems like not much bottom; just fern. What type of sounder are you using?

You do realise that they are the biggest tides of the year on Sunday morning? The deep water between Douglas/habberfield and Moresby fishes well but I doubt you will be able to get your line to the bottom in deep water (because of the big tides), except fot the turn of the tide.

I was fishing between Douglas and Habberfield earlier in the year on a 4m+ tide and was struggling to get bait down with 5 x 8 oz snapper leads. I think this weeked is something like a 4.6m tide.

[mustang5]

Thanks mate. I have a raymarine C70 & C80 with a P66 sounder but cant for the life of me use it... Im too used to Lowrance HDS gear. I will read up what indicates fern.

So if I fish the edge of structure and not directly on it, that seems to be the go?

Understand about the tides but even if I get out there im happy. Not often get good forecast like this weekend so ill at least be excited.

[warti]

You might have just hit it on a bad day mate. Usually not too hard to catch a feed there but you hear the stories of blokes struggling. The tides you are going on are bloody huge. I would suggest you throw the lures out and troll around, with the main point of finding new ground for next time and maybe getting a pelagic on the side. I have already knocked back a trip to the reef because of these tides, even though the weather will be good. Good luck mate.

[Spiderpig]

Sometimes you just get that itch to go. If I wasnt working I prolly would too.

I dont know much about the raymarine, but would suggest finding the bottom zoom function and work out what fern shows like. Find fern with arches and you have half a chance.

As warti said have a troll when the tide is running too fast to bottom fish and play with the sounder while the deckies watch the lines. Mark some bottom while sounding and go back to it for the turn of the tide, you should be able to bottom fish a couple of hours either side. I have spent too many nights travelling when the tide turns. These days I am always anchored up on some good bottom for the turn.

I have to admit that I haven't caught all that many emperor on top of douglas. The better ones are around the outside contour line or way off it all together. You have to remember in gets flogged by a lot of 6m boats from Yeppoon. Don't be afraid to look at lines on the way out too, the less obvious spots will fish better.

[mustang5]

Thanks for the help fellas!! Had a pretty good trip up there, left about 530 Sat afternoon and were treated to some sloppy conditions. Set the autopilot once clear of the north channel entrance and arrived at Douglas probably about 830.

Before even sounding around dropped the lines and the bite was on. Nothing significant in size but quite a few red throat and red emps.

Bite fell off as you said when the current started ripping. With the current came a sloppy swell so we headed back for shelter at North West Island, and prepared for the 3am low tide change.

Had a sleep at NW, alarms set for 230 and we were back at Douglas roughly around 3. Drift set was going east to west directly along the contour lines so we drifted along getting fish after fish.

Plenty of hussar at the start which were good for fillets and they really chew the fresh flesh! Unfortunately didnt get time to check the outer contours for the bigger fish but at the end of the day Im happy with the marked improvement in results

Good spot up there but bloody long trip!! lol

Thanks fellas for all your help!

71586_4513725274019_2086344262_n.jpg