What does it take to catch a fish?

[aus2045]

I'm just wondering what it takes to catch a fish.

I’ve been fishing since I could walk. And in the past I've had some great success while fishing in SEQ and NSW. But over the last twelve years living in Central Qld I have never caught a legal sized fish. I now have a boat and have been trying everything I can in the local estuaries but I can’t seem to get a fish for the table. Are the waters here just that fished-out that there is nothing left? Or am I doing something wrong?
When I go to Yamba NSW I catch heaps, but here I catch nothing.
I cast lures, fish live baits, day and night. I give up.

[Funchy]

Jeepers, 12 yrs and no keeper? I admire your persistence sir and wish you luck for the future

[Crisp Bee]

I wonder if it would be worthwhile hiring a local fishing guide for a day out. I'm sure he could help you with local tips, what time of year to target particular species, what tides work best etc.

[Gon Fishun]

With all the fracking going on, the water is probably toxic and all the fish are dead.
Have to agree with Crisp Bee, ask the locals.

[Triple]

Have to agree with Crisp Bee, ask the locals.

After twelve years living there he is a local
I admire your perserverance but crisp bee's advice on a pro guide may be money well spent.. Any local fishing clubs to join to meet up and fish with to get some assistance?

If I were you i'd just move to yamba

[Tickleish]

I'm just wondering what it takes to catch a fish.

I’ve been fishing since I could walk. And in the past I've had some great success while fishing in SEQ and NSW. But over the last twelve years living in Central Qld I have never caught a legal sized fish. I now have a boat and have been trying everything I can in the local estuaries but I can’t seem to get a fish for the table. Are the waters here just that fished-out that there is nothing left? Or am I doing something wrong?
When I go to Yamba NSW I catch heaps, but here I catch nothing.


.
I cast lures, fish live baits, day and night. I give up.

Mate maybe fishing isn't for you. Most fisho's in Brisbane head your way to catch decent fish.



Have you read Charlie's post on bait fishing alot of learners find that helpfull

[Rodman]

Mate Be lucky and in the right place at the right time

Ken

[Gon Fishun]

After twelve years living there he is a local
I admire your perserverance but crisp bee's advice on a pro guide may be money well spent.. Any local fishing clubs to join to meet up and fish with to get some assistance?

If I were you i'd just move to yamba

They buried a 94 year old lady from Kilcoy a couple of years back. She was 3 months old when they moved there. When the eulogy was read, it stated, but she wasn't a local. WTF. Go figure.

[tunaticer]

Ask for a deckie for a trip or two......weed out the guys that don't have reasonable success stories.

[XtremeBoony]

Get onto jonny Mitchell, he runs charters in the fitzroy, port alma and narrows. Would be money well spent as he has the local area wired. Just after the neaps is best in my opinion, the water cleans up in certain areas making it better for lure fishing. Just take everything in that the guide does eg. Lures, retrieve, tackle, knots, places to fish.... If u come across genuine they will be more then happy to help u improve your fishing.

Cheers from boony

[aus2045]

Get onto jonny Mitchell, he runs charters in the fitzroy, port alma and narrows. Would be money well spent as he has the local area wired. Just after the neaps is best in my opinion, the water cleans up in certain areas making it better for lure fishing. Just take everything in that the guide does eg. Lures, retrieve, tackle, knots, places to fish.... If u come across genuine they will be more then happy to help u improve your fishing.

Cheers from boony

Going for a fish with Jonny would be the go, but at $800 for a day (as stated on his website) that’s way outside my budget. Heck my whole boat/motor/trailer only cost $1200.

I figure my problem is just raw bad luck in this area. As when I go down to Brisbane I generally do well on Bribie Snapper, Pumicestone Jacks, and mud crabs. And down at Yamba NSW I have a ball on popping for whiting, big flathead, luring Jacks and Jew along the rock walls, and also pelagics off the headlands.

When I go north I have no problems finding good Barra/King/Fingermark around Prossy and Airlie.

But here, I can cast and troll lures till the paint wears off them. There are fish here apparently Bill Swaynok has provided plenty of great information on http://rockybarrabounty.com/ and Suntag sites on Barra captures and recaptures in the Fitzroy River. So there are fish there, I’m just not crossing paths with them. So all I can do is keep trying, keep casting, keep trolling, soak a livie here and there, keep looking for new spots, fish various stages of the tide, and one day I have to catch a fish. This bad luck can’t last forever and perhaps from then the flood gates might open for me. Getting that first fish is the hardest.

Anyway I’m planning a fish in the Fitzroy tommor. I know the tides are big, but I’m going to try anyway.

[theoldlegend]

Big tides huh?

As they say: No run, no fun.

TOL

[CT]

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Anyway I’m planning a fish in the Fitzroy tommor. I know the tides are big, but I’m going to try anyway.

Fished it today. We fished the run out from the top. Find a bank with a big drain taking the water as it comes off the flats. Look for and fish the clear/dirty water interface. Don't fish the fast water, fish the eddys and still water on the side of the main flow.

Today it was unweighted soft plastics that worked. Barra wanted nothing else. Salmon took softies too, but also one on a hard body.

Cheers
Craig

[aus2045]

Fished the full day yesterday, from the city reaches right down to islands half way to the mouth. Nothing at all. 63kms covered, sunburnt, zero fish.

[ranga7]

Dynamite.. Id say there simply is just no fish there, all the different things you've tried and the hours and klm you've put in if there were fish there you would have caught at least 1. Is there any other boats fishing there?