River Heads - Hervey Bay Region

[The Complete Angler]

G'day All

So I have just booked a week away in November to stay in River Heads which is just next to Hervey Bay.
I am taking my 4.1m tinny with a 30hp tiller and am seeking some advice on fishing and crabbing in the area please.

I'd love to get some crabs so am taking my 4 pots with me, I see the river system is plentiful so hopefully will have some success in that area. I'd like to head into the bay if the weather is good and hit some reefs with jigs, plastics try some trolling and fish with live baits if I can get some in my cast net or on some Sabiki jigs. I'm not familiar with the area but have had a look on Navionics and can see some artificial reefs by Big Woody Island, if the weather isn't great, then I can fish the river system and hopefully snag a Barra or Jack, or Thready but unsure where they would by hanging around at that time of year.

So if anyone has some local knowledge or tips, I would be grateful. Cheers All!

[tunaticer]

Plenty of aerogard....the midges and sandflies are a world class act there.

[shaungonemad]

Plenty of aerogard....the midges and sandflies are a world class act there.

Share farmers are just as thick


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[The Complete Angler]

Share farmers are just as thick


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Cheers for that

[Sheik]

Plenty of fish aorund that area, but be careful as the tides rip through and winnd against tide means some pressure waves there that could upset a little tinny for sure.
There's 30m of water out the front and gold spot cod jew barra etc hang around but you have to pick the tide windows. Going out into the bay is fine, but again, i'd be careful in a tinny that size personally. Would be a bit of a trip up to the arti but do able. Probably best bet will be to head into the mary or the susan and target threadies, or go over to McKenzies and fish the coffee rock ledge. Again be careful as getting back from over there can be tricky if the seabreeze kicks in. Crabs are hard to find there. I'm not saying don't take the pots but it's pretty heavily potted by pros and locals. Hope that little bit helps.

[gunna]

He means people who will steal from your crab pots - share farmers. Happens a bit up there. I’ve done ok along edges up towards Beaver Rock. Lots of snags but holds some decent fish. You can also get across to Fraser and fish the creeks there. Just check your zones though.

[shaungonemad]

How? Asking for local knowledge for someone that hasn’t been to the area? Maybe you should leave this forum if you’re not here to help

Gee whiz settle down. Share farmers check everyone’s crab pots.


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[The Complete Angler]

Gee whiz settle down. Share farmers check everyone’s crab pots.


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My bad, sorry man. I thought you were having a go. Thanks for expanding on that.

[The Complete Angler]

Plenty of fish aorund that area, but be careful as the tides rip through and winnd against tide means some pressure waves there that could upset a little tinny for sure.
There's 30m of water out the front and gold spot cod jew barra etc hang around but you have to pick the tide windows. Going out into the bay is fine, but again, i'd be careful in a tinny that size personally. Would be a bit of a trip up to the arti but do able. Probably best bet will be to head into the mary or the susan and target threadies, or go over to McKenzies and fish the coffee rock ledge. Again be careful as getting back from over there can be tricky if the seabreeze kicks in. Crabs are hard to find there. I'm not saying don't take the pots but it's pretty heavily potted by pros and locals. Hope that little bit helps.

Thanks for the info, mate. Yeah i'm very cautious when i'm out anywhere and don't profess to be a pro on the boat because that's usually when something goes wrong lol. But i'll pick my days, if it's anything like my local in Moreton Bay thennormally early morning to around 11am its calm and then the afternoon breeze kicks in. Cheers

[The Complete Angler]

He means people who will steal from your crab pots - share farmers. Happens a bit up there. I’ve done ok along edges up towards Beaver Rock. Lots of snags but holds some decent fish. You can also get across to Fraser and fish the creeks there. Just check your zones though.

Thanks for the info mate

[chris69]

Take a spare prop there's some hard rocks to the right of the boat ramp at River heads and up the creek to the right sorry don't no the name of it off hand.

[Watto79]

Options are endless bud and you will be fine in a 4.1m tinny to explore most of the area between there and the inside of Fraser on the right days it is not much different to what you would be used to down here in the bay.

If it does blow up a bit, just take it easy and there are islands you can use to your advantage to get a better run home.

Plenty of reefies around the islands and the coffee rock areas, grass sweeties, parrot, cod, blackall etc..

Just use nice fresh baits, flesh (mullet fillet) and squid work well and fish around the tide changes as has been said above it can run hard in most places up there..

Usual creek suspects hang in most of the creeks and rivers up there along with muddies.

If I was going to chase them would probably spend my time in the creeks on the western side of Fraser as opposed to those around river heads and the bay side as they see a bit less traffic.

And you want livies to enhance your chances on those species.

Other than that plenty of whiting, bream, flatties and trevs around most of the sandbanks and yabby beds if you are that way inclined.

Anyway it is a beautiful part of the world, so enjoy it and have fun exploring..

The options really are endless but its like anywhere takes some time and persistence to work it out and catch fish on a regular basis.

I am sure though there will be enough to keep you occupied during your time, best of luck mate.

[The Complete Angler]

Thanks for the advice on the prop

[The Complete Angler]

Take a spare prop there's some hard rocks to the right of the boat ramp at River heads and up the creek to the right sorry don't no the name of it off hand.

Options are endless bud and you will be fine in a 4.1m tinny to explore most of the area between there and the inside of Fraser on the right days it is not much different to what you would be used to down here in the bay.

If it does blow up a bit, just take it easy and there are islands you can use to your advantage to get a better run home.

Plenty of reefies around the islands and the coffee rock areas, grass sweeties, parrot, cod, blackall etc..

Just use nice fresh baits, flesh (mullet fillet) and squid work well and fish around the tide changes as has been said above it can run hard in most places up there..

Usual creek suspects hang in most of the creeks and rivers up there along with muddies.

If I was going to chase them would probably spend my time in the creeks on the western side of Fraser as opposed to those around river heads and the bay side as they see a bit less traffic.

And you want livies to enhance your chances on those species.

Other than that plenty of whiting, bream, flatties and trevs around most of the sandbanks and yabby beds if you are that way inclined.

Anyway it is a beautiful part of the world, so enjoy it and have fun exploring..

The options really are endless but its like anywhere takes some time and persistence to work it out and catch fish on a regular basis.

I am sure though there will be enough to keep you occupied during your time, best of luck mate.

Great advice. Thanks for that

[Sheik]

Thanks for the info, mate. Yeah i'm very cautious when i'm out anywhere and don't profess to be a pro on the boat because that's usually when something goes wrong lol. But i'll pick my days, if it's anything like my local in Moreton Bay thennormally early morning to around 11am its calm and then the afternoon breeze kicks in. Cheers

To a degree, but the wild card is the current running through the heads and yes, the seabreeze does kick in after lunch but it's the other wind you have to watch. For example the heads are protected from a SE to a degree, but coming back from Fraser to River Heads can be dangerous when a SE seabreeze hits the run up tide (moving north to south in the northern parts of Sandy Strait). It's a tricky little stretch of water.