The banks phenomena

[mackmauler]

Im sure many also are asking the question why is this area producing many more times the fish of any other area in SEQ, I dont have any answers with factual evidence merely personal opinion but have seen a marked deterioration in the catch from moreton and straddy and the gold coast is somewhere below that.

It seems as though no other ground is worth fishing but the question in my mind is why are the other grounds not producing fish, if its as simple as overfishing then the banks day is coming very shortly, throw up your opinions id be interested to hear them.

[vertico]

distance to banks across open offshore waters may put some boaties off ? as seaway and moreton bay offer some protection some days. Although moreton bay can throw up some very nasty weather.

[Jacksta]

Im with vertico, its a long way out and probably doesnt get fished as much, thats probably the only reasonable explanation i can give. But as you said the banks isnt to far off either as its getting more popular... Ahh i dont want to even think about it! No fish = No life

Cheers Joel

[Cheech]

About 18 months ago I had my first trip out to the banks on HMAS Sea-Saw, and we had a very good day. I remember joking to Mark saying that I should come out more often as I must have brought the luck.. To that he said,,,, But I always catch a lot of fish. doh,,,

My slant on the banks is that it has always been a fantastic location, but just not that well advertised. A lot of guys on this site are fishing it I think since seeing results and hearing about it so much from Mark initially, and then others. Just snowballing. Possibly a lot more people venturing out there in boats that you would not normally have considered suitable. (I once went there once in a 5.25 tinnie and not in a hurry to repeat that)

With these extra boats from the same "ausfish club" fishing it, and then sharing gps marks, more people are having more productive trips, which then inspires others to check it out.....

But then again I could be totally wrong. Is just a theory.

I remember a couple of years ago someone saying on this site that Morton is dead and if you want to catch good fish then go to the banks. The more Morton underperforms, the more places like the banks will be hit, and unfortunately, I thnk it will have to start to be less productive.

By the way,,,,,,, that was my 1000th post. Doesn't mean anything. I probably still know jack shit. Just means I have been hanging around for a while.

Cheech

[Fishin_Dan]

Craig - I think you've certainly proven you know a lot! You've certainly taught me a cr@pload of stuff! And gotten me onto a few firsts!

On the upside - With everyone heading out to the banks, leaves the lesser populated "In bay dead spots" for those who can't get out there to fish! Besides, seeing Craig's snapper, and Webby's tuskie just goes to show that everywhere has fish!

I think a lot of it is probably due to the fact that when people are planning a trip out that far, they really think and plan EVERYTHING! They have the right tides, times, moon, bait, rigs, drinks, hold their tongue the right way, etc! Whereas if it's just a run out to somewhere close, people just seem to be a lot more relaxed, and don't really care as much (Cause apparently it's fished out!). If you put the time and effort and thought into anywhere, you can catch great fish alot! Craig - You were the one that taught me that too!

(P.S - Welcome to the Platinum Club! )

[Spaniard_King]

Rob,

with all the reports some of us Goldy's have been contemplating trips up north to follow you guys around . We are definately envious of the quality and quantity of fish coming from this region.


Seems like we are always behind the 8 ball down here

Garry

[Always_offshore]

alll places hold fish[check out webby,s tusky]some places are more productive,15 years ago it was tempest,In the last few months have pulled great catches off the 29,s ,hendersons ,s temp,even some greatparrot under the cape,8 to 11kg snapper off the 12 mile and curra reef,caught cobias and in the bay.I always fish and target a certain species,maybe 2 on any trip. I try and catch quality fish even throwing back even if its just legal[if i want fish fingers i,d go to the supermarket]The good thing about the banks is any body can get fish of some type,just like a supermarket but the quality fish have to be hunted. ------------- no offence ,i think its a hunter/gatherer thing.

[SeaSaw]

Interesting question Rob. I have a few thoughts about this.

I have been fishing sunshine coast offshore (from cape Moreton to Noosa) for a while now and the Banks is only one of many good reefs in the area. As pointed out in another thread recently, there are no fences out there. Most of the fish we target are not resident and move about, particularly snapper.

Now I am not going to pretent that the Banks is not above average, but there are many seasonal variations that I do not claim to begin to understand that need to be considered. For example, a few years back, I couldn't find a snapper at Barwon, but that year I was regularly bagging out at places like murphies, Caloundra 12 Mile, and Sunshine Reef. While Barwon was still producing quality in other species, there were no snapper. This year, the last 2 trips I have done to murphies at night (an thats the real murphies ) I have bagged out on pearlies, so you really don't need to go to all the way to the Banks. But the Snapper didn't seem to come in close in large numbers this year, which was actually an unusual pattern.

I think there is a little too much hype about the Banks right at the moment. This is by far the best season I have ever seen on these gounds, and in reality, it has taken no skill to catch a bag limit of snapper almost every trip. This won't last and I dont think it will be because of overfishing. The fish will most likely show up in different places or over a wider area next year or the year after, and everyone will be complaining the banks has been overfished. It is just seasonal differences, more likely related to food sources, currents and other unknown factors.

Another thing worth noting is that I have also had Snapper bag outs at the Hards, Wide Caloundra, North and South and Hutchies, so it has been a good season on all the grounds north of the Cape, not just the Banks.

I have seen a marked increase in people on this site who fish the banks over the past year, but I cannot say that there is more boat traffic out there than any previous year. I would be interested in other long term banks fishermans view on whether there is a noticeable increase in traffic.

I to am concerned that the area will get overfished, particularly with the number of people that seem to be contemplating traveling 150km to get there. I don't begrudge these people the opportunity to fish the area, but I do hope that we get a leveling season next year with more fish off Moreton Straddie and the Gold Coast. The hype really needs to be balanced out and mother nature had a habit of doing this for us.

While I believe I have contibuted to the current hype about the Banks, a dose of reality over time should sort this problem out. If it doesn't then we are in real trouble and overfishing will be a serious problem. Not that we can do anything about this as the word will get around anyway, and brisbane population is exploding with people wanting the outdoors lifestyle, moving here from interstate. In the future, I think we can expect even tighter regulations for bag and size limits as this is the only way to protect the fish against us.

Great topic Rob, I have heaps more thougths about the subject but I fear I am rambling now.

Cheers,

Mark

[SeaSaw]

PS. Congrats Cheech on the 1000. Your contibution has been valued, and it must be time we hit the Banks again

[jeffo]

i beg to differ, i know blokes who have fished 4nm from the river mouth and have gotten bag limit on snapper in half an hour, on most trips. like you say the banks cant be that good for much longer. its gettting fair hammered.

[Thunderbird]

Who knows rob but i wish i'd headed there monday instead

[redspeckle]

I used to go out and fish the Barwon Banks I was coming up from Brisbane leave at 2am tow the boat up called in mates place be at boat ramp by 4am then be out on the banks 5:30 or 6:00 am fish till midday or hour after that be back at boat ramp by 2 or 3pm depends on weather condition heading back clean fish & drop mate off i might be lucky be back in brisbane by 5.00pm and that depends on traffic
You catch some nice fish out their but its a long and tiresome day if you are the skipper and drive the car as well turns into a 14 to 18 hr day for you
So now I take my chance's going over the south passage go through the bay frist you may not catch as many quality fish but at least knock hours of travelling by half or more of it being a shorter day and still land a decent fish
Mitch
I agree with in what SeaSaw &Verctio said in their posts

[Mick]

150kms !
I find it hard to believe that a fishing spot this far off shore gets overfished, and if it does, we are either too ritch (owning bigger boats) or too gready.

[shut_up_and_fish]

the seasons and patterns change.................what i would like to compare is the fact that people 'bag out' reguarly on 'squiry snapper' (up to 3-4kilo) out wide - and dont get me wrong - thats some nice fish.............but people travelling reguarly and getting this amount reguarly is sure to unbalance the system a little...........we have travelled to spot x inside moreton (1/2 hr from bribie) and not bagged out but caught quality fish up to 8kilo and the smallest being 5kilo (snapper) and all day boat traffic is phenomenal around this spot yet we still catch them. admittedly its not in great number and sometime only a couple of fish...............so why are they there.........i know some good snapper get caught out wide but there is plenty of small stuff amongst it...............i notice the change also in the bribie passage over the last 5 or so years where the species in particular has improved out of sight..................more than anything i think it is seasonal. i have chased and caught some great bream of the surf at di and the last year or two i feel that the numbers and size havent been there? is this because its now like parramatta road up there or just seasonal.........????? all i can say is protect your favourite spot x by doing what is morally right and let nature take care of everything else..

[dfox]

Mick- thats the drive from brisbane included, the banks is roughly 45 km offshore and extends over a large area. It probably covers an area and im guessing of some 40 square km...