Offshore Wide Bay Bar

[Smithy]

Went out to troll for Marlin seeing as there are a few down the Gold Coast. There was some current as you can see by the picture below but the colour wasn't right and the temperature didn't change for 20 miles. Gave the trolling away at 10:00 and dropped the pick on a nice ledge for a couple of hours. Got the Snapppery-Squire berleyed up for a while in the strong current and pulled the pin at 2:00 when the northerly got up. Probably missed three more runs by fish of the same size. Bottom donging was hard work for a few undersize as we had to use pound and a halfs.

[Smithy]

Better than a poke in the eye with a blunt object.

[nofrills]

mate that fish second from left has got one bad lookin head

[jeffo]

so no bills up that way either rob? what temp was it up there?

[Reefmaster]

Hey Smithy
still a few Snapper around by the looks hey. We usaully only pick the odd lonely big one up this time of year. Current is usaully at its strongest this time of year up there but never seen it that strong that we have to use a pound and half of lead. I will be heading up boxing day if weather plays the right game i hope the current settles down. What area were you bottom fishing , i know sometimes the current is stronger close in compared to outwide. Were those snapper caught on floating rigs up off the bottom.
Cheers Greg

[Smithy]

Jeff,

looked dead. Had 24.8c all day. About .2-.4 warmer in close but it was the same temp for about 15 mile and no temp breaks. Small bit of bait the Snapper were on but no surface activity at all. Was hoping for some Mahi Mahi at least. Water was not cobalt blue/purple, just blue. All action seem to be at the Gold Coast.

Reefie,

Pity you can't see the line angling out in that picture. That is with the big lead on and 80lb braid. Not straight up and down as per usual. All the legal fish were on floaters. I thought I have given you enough hints - some call it the Paddock or the Shallows. We had some hot marks 60km off the bar but conditions were making us do it hard - only going into them at 11-14 knots, so a big trip was out of the question. Did want to fish the spot we went to anyway. The rise does get big current lines on it plus other contacts get Mahi Mahi off it when they bottom bounce.

[damons33]

hi rob, went out off flat rock on sunday. trolled around nothing. nthly winds 15/20 and a current the likes i haven't seen before- the wr bouy off lookout was near submerged with a smoke trail about 25 long off it, i figure that any dolphin fish would be flatout just hugging it! let alone trying to strike a bait/lure.temps are the same as up there 25,8 odd. no way to hold bottom for any reasonable amount of time even with 16oz.
i think i might go play with tarpon up the coast at night as its cooler, ohh gavin dunne got over 100 lizards(tagged) in the back of the pin area on saturday,apart from that things are slow. i think a dam bash for barra would be smart with the hotter temps now on. anyways say a big merry xmas to all those hard fishun' kingaroy sportsfishing club members, damon

[jeffo]

we had 25.4 here all day on saturday.
hey greg. a bloke i know (reliable source) said he fished the area surounding wolf rock on the weekend just passed. they fished night time and did very well.. namely some big snapper.

[Reefmaster]

Thanks smithy and jeffo for the info its good to see there are a few snapper around. This time of the year usaully produces big Snapper at night on the close in Reefs hope we get into a few
Cheers Greg