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Fraser
Island Fishing |
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Image
courtesy Jill Falls - Fraser Island
Hideaway |
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| The
25th Toyota Fraser Island Fishing Expo
2008 was run from 24th -30th May
Click
for Info
While freshwater fishing on Fraser is prohibited, ocean fishing is a
very popular pastime so ensure you pack your beach rod. Anglers arrive by
barge with their 4WD and have over 150km of ocean beach on the eastern side of the island to fish.
Sandy Cape, Waddy point, Middle rocks and Indian head attract
tailor, bream, mackerel and shark. It is the beach fishing on the eastern, ocean side of the northern half of the Seventy Five Mile Beach that lures many anglers, particularly between July and October when the
tailor run.
It is worth the long trip to Wathumba on the
western side, and the coast between Rooney Point and Moon Point can yield whiting, bream and flathead, and there are plenty of yabby patches along the entire coast.
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Reading
the Beach
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It's
important to be able to read the beach to
find the gutters. Weather and tides
combine to alter the beach producing low
tide and high tide gutters where you will
find fish. These surf gutters form between
the beach and sand banks. It can be open
at one or both ends, and shorter, narrower
gutters with both north and south
openings, generally provide better
results. As the surf breaks over the sand
bank, holes are formed in the gutter and
food is stirred up. The stirred water also
provides cover for the fish.
Dawn and dusk are probably the best beach
fishing times, but if the conditions and
the gutters are right, anytime is a good
fishing time. The best gutters can be
found north from the Maheno wreck to
Indian Head and Waddy Point.
On the west side of the island, the best
areas are Wathumba Creek, Moon Creek and
Coongul Creek.
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| POPULAR
LOCAL SPECIES |
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Tailor
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The
most sought after fish on Fraser Island is
the tailor. Each year between late July
and October, thousands of anglers make
their way to the island for 'tailor
season'. Huge schools work the ocean
beaches during these months. Gutters open
to the south are best to retain the
schools and the Indian Head and Waddy
Point areas provide the best tailor
fishing. Bleed fish upon capture.
Bait:
Pilchard - usually on a 3 hook gang, lure,
sometimes gar and pike |
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Dart
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Sometimes
called swallowtail. Caught all year round
generally on the eastern beaches. It's an
excellent fighting fish, and like tailor,
should be bled upon being caught.
Normally caught during the day, but better
quality fish will be caught at night.
Bait:
Pippies, worms, cut flesh. |
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Bream
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Sometimes
called tarwhine. Main catches between May
to September. Best fish from the rocky
outcrops on the ocean side or in the
creeks on the western side.
Bait:
Strips of flesh, mullet gut, fowl gut,
pippies |
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Whiting
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Caught
all year round. Fish at low tide on the
ocean side. The creeks are best on the
western side usually providing larger
catches. Outgoing tide in shallow waters
where the current is slow moving and
discoloured is best.
Bait:
Worms, yabbies, pippies and prawns |
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Flathead
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Caught
all year round. Main catches between
September to March. The best areas are the
rocky outcrops on the ocean side, and any
of the creeks on the west side. Large fish
are generally female and should be
released.
Bait:
Live baits, lures, pilchards, strip baits,
hardy heads |
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Jewfish
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Requires
lots of patience. Best places are deep
surf gutters, and rocky outcrops, fished
at night on a new moon, on the low or high
tide. Usually May to September.
Bait:
Whole mullet, tailor fillets, beach
worms. |
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Other
Species
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Many
other species are caught off the island
including mackerel, tuna and reef fish.
Reef fish are usually caught at Ngkala
Rocks, Browns Rocks and Poyungan.
You'll sometimes see larger boats being
launched from the beach at Waddy Point
to fish the Continental Shelf and
the local reefs. Here they'll catch red
emperor, coral trout, maori cod and
parrot.
On the
western side, Roonies reef is popular
usually providing a good catch. Wathumba
Creek sometimes offers mangrove jack and
trumpeter. Don't forget your crab pots if
you're in this area too.
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