The search is on for somewhere close to home to go fishing, a place that is an easy drive without having to battle the sometimes bumper to bumper traffic that is often the case if your heading to the Gold or Sunshine Coast. The Redland’s district and Victoria Point east of Brisbane with the Moreton Bay Marine Park on its doorstep has always looked like there could be some prospective spots to wet a line.
Dependent on whether you plan to go fishing solo or with the family and friends, you’ll first need to organise some gear and bait that can supplement any locally sourced fishy morsels. You’ll also need to agree on a budget. Fishing trips have the potential to become an expensive day if you go all out, but it doesn’t need to be this way.
A small tackle box with the spare line, swivels, hooks and sinkers and a hand line is all that you might you need to have an enjoyable day out. If the budget stretches a little further, a number of the major Chain stores, local fishing and tackle outlets and places like BCF have a huge range of fishing rod combos at extremely competitive prices. 👉 Tip: I use my local BCF (Boating Camping Fishing) store – click on the link to find out more. These outlets carry a huge range of very competitively priced fishing gear, lures and frozen baits, as well as expert advice from some of the in-house fishing gurus.
First things first, Where are we going to go. With this region boasting many sheltered little coves, long jetty’s stretching into the deeper waters of the bay and some secluded sandy beaches all could be very probable spots which look very enticing for the land based fisherman. I recently posted a blog on WH Yeo Park, an excellent destination for all the family for a day’s excursion and running along the foreshore of the Park is Thompson’s Beach.
Unlike a lot of near city beaches, Thompson’s Beach has a long stretch of sand and a number of sheltered little quays scattered amongst the trees and mangroves with extensive tidal flats providing an ideal place at low tide to gather some local bait. A good rule of thumb when fishing a particular region is to try and use the bait that is common to the area.
Soldier crabs make an excellent local enticement and congregate on the tidal sand flats at low tide. Not only are they lots of fun to watch as they march en mass across the exposed sand banks but a few on the hook might just lead to your catch of the day.
The most popular catches from Brisbane’s fishing spots are Flathead, Bream, Whiting, Tailor and Cod and today we’ll be targeting the big 3 – Bream, Flathead and Whiting which are all available most of the year round. These are quite common species often caught in the surf, rivers and bays as well as numerous other locations along the Queensland coast. Knowing the type of fish to be expected wherever you choose to fish might influence you in the bait and tackle that you bring along. A quick Google search will unearth all the information you need, and it’s also a good idea the check on bag limits, legal fish sizes and other regulations that might be present in the area. Understand the rules before you go, and you’ll avoid any unforeseen circumstances further down the track.
Today, I’ll be angling with 2 rods, both 2mtrs long, the reels spooled up with 2.7kg line, long shank 2.0 hooks and the lightest sinkers and swivels that are suitable for the local conditions. One of my favourite pieces of fishing gear is my beach rod holder. A piece of PVC plastic tube, bevelled at one end pushed into the stand, the opposite end holding the rod (with the fish alert on) giving me the freedom to fish with the other.
I like to fish with different baits on each rod to cover what fish species might be biting on what bait to give me a greater chance of a hook up. I missed the low tide today to collect some soldier crabs, so a selection of cured beach worms and white bait (small pilchards) which I brought along with me was hopefully going to bring some success.
The usually calm waters of Moreton Bay offer some unique opportunities for off-shore fishing. Becoming more popular every day, combining the leisure activity of kayaking and angling will enable you to explore some great fishing spots. Whether it’s in the deeper channels situated just that little bit further off-shore or go and have a look see amongst the shallower mangroves and tidal creeks, all you’ll need is your kayak, some basic tackle, bait, hooks and sinkers.
This is a beautiful spot to go fishing near Brisbane. With plenty of grassy areas, Thompsons’s Beach and the adjacent W.H. Yeo Park (visit here) with fantastic kid’s playgrounds, BBQ’s, clean toilets, stunning views and plenty of parking this is an immensely popular spot with families. Load up the fishing gear, pack some picnic goodies and the footy to kick around, you’ll have a fantastic day out even if the fish aren’t biting.
😥☹ Only a number of light strikes and a couple of tiddlers today, No keepers caught, but that’s fishing. We’ll be back again soon to try our luck.
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ROAD TRIP'N 