POT LUCK FOR A FEW MUDDIES

HI everyone, it has been wild, windy and wet on the Tweed and Gold Coast with the southeasterly winds hanging around making conditions very average for anglers keen to wet a line. The swell looks like it will be peaking on Sunday at this stage and hanging around well into next week. Try sticking to sheltered rivers if you are keen to try your luck. Let’s see what has been happening this week.

Given the forecast, chasing a feed of mud crabs up the rivers will be a great option if you’re keen to brave the rain. Muddies should be getting stirred up with the recent downpours and be on the move looking for a feed.

Try your luck setting the pots up your local river or estuary. Unfortunately, some people cannot help themselves and are tempted to take your hard-earned catch. Try to stick around the area and keep an eye on your pots just in case.

Use fresh bait for best results, whole mullet, fish frames or pieces of raw chicken are all a great choice.

On the fishing front, bream will be a good target choice with rain on the forecast. Fishos have plenty of land-based options to try your luck and plenty of sheltered waterways if you want to have a go in the boat. A simple running sinker rig combined of sized 4 bait holder hook, a long 8lb trace and a 3 to 4 ball sized sinker on a light estuary outfit is all you need to have some fun.

Some suggestions of where to have a look if land-based will be trying your local jetty that is protected from a SE wind direction. Get a bit of berley on the go and, fingers crossed, it will not be long until you’re hooked up.

Another good option will be chasing bull sharks up the rivers and creeks. The rain will flush them out and they will always have a crack at a wellpresented bait given the opportunity.

A medium sized estuary combo will do the trick on most of the bullies you will encounter, 15 to 20lb line is plenty, match this with about a meter of nylon coated trace between 60 to 100lb, size 6 to 8 hook and a running ball sinker sized 4 to 5 is all you need to give it a go.

My favourite bait is freshwater eel followed by pike eel – you don’t need too much – just make sure you good hook exposure to help with the hook-up when you get a run. The Nerang, Coomera and Logan rivers are all prime bull shark grounds.

Brad from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reports it was a tricky week with massive tides and strong blustery southeasterly winds blowing. The big tides combined with the wind stirred up the bottom making the water discoloured and unsuitable for topwater fishing. The good news is that the conditions are looking great for next week.

Clint from Brad Smith Fishing Charters reports a tough week of fishing. Clint, who is not a fan of the big tides, said there were some flathead and bream in the Nerang River that were caught trolling Pontoon 21 Crack jacks and Slams.

Gavin from Sea Probe Fishing Charters reports the current is still very strong out wide, but still plenty of mahi mahi on all the FADs and also marlin from the 24s to the 50 fathoms on lures and live baits.

In close, mackerel trolling lures and pilchards has been working the best.

Once the SE wind eases and the swell drops it will be worth giving it a go.