Free fun at boat park
RECREATIONAL Boating Park celebrations are not likely to hinder too many boaties this weekend with 15- 20 knot breezes and sloppy seas predicted by most forecast agencies.
Townsville City Council will officially open the Townsville Recreational Boating Park tomorrow, celebrations kicking off at 12.30pm at the end of Fifth Avenue, South Townsville.
Intended to showcase the four ramp facility – two ramps already operational and popular with local boaties – celebrations are presented in partnership with the Townsville Volunteer Coast Guard.
The park is said to be the largest of its kind in the country and includes a designated fishing jetty, sheltered park area, barbecues, playground and amenities.
Activities, workshops and displays could best be described as a mini- expo with all things boating and marine likely to intrigue the most discerning angler while family units are not forgotten with plenty of amusements, food and activities.
The council does advise though that the boating park remains open to boaties with vehicles and trailers mobile and undertaking launch operations so children attending the event should be supervised at all times.
Entry is free and celebrations wind up at 5pm.
First light looks best
LOCAL anglers might do best to consider early morning sorties if they are to avoid uncomfortable conditions within bay and offshore waters this weekend.
Winds are generally more accommodating during the early light preceding sunrise and clued- up anglers realise that fish are often hungriest at these times.
Spanish mackerel might be a straightforward catch when baits are trolled close to Magnetic Island’s West Point and the same could be said for waters flanking Cape Cleveland.
Wolf herring and garfish are likely to yield best results and should be considered first choice baits when towed at speeds between 2 and 4 knots while large minnow style lures might be pulled considerably quicker for best results.
Cat comes second
WELL- KNOWN sparky Vince McGlone showed visiting Sydney angler Dan Palmer the finer points of rigging a wolf herring bait last weekend, but not before beating off his neighbour’s cat who took a liking to the toothy fish as it lay thawing.
Dan, brother of fishing mad Bully printer Matt Palmer, was delighted when the trolled offering snared his very first spanish mackerel.
The fish, at a bit better than a metre long, was regarded as typical of the current run of local fish.
On for young and old
MOUNT Low’s Allen family fished wide of Cape Cleveland on Saturday to claim ‘ a good feed’ of spanish mackerel.
“Had all the family on board, including both my parents who are 71 and 72 years young,” Craig Allen said.
The angler – best known by friends and Bully readers for his mangrove jack exploits – told how they trolled a variety of baits and lures to fool fish.
“We all had a blast,” Allen said showing off a pic of partner Kari and daughter Asha with one of the school- size mackerel.
Bottom feeders hungry
AND while much angler focus has been directed at tasty spanish mackerel during recent weeks, others are finding demersal or bottom feeding species a welcome catch.
Jarrod Coleman, 9, battled a good dose of seasickness and shy fish during a recent trip but went home smiling after fooling mackerel and gold spot cod in shallow Halifax Bay waters.
The youngster was unlucky not to hook big fingermark that showed an unusual deal of caution while taking live baits set close to remnants of an old wreck.
GT breaks away
PATRICK Jefferson said he found bar cheek trout and fingermark hungry when dropping squid baits to the bottom near Salamander Reef early this week.
He said he and companion George Everingham were forced to sort through a procession of large catfish and undersized nannygai before stowing three fingermark to 65cm and a pair of trout to 49cm in their icebox. sponsored by
The long- time fishing mates watched on as an angler nearby battled a monstrous GT or giant trevally before losing it beside the boat.
Tides good for crabs
WEEKEND tides might have been regarded as good for dropping baits and lures to fish that might be schooling at favourite inshore shoals and wrecks.
About a metre of run either side of near midday high tides would have allowed offerings to remain within strike zones for longer periods and less weight to hold them there.
These tides might also encourage estuary and creek anglers to set a crab trap and drown a bait for table fish like bream, grunter and whiting.
The mouths of northern creeks including Bluewater, Rollingstone and Crystal are all fishing well with the last also giving up reasonable numbers of fat mangrove jack.