Father and son team
determining the arrival of grey mackerel, migrating Torres Strait or imperial pigeons, black cockatoos, busy ants, storm birds and a building wet season all key factors encouraging Mcglone to rig his rods.
However, Mcglone’s ace in his sleeve might be the relationship he has with Maggie Island mates who share a love of grey mackerel.
The Maggie mob are only too happy to flick their mate a message when they find the greys, but most probably only after they’ve already caught a few.
Mcglone hadn’t had any luck when I spoke to him yesterday morning, yet his phone was close by – just in case his island mates rang.
Last week’s introduction of Spanish mackerel closures and drastic reduction of possession limits, both individual and boat, has been reasonably accepted by local anglers says Pat Dass of the Fishing Warehouse.
Dass said there was plenty of discussion this week among anglers doing their thing in his specialist fishing tackle store on Duckworth St, most expecting the seasonal closures but less happy with the one fish individual possession limit and more so, the two fish boat limit.
“I think most people knew the clo
sures were coming but maybe they expected the bag limits to be a little more generous,” Dass said.
“Our customers are questioning the wisdom and safety surrounding the release hooked mackerel, the shark depredation issue and the boat
limit. “So often, three or more mates share the fuel costs to go fishing in a boat that has cost at least one of them a lot of money and now they have to divide those two mackerel between them. I can understand that disappointment,” Dass said.
“But overall, I think anglers will accept the changes.
“They do wonder though, if the restrictions will ever be reversed should the science is proved incorrect or mackerel numbers recover to that 60 per cent (of unfished biomass) that fisheries managers are looking for,” Dass added.
Weekend fishing options remain many and varied with marine weather conditions set to favour all persuasions of fishing – from river to reef.
Tides also favour fish activity with influence building to Monday’s new or dark moon.
Given that scenario, anglers who harbour a thing for fingermark or golden snapper might be especially excited, warming temperatures another ingredient encouraging those same anglers to consider night expeditions to fish rich areas like Cape Cleveland and Magnetic Island’s Orchard Rocks.
Dedicated squid lights might bob in gentle waters or they could just as effectively swing from the gunnel with the light attracting the cephalopods and other baitfish species to within netting range.
Some anglers will hedge their bets using a squid jig to secure the absolute best bait for a fingermark, but they will need to remember the one lineone hook rule in Marine Park Yellow Zones.
Anglers are reminded that golden snapper are protected by a 35cm minimum legal size and an in-possession limit of five fish.