Late rains
“RECKON I’ll be fishing and crabbing Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
That’s well-known parttime sparky and keenest fisho Vince Mcglone declaring his roster for the remainder of the week following a rare and unseasonal late autumn deluge that has soaked the region and flooded waterways the length of the coast.
Mcglone won’t be on his own when an army of anglers take to local creek, river and bay waters this weekend, crab pots baited and barramundi lures swinging from their rod tips.
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Alligator Creek’s Mick Meiers is as eager as any to set his crab pots within the lower stretches of Morrissey’s Creek to extract a late season feast of succulent mudcrab.
He says the timing of the rains couldn’t have been better with crabs already slowing up as they transition to their wintry slumber.
Meiers believes the freshwater inundation will restrict the mudcrabs’ movements to the lower reaches of all local estuaries and likely force many of the crustaceans into foreshore and bay waters where they will remain an easy catch until the run-off settles.
“This’ll be my last shot at the muddies,” Meiers said, “Before my pots will be washed good and proper and locked away for the winter.”
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Kirwan’s Ronnie Neill will slip his boots on and throw a handful of his favourite lures in his pocket before trudging through the swampy wetlands feeding the headwaters of local creeks and drains.
“I’ll probably wait a few days for the flooding to subside and then I’ll try a few favourite spots where the barra should be lined up,” Neill said.
“The fishing’s been really consistent this year and a mate and I nailed a bunch of barras after the rains a couple of weeks ago.”
When asked about run-off spots where an angler might find a barra, Neill suggested that the most enthusiastic anglers will have a close look at a map or use Google Earth to find the narrow channels and drains spilling into systems like the Bohle River.
“You’d be surprised where you’ll find a barra sometimes and just a couple of feet of water (60cm) is enough for a metre-long fish to hunt baitfish,” Neill said.
“And a medium to large paddle-tail (soft plastic lure) will be the first lure I’ll tie on,” he tipped Bully readers.
WEIRS THE PLACE TO BE
All three Ross River weirs are likely to be a hive of activity this week following the spill of freshwater that is certain to have encouraged barramundi to congregate within the gushing waters immediately below each barrage.
Both lures and live baits will fool fish and it might be shoulder-room only for anglers doing their thing within waters downstream of Aplins Weir, the lower of the three impoundments.
“If you’re considering fishing below or downstream of Aplins Weirs, you won’t need a SIPS (Stocked Impoundment Permit) to wet a line,” Pat Dass from the Fishing Warehouse said. “But anywhere above or upstream of Aplins Weir wall, anglers 18 and over need a permit,” the well-known tackle identity said.
Dass said it is common knowledge that barra congregate at the weir walls immediately during and following flooding and spills and anglers using an arsenal of lures may entice savage strikes from fish that might exceed 100cm long.
“Plenty of anglers pop their barra-cherry at the weirs and a handful catch the fish of a lifetime,” Dass said.
Pre-rigged soft plastic offerings like large paddle-tail lures are among most effective lures according to Dass, Squidgies Slickrig and the relatively new Berkley Shimma Pro-rig a couple of favourites of some of the region’s most successful barra anglers.
“All three weirs can become congested with anglers, especially during the first few days following the weirs spilling,” Dass said.
“It’s pretty much a landbased only option and decent fishing etiquette should be applied at all times.
Simply, be patient; wait your turn if you need to cast in a particular spot and be courteous to your fellow anglers,” Dass tipped.
“There are plenty of barra to go around and if you get one, why not take a nice photograph and send it in for our Fish of the Month comp?” he added.
Townsville Game Fishing Club members are excited at the prospect of a bumper billfish season, both small black marlin and sailfish among recent catches in Bowling Green waters east of Cape Cleveland.
Members tagged and released both billfish species while fishing northern grounds last weekend and expect fish to be found throughout traditional grounds this weekend, the designated TGFC May club competition.
Members might have to rig an excess of baits though, large numbers of school-size Spanish mackerel said to be frequenting the same grounds and apparently eager to slice delicately prepared baits.
The May club competition