Summer fun in Bustard Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson

ABOVE: The author’s son Clint and a slug-caught tuna.

Summer fun in Bustard Bay

Massive numbers of baitfish schools have had predators and speedsters on the chew in the Bustard Bay area.

Holiday makers have enjoyed the opportunity of targeting a wide variety of fish as well as the chance to score on of our Queensland mud crabs.

Round Hill Creek had huge schools of herring throughout the waterway and heaps of small prawns gathered tight in around the mangroves.

Blake and a nice trout.

Travelling offshore, the sounder was quick to show bait balls everywhere and at different depths in the water column.

The baitfish are tiny at about 2cm in length.

A lot of anglers told me that the surface fish were not interested in anything they offered.

The author stretched some string on a Bustard Bay mack tuna.

First, to find out why, would be to look at what the fish were actually feeding on and then match the hatch.

Try using slugs that are close to the prey’s size and profile.

Second is to fish light – too many times, anglers use leaders that look like 60lb fluorocarbon – a 20lb leader is probably a better place to start.

Steve Cooke with a solid buck.

Sure, you could occasionally lose a fish, but the strike rate of hookups is the key to your overall success.

Better to continually achieve strikes than nothing at all.

Happy new year to you all and I hope your festive season was a good one.

If you’re fishing over the break, tight lines.

Agnes Water by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON