Brodie targeted fingermark in the harbour and scored with this extra-large fish.
Coral trout love a prawn imitation lure. Phil managed one on a 5” Zerek Shrimp.
Winter species fire up
W Sam caught a nice redthroat emperor from the shoals on a 4” Gulp Shrimp.
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Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, July 2024
E’RE in the second month of winter and the temperature has dropped, bringing the water temperature down with it. Now’s the time to be on the water chasing those winter fish such as blue salmon, bream, flathead and black jewfish. Longer periods of little to no wind have allowed for more time on the water. It might be hard to get up before the sun rises on a cold winter’s morning, but it can be worthwhile. The days are still warm and usually, by morning tea, you’re back into shorts and a shirt for the rest of the day. Fishing late afternoon and early evening will see the water temperature jump a little, especially if low tide was around midday, letting the sand and mud banks heat up. This is the best time to target barramundi and mangrove jack, as the slight increase in temperature can trigger them to feed.
Gladstone Region by GARY CHURCHWARD
Live bait will be a good way to actively target the fish that prefer warmer water. Yet expect to spend some extra time in each location because it may take a while to get a reaction bite from these fish. If you’re using lures, persistence is key. It will take more casts in the same spot or more passes over the rock bar to get the bite. On the other hand, blue salmon should be firing with the cooler weather and can be found feeding on the schools of herring moving through the systems. They will be moving around in schools of both good numbers and good size – they’re an exciting fish to catch when actively feeding. I no longer chase salmon with bait over shallow flats, preferring to target schooling fish in deeper water on lures. Salmon will take al-
most any lure when feeding, but in deeper water, a 3-4” soft plastic vibe works best. Deeper sections of the Calliope River and Gladstone Harbour tend to hold the best schools – find where the bait is holding and salmon should be on the prowl close by. That’s not to say you won’t find them in schools on shallow flats. If you do find a school, a 100mm hard-body can have great results on these little torpedoes. You’ll find flathead will become more common as they school, getting ready to spawn in winter. If you come across a school, expect to catch plenty of smaller male flathead as they gather around larger females. They are easy lure options at this time of year, with a 65-100mm soft plastic or hard-body lure worked around * continued P73
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