Current and upcoming closures

Tropical rock lobster closure from October 1 to December 31.

Spanner crab season closed November 1 to December 15.

Barramundi season closed November 1 to January 31. Photo: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries UNLESS otherwise stated, the closures start immediately after midnight the day of the closure and end immediately before midnight at the end of the closure period.

Black jewfish

Black jewfish is a no-take species on the east coast for the rest of 2021.

The fishery will reopen on January 1, 2022.

Murray cod

A closed season applies to Murray cod from August 1 to October 31 each year in all Queensland waters contained in the Murray Darling drainage division, with some exceptions.

A person must not possess or use a fishing line from August 1 to October 31 in the following locations: • Albert River – upstream from the junction of Canungra Creek and Albert River – includes Canungra Creek • Christmas Creek • Coomera River – upstream from the junction of Guanaba Creek and Coomera River – includes Guanaba Creek • Mary River and adjoining waterways – upstream of its junction with Six Mile Creek at the creek’s northern bank, other than waters up to the full supply level of Baroon Pocket Dam, Borumba Dam and Lake MacDonald • Running Creek • Stanley River – above Neurum Creek and Stanley River junction.

Coral reef fin fish

A coral reef fin fish closure applies from October 3-7, 2021 and then again from November 2-6, 2021.

Tropical rock lobster

A tropical rock lobster closure applies from October 1 to December 31 for the Gulf of Carpentaria and Queensland east coast north of latitude 14°S.

Barramundi

Throughout the Queensland east coast, a closed season applies to barramundi from November 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022.

Throughout the Gulf of Carpentaria, a closed season applies to barramundi from October 7, 2021 to January 31, 2022.

It is also prohibited to deliberately target barramundi for catch and release during these closed seasons, as the stress of capture may prevent a fish from spawning.

Spanner crab

A spanner crab closed season applies from November 1, 2021 to December 15, 2021.

For more information, visit daf.qld.gov.au

Offshore options for Northern NSW

* from P22 way too early for inshore pelagics in any numbers.

If it is a pelagic hit you’re after this month, best stick to out wide – you might even get a wahoo, though December is usually when they turn up in deeper water.

It’s always worth a look inshore for a few reef fish at this time and you might score a jewfish or a snapper.

Stocking up on pike, slimy mackerel and tailor is always another good task in November.

A dedicated bait trip can be a lot of fun and ensures you are in good stead for mackerel season.

If it’s a feed of crustaceans you’re after, November is one of the best months for a spanner crab session.

In NSW, the pro fishers have a closed season starting on November 21, but this doesn’t apply to recreational fishos.

If you don’t know where to start looking for crabs, I suggest you keep an eye out for where the pro fishers are and drop some dillies in the vicinity.

Failing this, try anywhere between 4452m of water on the sand.

It is a very easy operation to set a crab dilly or two and then go fishing.

To set a crab dilly, you’ll need about 140m of 6mm rope.

Because you are likely to encounter current at this time of year, a sand anchor will also be best with a length of chain.

You’ll want 50m from your dilly to your anchor and then another 90m to a couple of good floats.

To deploy, throw the baited dilly over and drive into the current, feeding the rope out until you reach the anchor and then immediately throw it over the side.

Keep steaming into the current and throw the floats over when all the rope is played out.

Let everything settle for a few minutes and mark where your floats have ended up, then go fishing for a few hours and when you return you might have rounded off the trip with a nice feed of spanner crabs.

If you want a bit more detail on this operation, get in touch with the team at Bush ‘n Beach Fishing and I’ll do a feature on spanner crabs if there’s any interest.

November is a great time to be fishing our rivers.

Flathead will school up in our river mouths this month and will be susceptible to big soft plastics and live bait.

Mangrove jack will be more serious about life this month, smacking bait and lures from our rock walls in the lower reaches to the snags in the middle to upper reaches.

Trevally, whiting, mud cabs and school jewfish are also on the cards currently, so what’s not to love about November in the river?