Townsville

TOWNSVILLE

Dave

Hodge The rain that Townsville received in April was badly needed, and the outlook was looking quite grim without it. While the last thing the poor buggers in southern areas needed or wanted was more rain, North Queensland watched each low-pressure system form up and then head south away from where it was supposed to dump its contents.

Even though it was just a fraction of what was needed, the rains that were dumped on Townsville area in late April had the effects that many were sweating on. The crabs moved en masse, massive bait schools were found in the rivers and creeks, and there’s no doubt that the prawns will follow suit. Everything revolves around rain up here, so it was welcomed by every fisho in North Queensland.

Offshore anglers have enjoyed an incredible few months when the weather allowed. Everything from pelagic species such as mackerel and tuna to While not as big as a barra, no one’s ever disappointed when a decent sooty snatches a softy. The lure is an Atomic Prong 4” rigged weedless for thick timber.

When the tide drops back out of the mangroves, it’s jack time. You can get good results skipping weedless prawn imitations, like this Halco Paddle Prawn rigged on an Atomic EWG Seeker 5/0 hook.

demersals such as trout, red-throat emperor and more have been caught in good numbers. However, it’s still the red-throat that have been the talk of the tackle shops. This species came from out of nowhere in massive numbers after being almost non-existent for two years, with no indication where they’ve been. In my opinion, they’re every bit as tasty as a trout, and pull some string with the toughest of fish, so it’s all good for lure and bait anglers. Red-throat will take jigs, vibes, jigs, hardbodies and fly. If you’re going to have a crack at the schools of red-throat, I recommend using 30-40lb line with approx. 40-50lb leader fished on either spin, overhead or baitcaster. You’ll want a good smooth drag with plenty of stopping power, because these fish (plus most other predators out there) pull hard. In the creeks it’s been a bit hit and miss, but with some smart lure choices and a bit of determination, you’ll bend a rod enough times to make it worth your effort. One thing that’s absolutely going to change your results is having lures that can be used at different depths, and different sizes. You’ll find that sometimes you’ll need to downsize your lure to get more action. This is generally when the barometric pressure is lower or falling, or when the water temp has dropped. When conditions are right it’s common to spend the whole

day skipping and casting soft plastics and hardbodied lures into the shallower snags, but when it’s hard to find fish, small vibes and plastics rigged on traditional ‘J’ styled jigheads can make all the difference.

Those standing timbers that have slid from the bank but are still upright will generally hold good fish. However, unless there is minimal tidal flow you won’t be able to get a weedless rig down to them. Using faster sinking lures that have strong actions at slow speeds (e.g. Atomic Metalz or Semi Hardz) can be a game changer. Generally, if you cast upstream and work the lure back towards you with the tide’s momentum, you’ll be able to cover water quickly and effectively. This can make a big difference to your results on quiet days.

As far as colours go, I usually stick with naturals in clear water, and fluoro/ contrasting colours in the dirtier stuff, through there are exceptions to this rule. Bringing a few different coloured lures is recommended.

I also tend to use a lighter outfit for this sort of presentation; many of your fish will actually run away from cover, which helps. Hint number one is, if they’re heading away from cover then just let them go, putting some distance between the snag and the fish before things kick up a notch.

We often end up going as light as 20lb leader for this style of lure casting. It’s anyone’s guess as to what will eat your lure, with grunter, fingermark,

barra, jacks and so on being regular offenders. Soft rods allow a little more room for abrasion resistance with the lighter leaders, and you’ll be amazed at what you can land on the skinny stuff if you just take it easy. Admittedly, you’ll get smoked every now and then, but your bite rate will go through the roof which is a great consolation.

When it comes to rod choice, sensitivity is paramount when you’re fishing deep presentations, where every little bite needs to be felt and reacted to by the angler. It’s also good to have a rod with a soft tip and fast taper, and it should be light weight as well, so you can use it for hours on end without undue fatigue. I use a Samurai Infinite spin rod with a Daiwa Certate 2500 spooled with 15lb braid and 2.5m of 20lb leader when I’m fishing with smaller lures. For larger lures, I use a Samurai Reaction 10-20lb rod matched to a Shimano Vanford spooled with 20lb braid and 2.5m of 30lb leader.

Drains with their colour changes and warmer pockets are prime spots to focus your casting also, and with these water temps about to take a drop at this time of year, you’ll need to downsize your lures if you’re to make the best of your time on the water. Many anglers who try this tactic for the first time are surprised at the size of the fish that will take tiny lures.

There will usually be a cool spell after the rains have settled down a bit, and this can sometimes last a couple of weeks, but when that is over the fish usually kick back into gear and it’s game on.

For switched-on anglers it’s pretty easy to get a feed of one of the best tasting fish in the ocean.

This barra couldn’t resist an 80mm Halco Roosta popper in liquid lime colour.

Luke from the Fishing Warehouse in Townsville is no stranger to big jacks. A precisely skipped lure brought this one undone from deep in the mangroves.