Jack fishos?

[Didley]

I dunno if there is any link between the seasons...but our run of sailfish back in April and again (but better) in September this year was a return to "normal mooloolaba" seasons of 7-10 years ago. In recent years they just havent shown up. It will be very interesting to see if the little black marlin follow their old pattern and turn up in good numbers around Christmas.

Jeffo, could be a "Drought on land, drought on the sea" thing (or what ever that saying is), all the flooding rains have pushed the bait fish out, should be a cracker of a season offshore, maybe.

[gecko]

Even the cod have been slow.

yes, its the same up here. No cod is very unusual. they are usually the first to venture up a river after a downpour.

We didnt get that much rain up here in the last 2 mths, nothing like what the sunny coast and brisbane got. I dont think its rain related. I think it has to do with offshore currents and baitfish not getting into the rivers, but Im just guessing.

If we knew what made em bite..............(add own quote here)

[spaded]

i rekon there's a hell lot of bait around the gold coast esturies at the moment, everywhere i've been latly i've seen trevally busting up schools of bait, and i'm sure theres jacks hanging them, i've only got one this season but I tend to believe it's gonna be an awesome season

[Bracey]

Hey Dids,

I think the boys have pretty much covered all the reasons to what I was going to mention to answer your questions.

Water temps and salinity have been real low where I have been fishing up some of the coastal creeks I regularly fish compared to previous trips where brackish water was more prevalent this time last year. One of the reasons why I pushed further downstream on Sunday than the other boys was to see how the salt levels were as I was surrounded by mangroves, water was fresh. I couldn't tell you how the water tasted though 4,5,6 feet below. I did notice a lot more bait further upstream though in the way of Mullet and Prawns compared to previous weeks. This rain we a supposed to get tomorrow might stuff it all up again. Yet again we are faced with another blank canvas, start from scratch and think outside the circle material.

There has been some good reports that I've heard of though, as you have mentioned , closer to the mouths of creeks and rivers.

[Didley]

Yeah Dave, I fished a creek up your way on Friday arvo, on the last of the outgoing tide there was nothing Mullet wise in the top half of the creek but the mouth half had plenty. Temp was about 25 through out. I really think we need stable fine weather for a few weeks and it'll be on.
I think if I could find a good hole round the mouth there may have been fish in it, but there wasn't one, so I fished out in the passage for a bit. I found a 6-7 meter hole, thought I'd be in line for a jewie but no luck, and I nicked off after an hour or so.

[Frenzy 500]

Yes Dids it has been slow but the fish are there.
I haven't fished since the JO, but I was getting a few prior to that.
As you know, winter up here was like a winter we've never had before, Jack speaking. There was heaps caught. Most accidental , some targetted.

The Jacks caught in winter here on lures were nearly all caught on 1 specific lure fished a particular way. I've caught 2 so far this year using this lure and method.
These winter Jacks were also caught closer to the river mouth rather than upstream.
It is still the case now.
I reckon with the heavy rains we've had, it pushed all the bait to the mouth area, this combined with the fresh tidal flushes has kept the Jacks in close proximity to the mouth area, give or take a kilometer or two. The tidal flushes has kept the temp relatively stable as well, whereas up the creeks, you've got hot and cold spots, low salinity areas and less bait.

We need northerlies, (where are the northerlies?) to heat things up a bit and a bit of regularity in the water condition I reckon, then it's game on.

Jeff has nailed what I think is the main thing. Northerlies, SUMMER weather brings on the summer species, rain, hail or shine. I think thats the jacks problem as much as the barra....I cant recall sweating yet this year!!!

Cheers Steve

[Kleyny]

You boys don't give me much faith on catching one if you gurus are having trouble.

neil

[Chamelion]

Kleyny - Don't worry mate.. A fisherman can be as prepared as he wants, can fish the right spots at the right time with the right bait but luck still plays a MAJOR part.

[Pistol_P]

Dids...

I had a bit of a stuff around in one of the creeks this arvo...
Chucked around little Berkley 3B surface walkers on 4lb gear and managed a nice little jack all of 35cm.......But I gotta say the hit on the little walker was pretty dam good....very aggressive take....and a reasonable tussle on 4lb.
I landed another smaller one later on.





Pete

[Chamelion]

Those 3b walkers are claiming a lot of fish at the moment Pete.. Have you tried the pop dog? I'm convinced that my pop dog is the best lure I've ever purchased or used.