Happy Easter Fishing!
Seniors receiving training by the TCB Fishing Club members
By the Tin Can Bay Fishing Club
The Club Committee recognised the need for providing assistance to persons who have recently moved into our local region and, during March, successfully held two training events.
These events were free of charge to all participants and included a Seniors Fishing Training Day at Norman Point and a Boating Safety course that was held at our Clubhouse.
On April 17, the club is hosting a Junior Fishing Training day at Norman Point. All events were fully booked within two weeks of media coverage.
The Club Executive Committee would like to extend our appreciation and thanks to the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Tin Can Bay Tourist Park, the TCB Mower and Marine Centre, The Tin Can Bay Chandlery and Lee Fishing Company.
We are already at the time of year with near equal hours of day and night which means that those anglers that like to fish in the period between first light and sunrise now don’t have to get up so early and disturb their neighbours’ sleep.
These periods of low light between first light and sunrise, and between sunset and dark, can be very productive fishing times for most species of fish, particularly if coinciding with a favourable tide for the species you may be targeting.
The only downside is that it is the time that the mozzies and midges are most active as well.
There have been some quality flathead caught recently on both hard body lures and soft plastics, so they could be worth targeting around high tide on the tops of the sand banks, or on the last of the run out tide on the drop-offs and the gutters that run off the sand banks.
Summer whiting have been a bit elusive lately but are still worth targeting on the sand banks, with a good flow of tide over them to stir up the sand and release the natural feed for them.
The whiting can’t resist a well presented yabby or worm or even a few pea-sized black soldier crabs on a long-shanked hook.
The Mangrove Jack have still been a bit less active this summer, with only the occasional one being caught, but there have been a few quality cod caught up the creeks while fishing for jacks. Strips of fresh mullet seem to be equally as good as live baits to get the results.
The reef areas inside the bay have been a bit hit-and-miss with only a few cod and tusk fish being caught, but the sharks and large green toad fish are now taking turns at relieving anglers of their hooks and sinkers.
Spanish mackerel could be a worthwhile target species this time of year around the Inskip and Bluff areas on trolled lures or drifting with floating baits of gar or pilchards out.
With the Easter holiday period there will be an increase of boating traffic at the boat ramps and on the waterways, so a little more attention and patience may be required for an enjoyable outing to avoid any unfortunate incidents.
