OFFSHORE: Although Friday and Saturday, with 25 knot Southerlies predominating, were pretty much write-offs as far as the offshore brigade were concerned, the brief blustery conditions were really only a blip in an otherwise quite productive week on the reefs here at Noosa. Light to moderate variable winds dominated the rest of the week and although conditions were at times cool out on the water, the fish were certainly there for the taking. Chardon's Reef fished well, producing Squire, Snapper, Pearl Perch, Teraglin Jewfish, Parrot Fish, Shiny Mackerel and Moses Perch while over on North Reef (as you can see by the photo on the right) the catch was mostly Snapper. Local lad Billy Kneale was very pleased with himself (and why not) when he weighed this 6.5kg 'Knobby' in at Davo's after spending a productive Sunday morning out there with, we assume, at least one big person at the helm. Billy was armed with a Daiwa rod and a Mitchell threadline reel loaded with 50lb braid and 45lb mono trace. His bait was Yakka fillet on a 6/0 hook. Closer to home, Sunshine Reef yielded Squire, Snapper, Parrot Fish and Pearl Perch while in-close (near Lion Rock around Alexandria Bay) there were a few Mackerel Tuna on the prowl. Laguna Bay was also worth considering with the odd Northern Bluefin Tuna and Cobia active on Hall's Reef earlier in the week, Tailor schooling in numbers out from the Boiling Pot and, as per the photo on the right, the odd Snapper on the bite out around Jew Shoal. Local 'Yak' angler Shannon Crockford hooked up with this 4.2kg specimen on Sunday morning while out on 'The Shoal' paddle trolling a whole Pilchard on ganged 3/0 hooks behind his Perception Swing 'Angler' fishing kayak. He was kitted out with an Abu 6000 combo loaded with 20lb braid and 40lb monofilament trace.

ONSHORE: Conditions on the coastal surf beaches were very pleasant and fishable most of the week. The North Shore was the better producer with Chopper Tailor, Bream, quality Dart and Whiting all on the bite around the Third Cutting and just North of Teewah plus Flathead, Dart and Whiting down towards the river mouth. Chopper Tailor were also on the bite around the National Park cove points from First Point to the Boiling Pot. Further South, Sunrise Beach yielded Whiting while at Peregian and Coolum beaches it was Chopper Tailor.

In the river, Whiting and Flathead were on the bite down around the river mouth, up as far as Lake Cooroibah (together with Bream) and along the Gympie Terrace stretch (on both sides of the river) which was where young Mitchell (above left) and his sister Nikki boated this 1.6kg Flathead. The dynamic duo were drifting a whole Whitebait on a 2x2/0 ganged hook rig late on Saturday morning when this hungry 'Lizard' slammed it. Their outfit was a Jarvis Walker threadline combo loaded with 6lb line and 20lb trace. There were also a few Flathead (plus Jewfish and Queenfish) chasing soft plastics in the Woods Bays where, at first light, Tailor and Trevally were responding well to surface poppers, flies and the odd soft plastic. Apart from that there were a few quality Tailor on the prowl around the Munna Point Bridge as local angler Brett Bambling (above right) found yesterday morning. Brett used a live Herring on a 2/0 hook as his draw card and quickly drew the attention of the 2kg Tailor he's posing with. He was using an Alvey combo loaded with 6kg line and 20lb trace. On the freshwater scene, the Lake MacDonald Bass (to 45cm) were chasing Jackalls and soft plastics at 'Three Ways'.