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OFFSHORE: Well, it looks like we're going to have a ripper pelagic season judging by the frantic activity on the inner reefs and in Laguna Bay over the last few weeks. The weather this week was a big help, of course, with light to moderate variable northerlies and a modest swell making life easy the smaller boats. There were a lot of first timers out there as well, estuary anglers who couldn't resist the temptation to get out on the water and get in amongst the action.

Laguna Bay was one of the hot spots with spotted and Spanish mackerel, on the bite at Little Hall's Reef, along the shark nets, at First Point (this morning), just out from Granite Bay and, as per the photos above and below, around Jew Shoal. Damien Xavier (above) from Sydney was out there on Saturday on a half day Cougar One charter when his trolled pilchard on a Davo's Spaniard Special troll rig was taken by the 5kg Spaniard he's posing with.

And David Berger (above) from Nowra in New South Wales boated two 7kg Spaniards on 'The Shoal' on Sunday morning. He too was trolling whole pilchards on squid skirted troll rigs. He was using a Shimano O/H combo loaded with 15kg line.

There were also reports of bigger (15kg+) Spaniards in the bay and the odd longtail (to 15kg) boated. Sunshine Reef was another hot spot, producing teraglin jewfish, striped sea perch, moses perch, pearl perch, spotted mackerel, Spanish mackerel and, as you can see by the photo above, mahi-mahi. Aaron Marshall from Coolum was out there on Tuesday morning trolling a pilchard on a squid skirt when it was monstered by the 8.5kg dolphin fish he's pictured with. He was kitted out with a Sabre rod and a Shimano TLD20 reel loaded with 40lb Frog PE braid and 80lb mono leader. Last but not least, Double Island Point was the spot for more mahi-mahi, as was North Reef but with the added bonus there of squire, moses perch, Maori cod, pearl perch, teraglin jewfish and sweetlip.

ONSHORE: Although there were a lot of holiday makers on the coastal surf beaches there weren't a lot of reports of significant catches. The most prolific species on the North Shore was whiting which were well spread and in good numbers, especially up near the camp grounds around low tide when tarwhine and average size dart were also active. The waters around Teewah were good for flathead while the surf gutters opposite 'Freshwater' produced a few chopper tailor.
Across the bay, Tea Tree Bay was another good whiting producer. There were no reports from the east side beaches.

In the river, bream and whiting were well spread along the Gympie Terrace stretch and down to the river mouth with plenty of anglers hooking up with these bread and butter species. The mangrove jacks weren't shy of baits or lures, nor were they put off by the extra traffic on the water. John Hope from Cooroy (above) was working the waters around the Munna Point Bridge on Saturday with a Rapala SXR-10 lure when it was monstered by the 2kg mangrove jack he's posing with. And Trenayne Fuller (below) picked up his 1.6kg specimen trolling a deep diver in Noosa Sound late on Wednesday..

There was also some mangrove jack action up around Tewantin at night while up near the ferry crossing, blubberlip bream were going for prawn baits. Sydney lad Nick Hart (below) tempted his 1kg specimen with a fresh prawn bait on Thursday.

Apart from that the Woods Bays produced a few quality tailor at night. On the freshwater scene the Lake MacDonald bass were chasing Blades and surface poppers in Bass Bay, along Three Ways and around Fry's Run.