OFFSHORE: Although the first two days of the week were dogged by 15 to 20 knot south easterlies, from Thursday on, light to moderate winds and a decreasing swell provided almost idyllic conditions for the Labour Day long weekend crowd.
From Thursday onwards, in fact, it was all on for those who had the time and the inclination, and although Laguna Bay was largely devoid of bird activity and surface boils, there were a few Spanish mackerel on the prowl around the edges of the Jew Shoal triangle. Local yak angler Bill 'Billybob' Watson (above) thought he did well out there on Thursday morning when he trolled up a 12kg Spaniard not far out from the drum lines and a 15kg specimen about a klik or so north west of the Pin. But on Friday morning, while trolling a whole bonito bait just out from Granite Bay, he notched up a personal best on his Swing Angler fishing kayak when he boated the 22.7kg fish he's pictured with.
He was armed with a 6kg-8kg Wilson Live Fibre rod and a Shimano Baitrunner 4500 reel loaded with 20lb Fireline and 40lb Seaguar fluorocarbon leader. Sunshine Reef was a popular destination, especially for the small boats, and while results were patchy at times, those anglers who were in the right place at the right time reported catches of cobia, spotted mackerel, Spanish mackerel, coral trout, sweetlip, moses perch, parrot fish, snapper, mowong, the odd keeper red emperor and, as per the photo below, quality yellowtail kingfish. Local angler Nathan Thelierkauf was out there this morning when his pilchard bait was taken by this thumper 'kingy'. He was kitted out with a Penn 320GTi combo loaded with 80lb braid.
North Reef was also well patronised, producing squire, teraglin jewfish, amberjack, cobia, moses perch, mackerel tuna, coral trout, snapper, pearl perch and, as per the photo above right, parrot fish.
Michael Buffardeci from Brisbane was out there this morning on a half day Cougar One charter when he boated this quality specimen. The angle of the photo's a bit deceiving but this blue parrot fish tipped the scales at 9.0kg! Michael was kitted out with a Wilson Live Fibre rod and an Alvey 825C reel loaded with 30lb line. His bait? Squid on a 6/0 hook.

The conditions this week were more than good enough for some long overdue 'out wide' expeditions and those with the bigger boats made the most of it. Double Island Point was one option and those who made the trip reported boating sweetlip, snapper, cobia, moses perch and plenty of pearl perch.
The other top outer reef destination this week was the Barwon Banks which produced amberjack, moses perch, pearl perch, snapper, Maori cod, cobia, squire, hussar, parrot fish, rosy jobfish and, as you can see by the photo on the right, gold band snapper.
Craig Mahoney from Hastings in Victoria was out at the 'Banks' on a full day Cougar One charter which easily filled two large eskies with the whole range of the above mentioned species.
In between drops he paused momentarily for a photo of this 5kg 'Gold Band' before getting back into the action. He was armed with a Wilson/Alvey offshore combo.

ONSHORE: The coastal surf beaches were a mixed bag this week with best results coming from the North Shore stretch.
Whiting were well spread all along Teewah Beach while around Teewah itself there were trevally (to 2kg), tailor (to 1.5kg), Bream (to 900gm), tarwhine plus quality dart and whiting to 550gm.
Up the top end the rocks at Double Island Point fished well for top quality jewfish and trevally.
Things were a bit more subdued over on the east side with small dart active at Marcus Beach and also at Sunrise Beach where whiting were also biting.
In the river, Whiting were in good numbers up in Weyba Creek and opposite Munna Beach, while flathead were good on the drift from there to the river mouth on either side of the high tide.
As for the pelagics, queenfish, trevally and tailor were responding to surface poppers and live baits around dawn and dusk in the Woods Bays and at the Munna Point Bridge while there were a few chopper tailor chasing live baits at night up along the Gympie Terrace stretch. Further up river, bream (to 1.0kg) were going for small live herring baits around Harbourtown on the run-out tide and, along with flathead, up in the boat channel at Lake Cooroibah.
Apart from that, school jewfish were active in the upper Noosaville stretch as local angler Craig Alchin (above) discovered on Thursday night. Craig was floating out a live herring when it was monstered by this 2.5kg specimen.