Lake Samsonvale has been a bit slow, but local creeks and rivers are still firing and producing great yellowbelly and bass.

We’ve had some great results on surface and sub surface lures; Atomic K9 in muddy prawn and Mazzy Poppers have been two standout lures so far. Bass on surface lures is adrenaline pumping excitement.

The best part is most of the best spots can be accessed by foot.

Jacks are high on the hit list for most anglers, and patience is the key. Those who put in the time and effort have generally been successful. Brendon Hazelwood managed to pull a 50cm jack off one of the many snags in the Pine River using the ever-reliable Prawn Star.

January is prime time with the hot still nights being the most productive times. The first half of the run-out seems to be the best time. Fishing live baits such as poddy mullet and herring or using fresh mullet fillets should hopefully see you hook up to one of these hard hitting fish.

There have been reports of a few school jew and the odd queenfish being caught in and around the highway bridge pylons on the top of the tide. Live worms, mullet fillets or bonito fillets have been the best baits. The bread and butter species flathead, whiting and bream are still around in reasonable numbers, and the Pine River seems to be fishing better than ever for them.

There’s been a report of lots of sand crabs in the bay so look for deep channels and holes out off Scarborough and Redcliffe beaches, also in and around the mouth of the Pine River.

There have been a few mud crabs west of the highway bridge around Castle Hill area, but not in plague proportions. The blokes who put in the time have been getting enough for a decent feed. Quality not quantity seems to be the end result. Caboolture River has also been producing some good quality mud crabs.

The Brisbane River has been fishing well for the past couple of weeks with some great catches of bream, flathead and squire coming from around the mouth. Soft plastics and hardbodies, such as the trusted Eco Gear SX 40 and the Bass Day Kangoku Minnows are the best way to get the results.

One of Brisbane River’s most sought after fish, is the famous threadfin salmon. After many hours spent testing different types of lures we have found the Jackall Mask Vibe and the Jackall Transam to be the most successful. For the bait fisher, you can’t beat live poddy mullet or herring.

Bait fishing at night has definitely been the most successful with the last of the run-in and the first of the run-out being the best times. Look for this species in the deeper holes, ledges and drop-offs anywhere between the mouth and Indooroopilly. But remember to follow regulations when fishing near wharfs (refer to port’s anti-terrorism laws).

Nudgee Beach, Kedron Brook Flood Way and Jackson Creek have all been fishing fairly well for flathead, whiting and juvenile bream. This is a great spot to take the family with sandy beaches and deep water in close. White bait, prawns and mullet are the best baits for this area.

From January on we should see good numbers of spotted mackerel enter the bay. Hopefully, the weather gods will be kind and give us a chance to get out and chase these awesome fish. Casting small 20-40g slugs into schools of feeding fish smashing the surface and retrieving as fast as you can is one of the most exciting ways to chase spotties.

Look for the working birds, sometimes only a couple of birds circling maybe a sign of schooling fish and worth investigating. Drifting baits or anchoring up current on one of the main shipping beacons is another popular method. When anchoring, using berley will definitely increase your chances .

Christmas onwards should see numbers increase of wahoo, cobia, Spanish mackerel and some tuna species. The reefs around the northern end of Morton Island are all renowned hot spots.

Western Rocks is located at the top of Morton Island and is roughly midway between Comboyuro Point and North Point. This is a large area of coffee rock in roughly 5-10m of water. Large schools of bait congregate in this area attracting all sorts of predatory fish. Locate the bait schools, jig your livies and either anchor or drift this area.

For all your fishing needs The Tackle Shop is located at the Caltex Service Centre Carseldine. We have a great range of bait and tackle with plenty of parking for your car and boat. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 5.30am to 6pm. Saturday 4am to 6pm and Sunday 4am to 4pm. Hope to see you in soon.