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A pearler June
  |  First Published: June 2012



June is shaping up as another wet and windy month, if the pattern of last year repeats itself, but there are still plenty of fish to be had.

At the risk of being burned at the stake, I would plan to fish at Deep Tempest in June. There has been a very good run of snapper between 1-3kg on the northern end of the rock and up on top.

Larger snapper are also stacked up on the deeper wrecks south and east of Tempest, so head south of the Cape. Likewise, with the amount of southerly wind and swell we have experienced, it will also allow for a smoother and quicker trip home.

Up at Wide Caloundra the shallower waters in 58-65m have produced some outstanding Moses perch up to 50cm and really solid parrot. However, despite June being the usual pick for pearl perch in size and numbers, the fish in the shallows this year have tended to be on the wrong side of legal. Along with hordes of hungry 30cm snapper that have also invaded the area.

The better pearlies are further out in waters over 72m and in the central areas of Wide Caloundra. This means longer runs and a bumpy trip home if you heading out from Scarborough or Spinnaker Sound. Launch at Mooloolaba to shorten the run on the water in these uncertain conditions. The upside is the number of very large pearl perch being caught. Numbers of fish over the magic 50cm mark are being boated, with fish over 60cm (absolute horses!) not uncommon.

On another positive note there have been some big amberjack in the same area smashing hooked pearlies. These XOS ambos have not moved into their usual south-western haunts for the past couple of years (possibly something to do with el Nino) but it is great to have located them again after their recent no-shows.

As I have said in the past, don’t take a knife to a gun fight! Make sure you have a serious, preferably 24kg outfit with a strong 80lb+ leader and triple extra strong hooks. I employ a Black Magic drop-down harness as well to give me a bit more leverage on these brutes. These harnesses are brilliant for allowing you to use the big muscles in your quads, hamstrings and buttocks to put more load on the fish and less hurt on yourself.

The drop harness coupled with a kidney belt attached to the reel is the ideal set up. Given the relatively short, intense nature of battling a big ambo, it makes great sense to give yourself an advantage wherever possible.

New Fisheries

Congratulations to Campbell Newman on his Queensland election victory and also congratulations to the Honourable John McVeigh on his elevation to Fisheries Minister (QDAFF).

Minister John McVeigh takes over a Fisheries Department low on morale, short of funding and bereft of any runs on the board for implementing current fisheries best practice. The other big downer for Minister McVeigh is his inheritance of a failed ‘peak body’ consultation framework which needs scrapping completely.

It would be unrealistic of us to expect the Minister to fix things overnight, but by supplying Fisheries Queensland with his clear vision and the mandate to implement this vision while ensuring empowered, adequately funded and representative stakeholders are at the table, he is giving Fisheries the best chance to effectively manage our precious piscatorial resources.

Incredible Charters is now in the safe hands of Brendon Watson. If you would like to fish Wide Caloundra or other offshore destinations with Incredible Charters, please call Brendon on 3203 8188 or 0427 038 188 or email: --e-mail address hidden--

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