March means crabs, prawns and large elbow-slappers. What more would a devoted angler wish for, other than some nice calm conditions to bring it all together?

The elbow-slappers have been just that! Quality and quantity is up there with some of the best I have seen and experienced in a while. This is good to see; just when you think it can’t get any better it does just that. I’m not complaining when you can land a dozen or more slappers in an hour window, the thumbs go up and it’s smiles all round.

The western banks across from the military jetty at Bribie Island is yielding good numbers of average size whiting along with Red Beach. As soon as you head north up the passage the whiting turn to slappers real quick. The mouth of Ningi Creek and its surrounding mud flats hold the goods along with Elimbah Creek.

A good mate of mine also took a good quality 74cm lizard while targeting a feed of whiting at the mouth of Elimbah Creek. Keep your wits about you because it’s not just the whiting that are feeding up on these mud flats. He also landed some decent bream and grunter bream. And this was all done while waiting for a feed of crabs to enter into his pots and, yes, he did not do too bad there either!

The crabs have been in good supply but unfortunately they are not all A1 quality. There is a large quantity of undersized muddies around. Most of the legal size crabs have been empty and very poor eating quality. My last session pulling pots saw approximately 30 undersized bucks go back, half a dozen legal size empty crabs go back and just four legal size edible quality grabs in the ice box; but it was a nice feed and well worth the effort.

There have been some extra large crabs getting around, I just haven’t been the lucky one taking them. The bigger crabs have been taken well up the passage. I recommend trying Hussy Creek, Coochin Creek and perhaps Bells Creek.

Mangrove jack in the passage and surrounds have been patchy. Caboolture Creek has been the best for me with 2 or 3 per session; along with 2 or 3 missed opportunities (bust ups). Anglers have been getting some out of the canals around Caloundra on surface lures and bait.

The prawns are a good target at the moment with Ningi, Bullock and Glassy creeks the hot spots to target. I suggest you get your nets out, grab the kids and get cracking. Kids love the action!

Happy hunting until next month.