The past few months have been hard fishing with northerly winds howling for days on end and south easters not much better giving little opportunity to wet a line.

On the days you can get out the fishing it has been hit and miss with many boats returning home fishless. We all have days like that and that’s why it’s called fishing and not catching, but there are still options to anglers on the Fraser Coast even when the water turns soupy.

Sand crabs are everywhere lately scouring the shallows looking to feed and breed and the number of jennies loaded with eggs is a promising sign for the future. Flathead are still thick but with all the weed that has been blown in from the northerlies, if you don’t hook up in the first few meters your lure is covered in weed. In this situation I’ve been switching to poppers and chasing whiting. In the dirty, weedy water they have been smashing poppers with no hesitation. Keeping a constant flutter on the surface with an occasional pause has worked a treat for me and you can’t beat watching a school of fish fight for a swipe at your lure.

There haven’t been too many reports from out wide due to the weather, but locally the Arty, Moon Ledge and Bagimba are fishing well for blackall, coral bream, golden trevally, squire and cod. Bait fishing has produced most of the fish in the dirty water, with livies being the pick for the trevally and cod.

The annual Hervey Bay Game Fishing Clubs Classic is on again this month from November 14-17. With the best tournament ever last year, this year should be a beauty. Mother ship and fuel barge services are available, but get in quick if you want to secure your place.

For more info call Brad on 0431 611 196 or go to www.hbgfc.org.