The fishing in the Gladstone region has been quite productive all round with quality fish being caught in the rivers and out to the reefs.

There have been numerous reports of blue and king threadfin salmon being caught in the Calliope River and South Trees Inlet on live baits such as mullet and herring. If live bait is unavailable, try a strip of mullet flesh. Another alternative is to give lures a go, and I recommend the Tilsan Barra in gold and also soft vibes like Transams and Threadybusters. Target the tidal creeks that drain into the river on the run-out tide  as all the bait that goes up the  creek on the run-in tide must come back out on the ebb.

Trolling for the schooled-up fish in the deeper stretches has also been effective using 2-3m deep diving lures. Numbers of salmon will start to increase as we progress into the cooler months.

Big 1m+ barra have been landed all over the place, with prime targeted areas being the lower Calliope River and mid reaches of the Boyne. Live baits at night are the most popular method, followed by luring at dawn and dusk. The barra will start to slow down as winter approaches, so get into them before they become too sluggish.

Recently on social media a guy decided to show off his 124cm barra that was caught out of the Calliope. The fish had been gutted when the picture was taken and the poster was met with a wall of abuse and advised to remove his pic ASAP. These 1m+ barra are valuable breeders and should be treated with care, especially when it comes to handling them and supporting their weight. And of course, it’s important to be aware of size limits (min 58cm and max 120cm).

Right now it’s worth throwing some crab pots in. There are plenty of reports coming in, including one report of 18 crabs in just a couple of hours. Crabby areas have ranged from the Narrows down to Turkey Beach.

Flathead have been caught at the mouth of Wild Cattle and South Trees Inlet (Boyne Island). Some have been reported to be quite large. Nippers are the best bait to snag a few, or you can try the Lively Lures Mad or Micro Mullet. Flatties love 'em!

When there has been a break in the weather there have been plenty of boats heading out the front to the wrecks and reefs. Rock Cod Shoals have produced grassy sweetlip, coral trout and mackerel. Just be aware that the sharks have been taking their share, so it pays to use heavier gear to get the fish up quickly.

Bindaree Wreck has produced cobia and Spanish mackerel on Halco Twisties, and the Nautilus has been delivering golden trevally and squire.

Until next month, hopefully the weather will stay fine and we’ll all get out to wet a line.