December was a scorcher on the Fraser Coast with hot days and strong northerly winds dominating the lead up to Christmas. Hopefully we get a reprieve from the wild weather this month.

In the bay, channel markers and beacons are worth a look for a bit of pelagic action. Golden trevally, mackerel, tuna and cobia are hot. Live baiting or working plastics and micro-jigs around the structure will soon get you on to fish feeding in the area.

The flats along Fraser Island also attract pelagics feeding on hardiheads as they move in and out of the many creeks that spill into the Sandy Straits. The flats are also world renowned for sight casting golden trevally and the next few months are as good a time as any to target them. If that’s not your thing, there’s always the ever-present flathead, bream and whiting fishing that Hervey Bay is famous for – it’s a great family fishing option over the holidays.

The Mary and Susan rivers continue to produce whopper threadfin salmon with some fish topping 130cm. Anglers in the know work specific banks at different stages of the tide and work the drains and colour changes in water with soft vibes, bibless lures and hardbodies. 

On the troll this season, the little blacks are not in the numbers we have experienced before. There are still fish around – you just have to work a lot harder for them. Last year we were averaging 5-10 shots a day inside Rooneys Point. This year we manage 1-2 shots in a good day. Most billfish have been found in the Rooneys area with anglers having success on stickbaits, swimming gars and pushers.

Spotted mackerel have been around in good numbers and averaging over 75cm, which is a bonus on a slow trolling session. It’s been years since I’ve seen big schools of decent spotties actively feeding in Platypus Bay, so let’s hope it continues.