A positive outlook on the fishing front with some great catches of bream, flathead and tailor. These three species have made up the bulk of the catches from around the ’Pin area over the last few months and we can expect that trend to continue.

Excellent quality bream have been caught around the bottom of Russell Island, the Powerlines, Short Bank, and Diner Island. This is due to the area getting some much needed rainfall and the local water temperatures dropping. The bait of choice has been chook gut, froggies, mullet gut and peeled banana prawns. I have found that by peeling the prawns the fish tend to smash the bait rather than playing with it. This means you have to be on the ball when waiting for a strike or you might miss that big fish.

Flathead have been caught on soft plastics like twist tails, double tails, worms, grubs and minnows. The best colours have been pink, orange, black, chartreuse and pearl. For bait fishers, the top baits have been pilchards, froggies and prawns. For optimum fishing spots try the Slipping Sands, the mouth of Whalleys Gutter, Tabby Tabby and near Tullen Island on the weed banks during the last two hours of the run-out tide.

There are only a few tailor still getting about. They seem to be just cruising around in small numbers and have been caught as far in as the Logan River. To tempt them try floating a pilly or letting one hang about mid water.

There have been a few jew, cod and mangrove jack on offer if you can cast net some livies. Fish along the rocky ledges at the Grave, Cobby Passage, Marks Rocks in the Logan, and the mouth of the Pimpama River. Leonard Eichmann landed a decent 5kg jew in the early hours of the morning near the Junction.

For those willing to brave the chilling conditions at night, whiting are fair game. Use live bloodworms and beachworms at the Junction in the Logan, Diner Island, Pelican Banks and just south of Slipping Sands. Winter whiting are also about in good numbers, cruising along the sand flats of Tiger Mullet Channel, the Gold Bank, Tipplers Island and from Cabbage Tree Point to the Powerlines. They are fun on light gear and easy to catch for the kiddies. Just remember to use bait that holds on the hook like worms or squid. This will give you a few goes at hooking the fish as baits like prawns and yabbies are easily picked off.

Outside off Alf’s and Sully’s reefs and around the Dragon have seen some good catches of trag jew, squire, sweetlip and tailor. Steve Gibson off the Cotton Reef caught a monster 31kg cobia. Offshore is not such a bad place to be when the winds die down and the seas flatten off a bit.

Thanks for all your reports and keep those fish coming in. If you would like any advice or up-to-date fishing information drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email --e-mail address hidden-- .