This month we will tell you how we catch whiting, flathead, and gar.

When we go fishing for whiting we start of with a size 4 Tru-Turn hook, a long 1.2m trace and a sinker to suit the current. A long whippy rod with an Alvey spooled up with 6lb line is the best bet for beginners as they are easy to use and relatively cheap.

The best spots for whiting are up the Pumicestone Passage in some of the channels and right into Coochin Creek around the sand banks. When we’re whiting fishing we also put a bigger rod out for a mangrove jack because you never know what could come along.

The best bait we use for whiting is bloodworms. Yabbies and sandworms work nearly as well and are easier to collect. Usually we buy the bloodworms and pump a few yabbies. The best technique is to let out lots of line when you get a bite and strike and wind like crazy when you think the fish has swallowed your bait, as the fish will follow you to the boat and make you think you’ve lost it. Once you get it near the boat is when it will start to fight more.

Whiting are great to eat and are an easy fish to clean, especially when you con your dad into helping.

There are a few of ways we flathead fish.

One way is by trolling lures around the sand and mud banks. We use braided main lines with a 12-20lb trace tied at the end that we connect the lure to. For trolling we use an overhead reel with a stiffer rod as it’s easy to manage in the little tinny.

The other way is flicking soft plastics at the sand and weed banks and then working them back to the boat. We use a 12lb trace tied to the braid with the soft plastics on the end. Squidgies are really good, and for flicking we use small threadline outfits.

The best spots are in the Pumicestone Passage around the sand near weed banks, mangrove banks and structures for both flicking and trolling. When trolling we often flick softies out ahead of the boat as well which is great when you get a hook-up on the plastic and on the troll rod.

When we go gar fishing we use a very small hook under a float. We use a whippy rod with 6lb line that won’t rip the bait off the hook when we cast and won’t pull the hooks out of the gar’s mouth when it’s hooked up.

For bait we use green or cooked prawns, but cooked prawns work better for some reason. We berley them up with bread but we try not to use too much so it doesn’t fill them up. The trick is to get the gar excited about eating something (your bait) and not overfeed them.

The best spot for gar is in the canals and over weed banks in the channels. When you hook up you have to wind in quick before the fish jumps and spits the hook.

The best technique for gar is: when you see your float start to move, you yank pretty hard then wind it in fast. The best time of year we find to go for gar around Bribie is in summer because they like the warmth, but in other places like the Mooloolaba River they are around right now and are great fun to catch for bait or to have on the barbie.