With winter upon us now is the time to chase a few snapper, which should be prevalent from the Arti to the gutters at the moment. Most snapper are caught on or around reef structures in the bay but you don’t necessarily need reef to catch a knobbie or two.

The shaley/gravel patches found around Wathumba and many other locations in Hervey Bay seem relatively lifeless on the sounder but are great places to berley up and drop lightly weighted baits through the slick. Night tides are preferable but not essential and flesh baits like garfish, pillies and mullet work a treat. Herring make great berley but any fish scraps mixed with some chook pellets and tuna oil will do. Berley should be dispersed at a rate of a little bit often rather than a lot every now and then. There are heaps of baitfish around so don’t be surprised if a few yakkas, mackerel, tuna and trevally turn up in your slick.

Coralies, cod, snapper, blackall and scarlets have been a regular occurrence around the Arti. The Fairway buoy and the Urangan Pier are still producing plenty of pelagics on lures and live baits and there are a few mac tuna and longtails in Platypus Bay.

The creeks along the inside of Fraser Island south of Moon Point have been thick with mud crabs in good numbers and quality. The recent deluge of rain should only help things. Tinnanbar has fished well for scarlets, blackall, bream, whiting and coralies. Local rod builder/reel repairer Paul Hunter nailed a 7.5kg jew there a few weeks ago on a squid head. The Mary and Susan rivers are still firing for muddies, prawns, bream, flathead and threadfin salmon. These are all good options if you are luring or live baiting.

Rooneys/Coral patch as been on fire with snapper, trout, cod, scarlets, coralies and parrot on the chew lately but there have been a few noahs around taxing the better quality fish. There have also been a few cobia and Spaniards around keeping anglers honest on the troll and bottom bashing. There is plenty happening this month and if the fishing is a little slow why not try bouncing a plastic around your favourite reef spot. It’s a sure fire way to get things happening.