Ed Falconer has been a Rainbow Beach local for the last 13 years, and has been fishing on- and offshore in the area for about 25 years. He has professionally fished the local waters and worked on several charter boats during this time, and now operates the small charter boat Keely Rose, which keeps him on the ball with what's happening in the area.

WE HAVE just been through the festive season and I don't think I have ever seen so many boats get towed into this small town! Unfortunately, for the busiest week of the year, between Boxing Day and New Years, the weather was quite lousy. The weather cleared up for the remainder of the school holidays and some nice fish were caught.

On the beach the weed is still a problem, but when patches of it have cleared anglers have caught some quality whiting, dart and tailor just waiting for the picking.

In the estuaries between Carlo Point and Inskip Point, flathead have also been in good numbers. At Carlo boat ramp one afternoon as I came home two young fellows had been drifting the area all day with live poddy mullet and showed me their catch. Very impressive. Lots of lizards.

Mangrove jack have also been on the menu, with a few of the locals getting stuck into them in our major creeks, Teebar and Kauri. Mullet and live poddies on dusk seem to be the go and be prepared for some tough battles in tight water.

During the summer months the fish can be a bit hot and cold in the offshore waters. Personally, I found it more hot than cold, striking good patches of large pearl perch, red emperor and snapper. There was probably a bit of luck involved as I steamed over some fairly insignificant ground and fished what only came up on the sounder as small fish shows. On these same days, Tony Stuart from Rainbow Beach Fishing Charters also did very well with his customers extremely happy bagging out on quality squire.

This month is similar to January and February – you still have to put up with northerly winds and very hot weather, and usually a few sharks eating your dinner. In the summer months I like to leave nice and early, and be home early before the strong sea breeze comes in – or worse, big electrical storms.

I like to target pelagic species like spotted mackerel in February as they are thick in this area and you’ll find them in good numbers and good form close offshore.

Have fun fishing.

1) George Macadonnas with a 12kg red emperor caught on Keely Rose.

2) Nev Stutz with a red emperor and pearl perch caught on Keely Rose.