Blog Post
October Update
- By 100000987464
- •
- 11 Oct, 2016
- •
Stay up to date on the happenings of Rainbow Beach Houseboats with regular fishing, crabbing and wildlife updates via our monthly blog!
Wildlife:
Many dugong sightings this month in the Strait with many customers reporting seeing at least one or two while out on the houseboats. In the last six months there has been regular sightings of the mother and calf in Teebar Creek. I was privileged enough to witness them this week while in a boat drifting in creek. I heard a blow and stopped fishing (thinking dolphins might be close-by) and to my surprise a mother and calf dugong surfaced about 5 meters from me. I enjoyed watching them resurface five or six times more over the next 15 minutes. It was an amazing experience and my presence did not seem to bother them. This week there have also been Dugongs mating in Gary's Anchorage.
Baby eagles have been spotted in the big gumtrees next to the moorings at Teebar and Kourie Creeks. The eagles out here are incredible and tend to watch every move you make. You are never alone out here.
Fishing:
There is plenty of tuna in the Strait at the moment. Mostly longtail tuna, allow about an hour to land one on a light line. There is also some spanish mackerel and spotties around Big Mick. Lots of flathead on the sandbars during a rising tide and there are still big whiting around the creeks.
Mangrove jacks have been on the bite since September. I've yet to see one actually landed at Carlo though. A few weeks ago we were feeding the Bream and the kids threw some pilchards in as well. All of a sudden we spotted some red flashes and Harry (one of the local kids) managed to hook one around 700mm but was unable to land it. Over the next hour kids hooked but couldn't land three good jacks just outside our office. Was amazing to watch these fish take the bait from just below us and then run for it...
On Fraser Island opposite Inskip we had a 30 kilo Spanish Mackerel beach itself whilst chasing fish last week. The car ferry driver (Jamie) had just pulled away from the island (with a load of returning fishermen) and so returned to pick up a free feed. So far the largest Spaniard caught locally was 32 kilos so it was close to the largest SM this year. Lots of giant green toadies have been reported in the strait at the moment. Best not to fish the deeper spots when this happens (about once a year). These guys will take all your terminal tackle and will eat anything.
Crabbing:
The mud crabs are around and there are some good Blue Swimmers in the deeper holes in the creeks. Reports are that they are there one day and not the next. Still most customers are eating fresh crab ever night!
Many dugong sightings this month in the Strait with many customers reporting seeing at least one or two while out on the houseboats. In the last six months there has been regular sightings of the mother and calf in Teebar Creek. I was privileged enough to witness them this week while in a boat drifting in creek. I heard a blow and stopped fishing (thinking dolphins might be close-by) and to my surprise a mother and calf dugong surfaced about 5 meters from me. I enjoyed watching them resurface five or six times more over the next 15 minutes. It was an amazing experience and my presence did not seem to bother them. This week there have also been Dugongs mating in Gary's Anchorage.
Baby eagles have been spotted in the big gumtrees next to the moorings at Teebar and Kourie Creeks. The eagles out here are incredible and tend to watch every move you make. You are never alone out here.
Fishing:
There is plenty of tuna in the Strait at the moment. Mostly longtail tuna, allow about an hour to land one on a light line. There is also some spanish mackerel and spotties around Big Mick. Lots of flathead on the sandbars during a rising tide and there are still big whiting around the creeks.
Mangrove jacks have been on the bite since September. I've yet to see one actually landed at Carlo though. A few weeks ago we were feeding the Bream and the kids threw some pilchards in as well. All of a sudden we spotted some red flashes and Harry (one of the local kids) managed to hook one around 700mm but was unable to land it. Over the next hour kids hooked but couldn't land three good jacks just outside our office. Was amazing to watch these fish take the bait from just below us and then run for it...
On Fraser Island opposite Inskip we had a 30 kilo Spanish Mackerel beach itself whilst chasing fish last week. The car ferry driver (Jamie) had just pulled away from the island (with a load of returning fishermen) and so returned to pick up a free feed. So far the largest Spaniard caught locally was 32 kilos so it was close to the largest SM this year. Lots of giant green toadies have been reported in the strait at the moment. Best not to fish the deeper spots when this happens (about once a year). These guys will take all your terminal tackle and will eat anything.
Crabbing:
The mud crabs are around and there are some good Blue Swimmers in the deeper holes in the creeks. Reports are that they are there one day and not the next. Still most customers are eating fresh crab ever night!