Fishin’ Maggie
What’s Happening On Maggie
The Townsville prawn trawlers have been happily netting up loads of those big juicy tiger prawns off Horseshoe Bay, finding huge schools of healthy yummy prawns. Early last week at the peak there were about 7 trawlers operating out of Horseshoe Bay, but by Sunday the number was down to 3 as the Quotas were quickly met. All in all a great local prawn season so far. With the issues with white spot disease down south, the prawn industry up here is going gangbusters. You just can’t beat a kilo of Marlene and Reece’s big green prawns, Bugs and juicy cooked prawns.. If you want to prepare something different try making Tamarind Prawns, they are sensational tucker.
On the subject of prawns, the big endeavour bait prawns have finally arrived back up at the shop, after being hung up in a white spot political tussle down south. They are massive and working tops for big Jacks in the harbour entrance.
I see Drew has launched his charter boat into Horseshoe Bay, (previously Barnacle Bills Charters.) The new look pontoon boat is now operational running out of Horseshoe Bay. The business is now called Island Time Charters. Drew is a top bloke so I know he will do well. Good luck mate.
Joel Hurst had a boy’s party birthday trip to the reef Saturday. ( where else would you want to celebrate. When they were leaving the shop the car was packed with 15 bags of ice 10 packs of bait, beer fishing gear and a Smiley. Suspension was sagging as they drove away to launch the boat. Happy Birthday and tight lines mate.
We get lots of visitors up here from Brisbane, and they are just stunned by the quality of the fishing. Brisbane area is crap fishing according to the visitors, nothing left. I was having a quick flick Sunday morning off the HB boat ramp, and annoyingly there were nothing but small Queenies and big Wolfie’s hooking up on the Mullet Halco lure. Not great fishing if you live here, but the amount of attention these fish get from visitors as they do their aerial acrobatics is astounding. Our bad days are often better than a good day down south.
I see the Bulletin decided to run an article about sharks again with the Island as usual being a focus. It must be close to holiday season, thanks for nothing Bully. At least it wasn’t front page this time, they may have learnt from the strong Island reaction last time. ( or not)
Spaniards have moved into the bay, finally, with some big fish cruising around S8 and along parts of the channel. As luck would have it Macca’s boat was trolling the channel and the biggest Spanny of course took the lightest line, a lighter spin rig. Despite being on a boat the rig was spooled before they could flip the boat around get enough speed up. That put it at plus 20 kg, and yet another Halco lure lost.
The squid run continues with big (for us anyway) squid in the harbour and in the weed beds at Nelly Bay beach. Best lures are the pink and blue 2.5 JW squid jigs. They tend to get spooked by bigger lures, grabbing gently, then releasing. Calamari is exceptional chewing, try marinading in Kiwi fruit for 1 hour, then dust in flour, egg and then rice crumbs. The kiwi fruit enzymes soften the calamari to a perfect texture to melt in your mouth. Just sensational.
I had an email from some happy Maggie visitors that fished the jetty last week quoted below.
“Hi Mate Tyler and Kate here, we chatted to you about fishing at C-stay Picnic Bay. Just thought we’d share a few photos with you of this weekend we had fishing off the Picnic Bay jetty on livie’s, we had an amazing stay on the island, it was a blast! Kate’s just got into fishing recently so it was great to show her a successful land based experience, as we’ve had a fair few days of catching no fish at other locations before we got to Magnetic Island! Myself being from Canada it was great to catch 6 new species, including a 66 cm Barra, Queenies, Golden Trevally, Fingermark and Mangrove Jack Anyways feel free to share any of the photos you want, bye Dale”
Thanks Tyler proof positive that the jetty is still firing with those big action predators sweeping through regularly for a feed. Get down there while the action is hot.
Doggie Mack’s are thick out towards Palm Island with thousands congregating over near Phillips Reef and on the edge of the green zone. Mike is running Miss Nelly in night runs toward Palm, easily netting bag limits every trip. If you are after the bigger Spaniards, pop out to Bomber Wreck, where the same problem is being faced. What to do after you bag out in an hour? The biggest complaint is there is no time to have a beer, too much action.
Until next time gone Fishin’…. be back at dark-thirty
Cheers Dale
Fish’n N Fuel’n Sports and Tackle
36 Mandalay Ave, Nelly Bay 4778-5126
For all of your fishing and sports hire gear. We hire and sell fishing rods, plus snorkel equipment, bait, tackle, ice, spear fishing equipment, sports, party, pool toys, bike hire and new ELECTRIC BIKE HIRE, SEGWAY TOURS, car hire and convenience supplies. Check out Kooler 24 hour Ice 7kg $4.