Dogtooth- best timing?

[Doug Lindsay]

Planning a trip later in the year to the outside edge of the GBR in the Whitsunday region to (hopefully) target some doggies. Can anyone give me an idea of best moon phase to look for? I was thinking early December, how would that be? Mainly going to be jigging, but would love to get one on a topwater lure too
Any info appreciated.
 

[Brandon Khoo]

Doug, you're picking the right time of the year. To find doggies on the jig, look for bait and current. You find those and you should find the fish. Getting them on the surface is less certain but again, if you find bait on the outside edge, you might be a chance.

[Doug Lindsay]

Cool, thanks Brandon. So if I'm looking for current, maybe the run up to the full moon might be the go? The shoal our skipper has suggested (they've got Doggies up to 35kg before) is near the edge of the GBR, in about 70m of water and spikes up to 12m. It looks the goods on the GPS chart

[Brandon Khoo]

That sounds like the go, Doug!

[Doug Lindsay]

Schweet! I can feel trip report no 2 coming on! the plan is (at this early stage) to take my boat (21' centre console) to mothership with the guys from Seafever with their 32' Pirate. I've not caught a Dogtooth yet, so the laerning curve will be steeeep! Any more tips will be gratefully accepted!

[jake mitchell]

Doug,

we got into a heap doggies out from townsville on the 5th of december last year, I assume the doggies off the whitsunday's would fire around the same time. I've attached a photo of the sounder.

Jake

[Doug Lindsay]

Thanks Jake, gotta help when they are 30m off the bottom! Were you jigging for thgem? What sort of jigs are best for the Doggies? Cheers

[jake mitchell]

that day the fish came up as shallow as 10m! we found that when they were on any jig would work so mostly used cheap jigs like williamsons around 120g in that spot and 200-300g in up to 140m . i think the shape is more important, they seem to prefer shorter jigs.

[Doug Lindsay]

10m! Niiice
I've heard they prefer the shorter jigs, but I'm sure we will have a wide range onboard, with a couple of tackle junkies on board. Were you fishing heavy mono leaders? I don't ust much wire, but the only time I've targeted Dogtooth (in Fiji) resulted in multiple bite offs and a few jigs with some serious gouges.

[jake mitchell]

Im not sure about the other boys but I was using 130lb galis fluoro to start with and after a couple of bite offs, I started using a short piece of 190lb single strand wire which didn't seem to effect the bite and helped me land a 18-20kg spaniard. Im pretty sure if we only hooked doggies the fluoro leader would've been fine.