Inshore GT's

[Brett Guy]

Having recently purchased a new boat I would like to do a little more exploring for GT's in my local area. The boat however is only a 429 proline angler from stacer(Basically a Hornet style boat) and is therefore unsuitable for wide trips as ageneral rule. Living in Innisfail FNQ I am welll aware of the GT fishery out wider around the reefs but would like toknow what the chances are of encountering Decent GT's close to shore. How likely are they to come into shallow(less than 10m) water and hang around Headlands? Or should I be looking for Deeper than that.

[Angus Hulme]

Hi Brett,

While I haven't had specific experience fishing up around your area, I do know that in the areas I have fished (Mackay/Whitsunday islands), GTs are often inclined to come into very shallow water to feed if the bait is there and conditions are right.

We have observed plenty of times over the last 10 years or so, GTs over 20 kgs feeding in water so shallow that their backs are breaking the surface. Mostly this seems to occur when the conditions are dead calm and tides are big. The actual locations we find this sort of activity tend to be sloping rock shelfs strewn with boulders in close proximity to headlands. If there is some sort of deeper channel nearby, then that probably helps. I'm sure deep water nearby scenario would give the bigger predators easier access to the shallow grounds and so hopefully they might be a little less flighty.

To be fair, I suspect the shallower water under 5-10 metres probably attracts a smaller class of fish, but certainly, I reckon there is still a good chance of encountering larger fish from time to time in the shallows.

I'd be interested to hear what other members have to say on this subject.

Cheers
Angus

[Graham Scott]

Brett,
I agree with Angus, you should be able to get your tinnie within casting distance of plenty of GT's.
I have not fished up that way, but here in CQ all my GT fishing is within 12 miles of the coast and most very close to the Coast.
As a general rule if a location has a reputation for Spanish Mackerel, then it should also hold GT's somewhere thereabouts. At worst up your way you should have a lot of fun with queenfish!  There would have to be GT's around Dunk /Bedarra way??

Maybe start with slightly smaller lures to open up your bycatch chances a bit then work up to the elephant gear when you know you're not wasting your time.

[Al Morrison]

I've never fished Qland for GT's but from experience in Indonesia, Maldives and the Cocos Islands decent sized (20kgs) GT's certainly crawl up the beach on occasions. As Angus said - in water so shallow they are half out of the water, usually chasing mullet and the like.  I can't say i have seen monsters other than around structures such as jetty's (The infamous Cocos Island Jetty GTrolls) but over coral reefs and on sand flats I've certainly seen fish in the 10-20kg class on numerous occasions. For some unknown reason these fish are usually found when i have an 8 wt fly rod or a spin stick with 4 lb fireline and Sp's in my hands..... 4lb fireline wont stop a 20 kg GT. I know i've tried

[Angus Hulme]

Both of the fish in the attached photos hit lures in probably 5 metres of water while we were fishing land based, so it's definitely possible. I know these scenarios occurred in proximity to offshore islands, and are certainly not huge fish, but it shows they will happily enter the shallows.

[Dale Ianna]

Hi Brett

You live in a pretty good area for chasing gt's in those coastal waters. From trips in the past i remember having a great session at the mouth of the johnstone river there on an out going tide. Casting popper after popper and getting smashed by good fish to 15kg.  However I'm in the same boat as you as far as boating restrictions go. Last year i posted a report on Recent Lucinda/ Hinchinbrook trip and fished alot of headlands around the front of hinchinbrook, with mixed results however we did learn that if there was no big tidal movement there was a lease likely chance that the gt's would be around. We fished an area called Eva Rock north end of hinchinbrook and had some of our best results. Big tidal movement around the headlands with lots of bait trying too hide in this area, we measured the current speed on the gps and were doin 5knots.  These kind of areas stood out too us more as the first thing that you would see would be baitfish.  These situations you can only find out from getting out there and giving it a go. I'm sure there are hundreds of place's all up that part of the coast just waiting for you to explore.  Good luck and the best advice i can give is to just get out there and explore.

Dale

[Brett Guy]

Cheers for the replys everyone. Most of these responses are basically confirm what I was thinking. Big tides will be the key but I don't think it will happen over the summer months due to dirty water(The local ran like coffee for 7 solid months this year). I do know of one close spot that I have seen produce fish to 30kg and will probably start there and keep looking(could be a while now as the trades have really kicked into gear

[Warwick Joyce]

There was a story in a Fishing Wild mag where they landed a 20kg (from memory) GT in an estuary in West Papua while chasing black bass. I also seem to recall a story of good size GT's being caught inside the Hinchenbrook channel.

[Brett Guy]

I think the biggest problem around here(the thing that would cause the most inconsistency) would be the depth. What most people refer to as shallow around the shoreline is considerd deep around here. On the highest of high tides the best cast from the rocks will usually land in water around four mrtres deep.

[dylan squarci]

Hi Brett
I fish out of Mourilyan horbour a lot. I recently did some trips around the barnard islands and other close fisheries. I tried hobsons rock as we have caught GTs there before when we were trolling for mackeral. however i only managed a few strikes on a stickbait. also tried around olive rock with no success. On a previous trip i fished the big yellow marker bouy after the pylons. i had a burley trail going and within 10minutes two nice GTs (15kg) were swimming around the boat. managed to catch one on a pilly.
If you wiling to put in the hours and the effort you will deffinately catch some fish as they are there. But with a boat your size you should be able to a run out to the reef no worries on a good day. Ive been out there in a 4.35 tinny in 15/20 knot winds so your boat will be fine on a good day.

[Jaime Chee]

Warwick is this the fish you were talking about ATA in PNG The Commanders 55lb GT    caught in PNG

[Brett Guy]

Hey Dylan. Thanks for the info. The last mmarker bouy you are talking about is the place I have seen GT's to 30kg caught and it is definitley one place I will target(As soon as the blasted SE drops off-probably sometime next year) and I have also thought olive would be worth a shot.

[Aaron Concord]

Brett,

That is probably your biggest obstacle.........the SE Trade winds!
All of the spots out the front of Hinchenbrook Island and the Lucinda jetty require winds of 20kn or less to be able to fish them.
The Johnstone River and the Mulgrave have GT's up to 20kg (plus some mega Queenies) that hunt inside the river mouths. I have mates that have fished with guides up there targeting the river fish on poppers.
Yep, there are plenty of points on the map to have a crack, though this time of year is hard to get out there due to the wind.  The wet season build up is the best time to get out there, though that doesn't help the 'itch' in the meantime!

Aaron.

[Ben Zamo]

Brett,

When the weathers good put your tinny in at Bellenden Ker and head out to Russell Is, there a plenty of GT's to be had around the eastern edge, the western ledge and the rocks towards Normanby. You will also get them from shore at night from Russell, they come up in the shallows on high tide in less than a meter of water and smash the island sardines that hide up there. Just make sure to book a camp site in advance as numbers are limited.

Cheer Ben