Last year my New Year’s fishing resolution was to catch my biggest ever Snapper. What was yours? Did you fulfil it? I know I didn’t, even with a brand-new reel that boosted the confidence.

So, that leads me to ponder what fishing resolution I should make this year? One thing’s for sure – I’d like to be able to get out more because it seemed like the weather was against most regular anglers last year.

I realise the offshore charter boats did well, and it’s no wonder due to their capability, but for the average angler, with limited access, it can be disheartening when the wind just blows and blows. What to do when offshore is out of bounds? Fish the rivers of course!

~ If you fish the estuaries, you are probably thinking primarily about two species: flathead and bream.

Flathead

Flathead cruise most of our estuarine systems, rivers and at the mouth of the rivers. Flathead are ambush predators and will sit along most break walls and shallow waters and wait for a well-presented bait. They aren’t too hard a target on lures (soft plastics) as well as bait. I usually use prawns and pilchards.

The Dusky flathead needs to be a minimum length of 40 cm and a maximum of 75 in Queensland, with a bag limit of 5. The Dusky flathead has a distinctive black spot on the caudal fin, and dark bars are often visible at the rear of the body. The flaps which cover the gills have spines on each side of the head are very sharp and should be avoided when handling the fish, even on the smaller ones.

Bream

What’s so cool about catching bream? Well, there are two species of bream in Queensland, pikey bream, and yellowfin bream, and they both have a legal minimum size of 25cm and a massive 30 in total bag limit!

Bait fishing is an excellent way to catch bream and an early morning session or an evening one will see some good sized bream. Use no sinker or as small as you possibly can fish. Prawns, worms, yabbies, and whitebait are the best baits to use.

Some of the best places to get your bream are:

• Tweed River
• Jumpinpin
• Eastern side of Crusoe Island
• Rock walls at Mooloolaba

Another spot that fishes well during winter is the channel which runs at a right angle to Little Rocky Point, near the mouth of the Logan River. This area has a substantial structure that holds some decent fish. Just watch out, though, if motoring through this section, it has an un-prop friendly bottom.

Good Luck and happy fishing everybody 🙂