21 August 2020 fishing report & news
- At August 21, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles, fishing charter
0
THIS WEEK’S GOLD COAST AND TWEED ESTUARY FISHING REPORT AND NEWS21 July 2020*Tweed fishing well for flathead*Tailor…
Posted by Brad Smith Fishing Charters on Thursday, August 20, 2020
14 August 2020 fishing report
- At August 15, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
24 July 2020 fishing report & news
- At July 24, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
24 July 2020
*Tweed continues to produce flathead
*Gold Coast broadwater has big variety of good eating fish, squid, crabs
Dad joke:
True fact: Before the crowbar was invented, most crows drank at home…
TWEED RIVER by Smithy
G’day everyone we had a quite a cool week with the south westerlies blowing and once again the flathead were the dominant species.
Trolling slam and spike lures worked well as did jigging in around the 4.5 to 5.5 metre line with a combination of Ecogear zx40, vx45 and Samaki Vibelicious vibe lures.
We also got a couple of quality whiting on the vibes and some nice sized tailor that are starting to move up the river.
GOLD COAST RIVERS by Clinto
We have some rain arriving from a east coast low which will hang around until Sunday. While this can disrupt charters for a few days, it is vital for estuary systems to be healthy.
Our broadwater charters have continued with daily hauls of tuskfish, flathead, flounder, winter whiting, tarwine, arrow squid and others. We are so lucky to have so many tasty species available in calm water. We never go anywhere near bag limits, to ensure there is plenty of fish for the future. The snot weed has been annoying but it is still fishable. If you encounter thick amounts keep moving, the fish don’t like it and they move.
Best lures have been Ecogear ZX40 in 440 colour and Ecogear ZX43 in 414 colour. On cloudy days, run out tide, and early morning I smear some Smithy’s UV prawn Sax scent on the vibes, and on calm, clear days, run in tide I use Sax scent goldprawn.
Yabbies are extremely effective bait at the moment, and can be pumped even at high tide during the smaller day time tides. I am looking forward to getting out fishing after the rain, should be good in the broadwater this week. Fishing the run in tides will be the go, less weed. The tides aren’t too big to fish the main channels too.
Best fishing days this week according to the almanac:
Friday: 38%
Saturday: 14% 💩
Sunday: 18%
Monday: 62%
Tuesday: 59%
Wednesday: 16%
Thursday: 14%
*This is just a prediction. There are many factors when it comes to fishing and fish are unpredictable at times, there are no exact guarantees. We include this just for fun and see how it plays out every week.
Charter options this coming week:
Tweed river: Fully booked
Gold Coast:
Just one day still available- Wednesday 29th July. Broadwater for fish, crabs, squid with lures and yabbied
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!
Useful links:
This week’s special from our facebook store (Includes our favourite lures plus fishing secrets ebooks plus free shipping anywhere in Australia)
Buy here:
https://goldcoastlures.com/products/ultimate-pro-pack
Online store:
www.goldcoastlures.com
Browse our Facebook shop:
https://m.facebook.com/bradsmithfishingcharters/shop
Subscribe to our youtube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UClkPb52-hCxcfI3isXgVLIw
Join our members club for free here for special offers and exclusive tips and news:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/171395506881679
Finally a huge shout out and thanks to our sponsors, preferred brands and suppliers:
Jetprintz
Sporty’s fishing
Fisho Tackle
Ecogear
MMD splashprawns
Sax scent
Pontoon 21
Samaki
Gillz Australia
Pro Lure Australia
7newsGoldCoast
Step Outside with Paul Burt
Cheers
Smithy & Clinto
3 July 2020 fishing report & news
- At July 04, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
https://www.facebook.com/342261075955602/posts/1627037784144585/?d=n
26 June 2020 fishing report & news
- At June 26, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
THIS WEEK’S GOLD COAST AND TWEED ESTUARY FISHING REPORT AND NEWS
26 June 2020
Dad joke:
It takes guts to be an organ donor, and balls to be a sperm donor.
TWEED RIVER by Smithy
G’day everyone we had some pretty chilly starts this week with the cool mornings turning into perfectly comfortable winter days.
It has been a bit of an unusual week in the fact that it has been about quality more than quantity. Some of the whiting taking the lures in the deep holes have been crackers and the same goes with the bream with the average size being between 35 to 40 cm long.
The best lures have been zx40s, vx45s and samiki vibelicous soft vibes and they have all worked equally well. We did not get a jewie this week but there was still a few small but hard fighting giant trevally in the deeper holes.
Trolling along the edges of the channels with slam 47 and pontoon 21 crackjacks also produced some quality flathead around the first hour of the run out tides.
GOLD COAST RIVERS by Clinto
Wow what a week! The fishing is amazing in the broadwater with big daily hauls of up to 100 fish, squid, and crabs. This is the best time of the year to catch a superb feed of fresh seafood.
The big arrow squid have been thick and a heap of fun to catch, not to mention delicious in the pan! Ecogear ZX40’s really fire them up, and they then eagerly grab squid jigs.
Squid Recipe:
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- Or 2 cups normal flour instead of the above
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup beer or sparkling water
- 6 large arrow squid tubes and candles
- 1/2 cup olive oil
First soak squid in a mix of kiwi fruit and milk for two hours, then using the above recipe fry in olive or vegetable oil in a hot pan for four minutes maximum, turning once.
We have also been getting lots of nice big blue swimmer crabs, winter whiting, bream, bartail and dusky flathead, tarwine, and heaps of flounder, ensuring our guests go home with a seafood basket from heaven.
Best bait by far is live yabbies, best lures are Ecogear ZX40 in colours 440, 418, 411, 415, coated in Smithy’s UV Sax scent.
All available to buy here:
www.goldcoastlures.com
Best fishing days this week according to the almanac:
Saturday: 24
Sunday: 67
Monday: 50
Tuesday: 14
Wednesday: 16
Thursday: 45
Friday: 73
Saturday: 90 🔥
Sunday: 95 🔥
Monday: 92 🔥
*This is just a prediction. There are many factors when it comes to fishing and fish are unpredictable at times, there are no exact guarantees. We include this just for fun and see how it plays out every week.
Charter options this coming week:
Tweed river:
Brad is nearly fully booked, good week for flathead, mulloway, big bream, whiting, tailor on lures up the river.
Gold Coast:
Clint’s boat only has 1 day still available this week 2 days the following week.
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!
Online store:
www.goldcoastlures.com
Coming soon- Ecogear ZX43! Pre orders available soon.
Subscribe to our youtube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UClkPb52-hCxcfI3isXgVLIw
Join our members club for free here for special offers and exclusive tips and news:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/171395506881679
Finally a huge shout out and thanks to our sponsors, preferred brands and suppliers:
Jetprintz
Sporty’s fishing
Fisho Tackle
Ecogear
MMD splashprawns
Sax scent
Pontoon 21
Samaki
Gillz Australia
Smithy & Clinto
Pro Lure Australia
Cheers
19 June 2020 fishing report & news
- At June 18, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
THIS WEEK’S GOLD COAST AND TWEED ESTUARY FISHING REPORT AND NEWS
19 June 2020
Dad joke:
I hate it when my wife says “are you listening to me?!”
Such a random way to start a conversation.
TWEED RIVER by Smithy
Hi everyone we have been mixing it up a bit this week some shallow water techniques.
It is not uncommon through winter for fish to move up into shallow water during the day as the sun warms up the water temperature quicker than in deep water.
We have been trolling and casting small minnows like pontoon 21 and slam lures as well as a bit of surface popping with mmd splash prawns for whiting, bream and flatties.
With all trips I always take the time to do a bit of deep water jigging in a few of the many deep holes in the river especially around the tide changes. Flathead, bream, whiting and trevally have been the main takers of our vibe lures as well as the odd bass.
Australian bass move well down the river through winter to spawn so I must mention here that if you accidentally catch one while targeting other species please handle them properly and quickly release them. It is important to note that in NSW that there is a zero bag limit on bass in rivers and estauries from the 1st of May to the 31st of August.
Note: we are proud to now offer some quality products from Pro Lure Australia.
One lure in particular we are very excited about is the ST72. The deeper version will dive to over two metres then suspend briefly when paused before slowly rising. It is a very nice looking and well made lure with a fantastic action.
Definitely worth having in the tacklebox for fans of double clutches who love working them over shallow banks for big flathead, bream, whiting, trevally and more!
We offer them in four colours, or a value pack of four.
Check them out here:
GOLD COAST RIVERS by Clinto
I’ve been sticking to the broadwater where light winds in the mornings have made for pleasant conditions. Week days are great with less jetskis and big, fast boats on the water.
The fish have been off the bite with very slow, tentative bites but the squid and crabs have made up for it. The arrow squid seem to have bite periods when they are very aggressive on blades. I was fishing with regular guest Mick on Wednesday and we had some good success teasing them up to the surface with Ecogear ZX40 blades in 440 colour, then dropping a Daiwa nude squid jig 3.0 in weed shrimp colour. We coated the squid jig in Sax scent UV prawn too.
They were grabbing it instantly, so much fun to watch. Fresh arrow squid are absolutely delicious to eat, especially if you marinade them in a mix of milk and kiwi fruit for an hour first, then dip in batter then hot fry.
We’ve been getting over 20 blue swimmer crabs per session in our pots baited with mahi mahi and mullet frames. Keeping just enough legal size males for a feed for everyone on the boat. The Southern broadwater in 2-4 metre depth on run out tides has been working best for the sandies.
With Ecogear ZX40 vibes coated in Sax scent UV, and Samaki vibes there has been some flathead, whiting, tarwine, flounder boated.
Best fishing days this week according to the almanac, looks like a great week ahead, especially after the rain.
Friday: 71%
Saturday: 89%
Sunday: 95%
Monday: 93%
Tuesday: 79%
Wednesday: 56%
Thursday: 23%
*This is just a prediction. There are many factors when it comes to fishing and fish are unpredictable at times, there are no exact guarantees. We include this just for fun and see how it plays out every week.
Charter options this coming week:
Tweed river: Brad doing very well with flathead and mulloway on vibes in the holes, and trolling/ casting the flats in the mornings for a variety.
Gold Coast:
More fish and bait action expected including flathead, flounder, winter whiting with vibes, and we’ll keep chasing fresh squid and blue swimmer crabs on charters too.
Some good tides for wading the broadwater flats too for whiting, bream, flathead, squid with yabbies, minnows, and squid jigs.
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!
Useful links:
This week’s special from our facebook store:
6 pack of Ecogear ZX40 colour 440!
Buy here, free delivery:
Also we now have in stock the ultimate fish ID bible “Grant’s guide to fishes” in a beautiful hard copy signed by Ern Grant himself!
It makes a perfect gift for the fish mad enthusiast.
Buy here:
Browse our online store:
www.goldcoastlures.com
12 June 2020 fishing report & news
- At June 12, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
THIS WEEK’S GOLD COAST AND TWEED ESTUARY FISHING REPORT AND NEWS
12 June 2020
Dad joke:
Studies show that 99% of Dans are in fact not, “the man”
TWEED RIVER by Smithy
G’day everyone well once again it has been a great week of fishing on the Tweed. Although we have not caught anything too big in size the numbers and variety have made up for it.
Keeping a bend in the rod is what it is all about and being able to swap lures and techniques through the day is very exciting and eventually that big one will come along. In saying this we have caught the odd cracker whiting and on most trips have been getting a few flatties over 50cm.
Jigging the deep holes with ecogear zx and vx vibes has been producing flatties, bream, whiting, big eye and giant trevally as well as the odd small school jew.
I am hoping that the rain we received yesterday and the potential forecast of a bit more rain over the weekend will help keep the action firing. I look forward to talking again next week.
Buy our favourite lures at our new online shop: www.goldcoastlures.com
GOLD COAST RIVERS by Clinto
I’ve hardly been fishing this week, the boat and tackle has been getting some maintenance and I’ve been busy with orders from our online store.
Some new crab pots, rods, wading bags and lures were added to my collection to use on charters.
On the water though we are seeing a typical winter pattern. The bigger flounder and squid have arrived in numbers, and the flathead and winter whiting are increasing too. We should see schools of spawning tailor over the next few months unless the netters take most of them. Ecogear ZX40 vibes in colours 415, 440, 447 and Ecogear VX45 vibes in colour 439 are doing well. Best of the Samaki Vibelicious soft vibe colour are white bait and ghost bait.
This coming week I am fishing most days, and the broadwater looks good with morning run out tides. I will be fishing along the edges of the main channel South of the seaway, and also near Marina mirage, Anglers paradise, Carters bank, North currigee, and Runaway bay.
Our new online store is well stocked with our favourite lures at the moment, but the top packs do get smashed so have a look soon.
The “Secret lures” value pack has been most popular, and comes with a free ebook which explains how to use them, and includes some bonus Gold Coast offshore gps marks. Buy the pack here:
Best fishing days this week according to the almanac:
13 June Saturday: 69%
Sunday: 46%
Monday: 13%
Tuesday: 14%
Wednesday: 15%
Thursday: 42%
Friday: 71%
20 June Saturday: 89%
Sunday: 95%
Monday: 93%
Tuesday: 79%
Charter options this coming week:
Tweed river:
Good tides for morning sessions in the middle reaches especially after the rain, using vibes in deeper holes for mulloway, whiting, flathead, and bream.
Also fishing hardbodies on the flats in the middle of the run out for flathead.
Gold Coast:
Nice morning run out tides for the broadwater this week to target flathead, flounder, tailor, winter whiting. Squid will available on the top of the tide.
If the wind is up we’ll be sheltered in Nerang river chasing flathead, trevally, mulloway and sand whiting on blades, vibes, and hardbody minnows.
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure, guaranteed to catch fish!
Useful links:
This week’s special from our facebook store:
Online store:
www.goldcoastlures.com
Browse our Facebook shop:
https://m.facebook.com/bradsmithfishingcharters/shop
Subscribe to our youtube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UClkPb52-hCxcfI3isXgVLIw
Join our members club for free here for special offers and exclusive tips and news:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/171395506881679
Finally a huge shout out and thanks to our sponsors, preferred brands and suppliers:
Jetprintz
Sporty’s fishing
Fisho Tackle
Ecogear
MMD splashprawns
Sax scent
Pontoon 21
Samaki
Gillz Australia
Fisho Tackle
Cheers
Smithy & Clinto
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!
5 June 2020 fishing report & news
- At June 05, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
THIS WEEK’S GOLD COAST AND TWEED ESTUARY FISHING REPORT AND NEWS
5 June 2020
Dad joke:
Her: At least invite me out for dinner
Him: I don’t go out with married women
Her: But I’m your wife
Him: I make no exceptions
TWEED RIVER by Smithy
G’day everyone this weeks Tweed Report is much the same as last weeks in that the fish are still holding in the mid to upper reaches of the river.
The weather has been fantastic with light to no wind at all and warm winter sunshine making the conditions very comfortable. The lack of wind has made the conditions perfect for drifting and jigging both soft and metal vibes in the deep holes. The deep holes are still producing some flathead and nice sized bream as well as the odd good whiting and small jew.
Trolling the flats between the deep holes has also been consistently producing a mixture of flathead, bream and whiting with the slam lures working well. I have been experimenting with slam lures for the past three weeks and i have to say I am very impressed with them for both their tight action and the fact that they will dive down to about 4.5 metres when trolled with the tide with light braid and leaders. Lets hope the action continues until we talk again next week.
GOLD COAST RIVERS by Clinto
Hi everyone, some interesting adventures this week.
On Wednesday Sammy Hitzke’s Dad Terry and his mate Norm were on board. We started off by drifting around the Southport area with vibes catching flounder and winter whiting.
We then pulled up on a big bank at Wavebreak Island to pump some yabbies, leaving the boat in knee deep water on the run out tide. Time went by and we got a bit distracted while having a land based fish and before we knew it the boat was high and dry, and not going anywhere for the next five years. First time it’s ever happened to me. 😂
Anyway we had no choice but to fish on, and for the next few hours we caught a bucket full of big tiger squid, some solid Luderick, and flathead, bream, whiting. All in a small, sandy, shallow channel. Amazing what you find sometimes when you stop and look at things closely.
Once we were floating again we caught a number of nice size arrow squid and flounder. There is still a lot of bait fish in the broadwater, and sand crabs around Ephraim Island.
My boat goes in to Swiftco on Monday for a birthday maintenance and repairs treatment, then I should be back on the broadwater mid week. The tides will suit fishing the Northern broadwater and deeper reef areas nicely.
Today Friday I had Carl and his son Riley aboard for a fish up the river. We caught a few legal flathead on hardbody Slam lures, plus some tarwine and bream. On one drift we got snagged on an old crab pot. Inside was a huge male mud crab, which had obviously been living in the pot for a long time. We released the poor old fella after some photos.
Best fishing days this week according to the almanac:
Saturday: 95%
Sunday: 88%
Monday: 70%
Tuesday: 40%
Wednesday: 15%
Thursday: 14%
Friday: 27%
Charter options this coming week:
Tweed river:
Brad will target mulloway, flathead in the deeper holes with vibes, and troll or drift the flats with hardbody and blade lures.
Gold Coast:
We will fish the broadwater with Samaki soft vibes, Ecogear ZX40’s, and yabbies for squid, flathead, tuskfish, flounder, whiting and I have four heavy duty crab pots to catch delicious blue swimmer crabs for my guests.
Other options include wading the flats with lures and yabbies. Very relaxing and fun. We supply all the gear.
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!
Useful links:
This week’s special from our facebook store:
We are waiting on a heap of stock which has been delayed by freight back logs. Hopefully this time next week we can report everything available again. I know we have a number of pre orders due to be sent this week. We’ll mail to you the second they arrive next week guys!
The big news is we now have a proper online store which we’re still working on but you can have a browse at www.goldcoastlures.com
The other big news is we are working on an exclusive UV prawn scent in conjunction with the legends at Sax scent. We’ll be testing it this week and it will be available to buy soon!
Online store:
www.goldcoastlures.com
Browse our Facebook shop:
https://m.facebook.com/bradsmithfishingcharters/shop
Subscribe to our youtube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UClkPb52-hCxcfI3isXgVLIw
Join our members club for free here for special offers and exclusive tips and news:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/171395506881679
Finally a huge shout out and thanks to our sponsors, preferred brands and suppliers:
Jetprintz
Sporty’s fishing
Fisho Tackle
Ecogear
MMD splashprawns
Sax scent
Pontoon 21
Samaki
Gillz Australia
Cheers
Smithy & Clinto
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!
29 May 2020 fishing report & news
- At May 28, 2020
- By Clint Ansell
- In Articles
- 0
THIS WEEK’S GOLD COAST AND TWEED ESTUARY FISHING REPORT AND NEWS
29 May 2020
Dad joke:
TWEED RIVER by Smithy
G’day everyone the Tweed has been fishing very consistently over the last few weeks for a variety of species.
The deep holes in the river are the best places to try but make sure you take the time to study your sounder and locate the bait schools that are holding along the bottom before you start to fish. The species that have been feeding on the bait have been flathead, bream, school jew and the odd big whiting and big eye trevally.
As nearly always the time around the tide changes has seen a spike in the fishes feeding patterns especially the jewies. The lures that have been doing the damage are the ever reliable ecogear zx 40s and the samiki vibelicious soft vibe lures. Now that the water is starting to cool down we should see the fishing getting even better especially for the flatties and jew so i am looking forward to the oncoming winter months.
GOLD COAST RIVERS by Clinto
Hi everyone,
There has been good numbers of squid, tuskfish, sand whiting, sand crabs, and flounder around Crab island this week. The big dredger working along the Western channel is stirring up the water and attracting fish.
I catch most of my squid with Ecogear ZX40 440 colour lures with a bit of Sax scent smeared all over them. The little assist hooks on these lures are “sticky” and have a knack of pinning the squid through one of their candles. They also hold bottom very well in flowing water, and draw the squid out of weed beds and reef. The squid are getting bigger as winter draws on, so set a light drag to avoid pulling hooks through them.
Winter whiting, tailor, flathead are along the main channel edges around Southport.
Best fishing days this week according to the almanac:
Friday: 32%
Saturday: 70%
Sunday: 39%
Monday: 14%
Tuesday: 25%
Wednesday: 58%
Thursday: 81%
Charter options this coming week:
Tweed river: Full moon is next Saturday, so the growing tides mean up river will see increased fish activity. Brad has days available to target flathead over the flats, and mulloway in the deeper sections, all on vibe and hardbody lures
Gold Coast: Again the increased size tides leading up to full moon next Saturday will fire up the fishing.
Charters are available for 1-2 people on both Brad and Clint’s boats, options include fishing with vibe and hardbody lures in the river for flathead, mulloway, trevally, bream. Also wading the flats for whiting, and chasing bass in the fresh water with lures, as well as big whiting in the river with live bait.
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure! Currently we can take up to two people per charter, and up to four people from 12 June onwards.
Useful links:
This week’s special from our facebook store:
The River to Reef Gold Coast hardcopy book co written by Brad Smith and packed with valuable info including offshore gps marks and estuary maps, comes with two free Smithy’s lures!
Buy here now:
https://m.facebook.com/commerce/products/3627173140687983
Watch this space! Plenty of stock arriving next few days! Including Ecogear ZX40 blades in colour 440 and others, Ecogear VX’s, Sax scent, MMD splash prawns, Yamatoyo braid, secret hardbodies and vibes and more!
We have ready made fishing lure packs in our shop, but custom orders are welcome too. Message us or sms Clint 0432 990 302 and we’ll help you out!
Browse our Facebook shop:
https://m.facebook.com/bradsmithfishingcharters/shop
Subscribe to our youtube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UClkPb52-hCxcfI3isXgVLIw
Join our members club for free here for special offers and exclusive tips and news:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/171395506881679
Finally a huge shout out and thanks to our sponsors, preferred brands and suppliers:
Jetprintz
Sporty’s fishing
Fisho Tackle
Ecogear
MMD splashprawns
Sax scent
Pontoon 21
Samaki
Gillz Australia
Cheers
Smithy & Clinto
SMS 0432 990 302 to book your charter adventure!