Fishing: what’s biting … where?

Hornibrook Bait & Tackle’s Tony Lincoln knows a thing or two about fishing. Here’s his tips for a successful outing onshore and offshore.

For my first column I thought I'd take the time to introduce myself.

Growing up on the Redcliffe peninsula gave me a wonderful grounding and fishing education while exploring its foreshores. One of my earliest fishing memories is being with my grandmother on Redcliffe jetty aged about five years of age around 1976.

Since those early days, I've developed and expanded my fishing experiences targeting a range of species across Australia, and also being fortunate enough to have fished internationally on several occasions.

I've lived in Cairns, Arnhem Land in the NT and the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and fished all these regions, in addition to the Kimberley, northern NSW, South East, Central, Northern and Far Northern QLD, plus internationally in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and several trips to Papua New Guinea. Periods spent working commercial long line tuna boats and prawn trawlers have also added to my experience.

I'm passionate about introducing new fishos, particularly juniors, to our sport and pastime of fishing. I truly hope they'll experience the same amount of pleasure and excitement that I have over the years, and still do, when I can manage to get out myself.

What’s biting … where?

• Squire, snapper and grassy sweetlip are on the rocky points and inshore reefs.
• School mackerel are in Bramble Bay, off Woody Point Jetty, and around the corner to Scotts Point, (remember to stay out of the Green Zone).
• Flathead, bream and whiting are in Hays Inlet, the Pine River, Scarborough Spit and foreshore, and the mouth of the canals.
• Mangrove Jack, cod and trevally are in the Newport canals.
• A few mud crabs have been caught in local creeks and rivers.
• Sand crabs have been caught at Scarborough and Deception Bay.
• Prawns are slowly moving down local creeks and rivers, particularly the Pine.
• Diver whiting are on the Cockle Banks.
• School and spotted mackerel are in the bay, particularly around the beacons.
• Spanish Mackerel, cobia, wahoo, mahi mahi, and juvenile black marlin are offshore from Bribie, both Stradbroke Islands, Moreton, and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.
• There’s some tailor at Stradbroke Island and the Gold Coast.

Tony Lincoln owns Hornibrook Bait & Tackle, 146 Hornibrook Esp, Clontarf. Head to the Facebook page for details