Tags: Fishing spots and tide times. Bribie Island. Moreton Bay. Brisbane. Redcliffe. Deception Bay
Wow, what a great month of weather we have just had. Couldn’t have asked for a more perfect run of weather over the Christmas holiday break. Hot sunny days, crystal clear water and light winds. This perfect weather and hot days meant plenty of time in the water. As the temperature of the water warms up certain species of nasties become more active and prevalent. Irukandji jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, stonefish, fireweed, and many other nasties can inhabit these local waters.
Summer days floatlining the shallows in 15m of water
At this time of year, we have seen an increase in Irukandji stings on the Fraser Coast. These tiny killers of the oceans are usually under 2cm in size and can inflict painful and possibly life-threatening injuries. The symptoms of an Irukandji jellyfish sting are not immediate and may take 5 to 45 minutes after the initial sting. If vinegar is available, douse the area of the sting and carefully remove the stinging tentacles. Keep an eye on the victim and call 000 immediately if anyone gets stung. Always keep a first aid kit with you whenever you head out camping or boating also add any additional pieces of first aid equipment like vinegar, Nurofen plus, antihistamines etc to personalise your kit to suit your needs. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Some awesome crabs from January’s full moon king tides
Also make sure all flares, EPIRBs, radios and navigational equipment are all working well and in date. We are now in the middle of an extremely dry and hot summer, and hopefully, soon we get some decent rainfall events. Not only do the farmers and growers need the rain desperately, but also the marine ecosystems need some quality rain also. You’ve heard the old saying “if its a drought on the land its a drought in the ocean”. The current weather conditions in the Coral Sea have been perfect cyclone forming conditions.
There’s quite a good chance of possibly a couple of cyclones developing around mid-February through to the end of March. Over the last few weeks the massive bait schools have moved into the bay and behind the big bait schools have been longtail tuna, spotted school and Spanish mackerel, cobia, sharks, barracuda and marlin. The other day just northwest of Bulwer there was about 4 or 5 marlin working underneath a big ball. We jigged mackerel for about 3 hours from the school.
Kids love spinning up mackies
The cobia, cod, and reefies have also been on the bite throughout the bays coffee rock patches and ledges. Out off the cape dolphin fish, tuna, mackerel, wahoo and marlin getting taken from the cape to the wide Caloundra shelf areas. Up the passage, the flattys, whiting, cod, jacks, javelin fish and muddies are firing with most areas holding fish. Down around the Bongaree area of the passage there has been a lot of moses perch and grass sweetlip on the coffee rock.
Also some great big duskys and summer whiting on the weed and coffee rock patches. Not many sand crabs in the passage, although if you know where to crab you will get a good feed. The muddies have been quite good with most of the passage creeks holding good bucks. So over the next few months expect most summer species to be firing and hopefully some more great weather conditions around our beautiful island and a lot fewer tourists…lol…”And don’t destroy what you come to enjoy “ and tight lines.
There is even a Stall selling Wisdom, Peace, Happiness, Tranquillity, Love and Courage – how exotic is that! And, of course, we have the Rotary Van – selling sausage sandwiches, egg and bacon rolls and drinks. The canopies of the Stalls’ gazebos provide a colourful carnival atmosphere. A red train gives rides around the park and a large jumping castle lets the children have fun. The band “Bits n Pieces” provides music that makes you want to dance and sing while you work in the Rotary Van.
Keep an eye out as there are several large sea eagles that live there between third and fourth Lagoon. Remember to stay out of the dunes (short grass) area as turtles nests are present driving on there crushes the turtle eggs and fines are significant. The rainforest area near Lighthouse Reach delivers diverse fauna and flora and the occasional sighting of Dave the yowie.
Cobia caught at Cape Moreton 1.4mts long weighing in at well over 35kg and caught on soft plastics by Craig
And even intermediate players’ reactions were so positive that I decided to print the steps commercially. Soon the word spread to other clubs and players, making the SINGLE PAGE LAMINATE, of THE 35 STEPS with its 4-PAGE INSTRUCTION MANUAL a sought after teaching and memory aid. Bridge clubs in EASTERN SUBURBS CLEVELAND, CAIRNS, ROCKHAMPTON, BUNDABERG, NOOSA, HAMPTON and SALE in VICTORIA bought the huge club boards and the laminates went globally, mostly Australia, the States and Europe, but even Abu Dhabi and South Africa. I was extremely lucky to have the inspiring encouragement and support of Australia’s Contract Bridge guru, Paul Marston, who even displayed it on the wall of his Sydney Grand Slam Bridge Centre, while the world’s most respected bridge publication, THE BRIDGE WORLD reviewed it in 2010.
As Paul Marston approves of and has at times advertised his TEACHING BOOKS together with The 35 Steps, you may wish to have a quick look at this contract bridge tool for teachers and beginners eBay Listing: 231148491712. I have received many feedbacks over the years, even people stopping me in the street thanking me for the ease it has given them playing Contract Bridge with The 35 Steps. But the one that made me laugh out loud, was English bridge player, Ivan Hallworth, when his email compared my little achievement to world events:
