Ideal family fishing holiday destination

Big fish live here

Kayak Fishing AROUND NOOSA

Anglers aren't the only fish predators at Noosa

I was misfortunate enough to arrive at Noosa only one day before torrential rains and near-cyclone conditions rolled in to make their mark and as a result was completely unable to take full advantage of the plethora of kayak fishing opportunities that would have otherwise been available. I did get out for only 3 trips and as irony would have it, the first day I found water to be very clear - so much so that fish were very easily spooked around the estuary. And following the rains the opposite was true - the water was simply too murky for the fish and this remained the case for several days. That didn't stop me trying, although just when it started to look like the fishing might improve with clearing waters, heavy rains began falling again. This isn't typical for the area, which is usually a perfect example of where the familiar saying 'Queensland - beautiful one day, perfect the next' comes from.

As a result of the weather I determind that I would most definitely have to return to the area at a later stage and the advice I received was to aim to return around November/December, through to March/April. When I do return I should be well positioned to take advantage of the area because all of the downtime caused by the weather allowed me plenty of time to put in the required research to do so. The summary of which is detailed below. 

The estuary of Noosa river is a relative rabbit warren that hosts all sorts of sought after salt-water species and the area is ideal for a relaxing, yet potentially exciting kayak fishing trip. Anglers that aren't so keen on venturing out into Laguna Bay or beyond would do well to explore the possibilities here instead. A run out tide can flow out fairly quickly although it's difficult to imagine anyone getting into strife here. Woods Bays are particularly safe (keep an eye out for powered boats of course), very well protected from tidal flow. Its also well known for producing some quality fish, including Bream, Flathead, Mangrove Jack, Tailor, Trevelly and Whiting. Nearby Munna beach and bridge are also known to produce, particularly on an outgoing tide. Closer to the river mouth the Frying Pan is a popular spot for both Flathead and Whiting, both of which are most likely to found on the edges of flats. Seek out deeper water or submerged trees to locate the Bream.    

Further upstream Threadfin Salmon have been known to lurk, particularly at the upper mouth of Lake Coroiba and within the river that links it to Lake Cootharaba. There are some deep channels in both lakes and a variety of saltwater secies can be found here as well. There are some excellent kayak camping oppotunities in the upper reaches of the river beyond Lake Cootharaba (Boreen Point being a good launching spot). Some of the campsites to the north can only be accessed by kayak or canoe, making them pretty much perfect. bass become more prevailant in these reaches, although note the annual closed season from June 1st through to the end of August.  

If you're not deturbed by the thought of fishing in the ocean, Laguna Bay, Noosa Heads to Sunshine Beach are all known to produce some highly desirable fish on the right day, although kayak fishermen really should be cautioned on keeping an eye on weather conditions - especially if venturing beyond Laguna Bay. Winds typically move in from the south east so there is good protection close to the northern side of the heads from the beach along to Tea Tree and Dolphin Bay. Tailor, Mulloway, Snapper (Squire) are common in these parts and there is always a chance of hooking up to a Mackeral as well. There is some nice deep water stretching from Fairy Pools down to Devils Kitchen, also known for it's Cobia, Kingfish, Mulloway, Trevelly as well as sharks. Some of the locals in the know are pretty keen on Sunshine Reef (off Sunshine Beach) for the possibility of Spotty Mackeral at certain times of year (summer being best), with Bream, Dart and hungry Tailor doing the rounds on the nearby beach. 

Billybob's 'spanish special' trolling rig (tm)

Further out to the north of the bay ones chances of catching Mackeral, Tuna and Snapper are reasonably good, particularly at Jew Shoal, Little and Big Hall reefs. Fishing Noosa editor and well known kayak fisherman, Bill 'Billybob' Watson has produced an informative online map that pinpoints these spots, as well as some of the outer-lying reefs.     

Summary

As a kayak fishing destination, Noosa really is hard to pass by, which is exactly why I stuck around in the hope of improving conditions for as long as I did. In hind sight I probably should have persisted with the Noosa river estuary because it can and does produce good fish in murkier waters. I had planned to do some kayak camping in the upper reaches of the river itself but according to the ranger at Boreen Point, these were not fit for camping at the time due to floods. I also found the possibilities in Laguna Bay and around Noosa Heads to be highly provocative and when I combine all of these factors I'm left with a strong desire to return at a later time.  

Sunrise over Noosa Heads, Laguna Bay

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