Fish Species in Hervey Bay

BREAM

Scientific Name	Acanthopagrus australis
General Information	Known as scavengers they will take most baits.
Preferred Baits	Pippies, Prawns, Squid, Mullet Fillet, and any other fleshy baits including salt water yabbies, however they can also be taken using small lures or flies.
Taken Near	Bream are often found around oyster beds, structures, mangroves, creek mouths and ocean beach gutters.
Best Times To Catch	Night and early morning are the most productive. Winter is the best time between May and August.
Best Rig TypeFished best using light gear, the less lead the better as Bream are a very timid fish and are easily startled.
Line Strength	4 to 6kg
Hook Types/Sizes	Size 1 or 1/0

SUMMER WHITING

Scientific Name	Sillago ciliata
General Information	One of Hervey Bay's most sought after fish. Beautiful white fleshy eating fish, which can be frozen for extended periods without losing it's flavour. Feeding over sand flats they use their snouts to burrow for their food.
Preferred Baits	Live Yabbies & Blood worms are best.
Taken Near	Sandy Flat areas up to 100m from the shoreline. Can be caught off a boat or from the shore.
Best Times To Catch	September till March
Best Rig Type
Line Strength	3 to 4kg Line
Hook Types/Sizes	No.3 or No. 4 French Hook.

WINTER WHITING

Scientific Name	Sillago  maculata spp
General Information	Prefer deeper water. Dark blotches are found along there body, they feed over weedy sand flats.
Preferred Baits	Squid or strips of bullock heart
Taken Near	March till July is the main season
Best Times To Catch	Not generally caught after dark.
Best Rig Type
Line Strength	3 to 4kg Line
Hook Types/Sizes	No.3 or No. 4 French Hook.

sand FLATHEAD

Scientific Name	Platycephalus arenarius
General Information	Good eating with firm flesh, this fish should be handled with care because of dangerous spikes either side of there pectoral fin.  Larger flathead over 60 cm. are mostly female and should released for spawning purposes.  Flathead camouflage themselves by burying into the sand.
Preferred Baits	Best caught with live baits including tails, fish strips, pilchard and lures.
Taken Near
Best Times To Catch	Generally during the day between September & March.
Best Rig Type
Line Strength
Hook Types/Sizes	3/0 mustard hook pierced through the back of the live bait or near the tail.

BLACKALL [Morwong or Painted Sweet-lip]

Scientific Name	Plectorhinchus picus
General Information	Feed over reef areas mainly on yabbies, crab and squid cut in strips, gently pounded, with an overhand of a few cm. beyond the hook.
Preferred Baits
Taken Near	Outer Banks & Sammies fish well.
Best Times To Catch Best caught at night, or in deeper water during the day between February & May
Best Rig Type
Line Strength	6 to 10 kg line with 45 cm. trace
Hook Types/Sizes	2/0 Hook [540]

SCHOOL MACKERAL

Scientific Name	Scomberomorus queenslandicus
General Information	A predator, hunts schools of small fish. Average size is between 1.5kg and 3kg. Good eating quality.
Preferred Baits	Pilchards, Garfish, Live Bats & Lures
Taken Near
Best Times To Catch
Best Rig Type4 to 6kg. Line with gang 3 or 4/0 [4200] gang hooks, with a heavy nylon trace.
Line Strength	4 to 6kg
Hook Types/Sizes	3 or 4/0 [4200] Gang Hooks

GRASS SWEETLIP [Coral Bream]

Scientific Name	Lethrinus laticaudis
General Information	Grows to 5kg. and over, good eating any legal size. Known to be scavengers, will take most baits.  They spook easy so in shallow water cast away from boat.
Preferred Baits	Will take most baits
Taken Near	Fish the flood tide in shallow water
Best Times To Catch	Dusk or Dawn Caught all year round in deep water November to April in shallow water
Best Rig Type100cm Trace using a 2/0 [540] Hook
Line Strength	6kg to 10 kg
Hook Types/Sizes	2/0 [540] Hook

GOLDEN TRAVELLY

SNAPPER

Scientific Name
General Information	Average size around 2 kg. Can grow to 20 kg. with a very distinguished bump on there forehead. Divers rarely see them as they are quite timid.  These fish make top tucker!
Preferred Baits	Pilchards, Mullet fillet strips or whole squid go well with a good burley trail
Taken Near	Mainly fished on the bottom they will rise to take a bait mid water
Best Times To Catch	Early morning or dusk and during the night on a full moon are best
Best Rig TypeGang hooks with pilchard or single strong hooks at the end of a 2m heavy line trace.
Line Strength	Line strength depends on fish size your after 4kg to 25kg
Hook Types/Sizes	Hook size depends on fish size your after 4kg to 25kg

estuary COD

Scientific Name	Epinephelus coioides
General Information	Often caught in crab pots chasing there favourite snack the mud crab.  IMPORTANT NOTE: Cod keep reefs unsilted
Preferred Baits	Live bait hooked through the back or through the lower lip, making sure to avoid the spine is best, although most dead baits will work
Taken Near
Best Times To Catch	Small tides fish best December and May
Best Rig Type
Line Strength	Need a strong line as they will dive under the nearest structure
Hook Types/Sizes	With such a large mouth a 7/0 or 12/0 sharp hook is required

TAiLOR

Scientific Name	Pomatomus saltatrix
General Information	These are a great sport fish and are good value to catch. Bleed at once and eat immediately, otherwise iced then down as soon as possible,  however having a soft flesh they don't freeze well.  Check Fraser Island regulations!
Preferred Baits	Pilchards or Garfish fillet or Lures
Taken Near	Caught off our beaches at dawn chasing bait fish or battling the surf break on the east coast of Fraser Island
Best Times To Catch	Lures work well in Winter, and are best at dawn or dust
Best Rig TypeGang of 3 x 4/0 hooks below a slightly heavier trace.
Line Strength	Line strength depends on fish size your after 0.5kg to 2.5kg
Hook Types/Sizes	Gang of 3 x 4/0 hooks

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