P54 - FISH & BOAT, April 2019 Readers’ Fishing Stories Hervey Bay A KidsFishing - By Oliver Macready (aged 9)anywhere, anytime and in any way. d My first fish was a Winter whitingP is One very important thing myDad taught me about fish-ing is to never give up yourcaught from a kayak off Point Ver-non. These whiting tend to schoolup in Winter and this day we caught ara e secret spots. But more importantly,over 20 whiting in only an hour or my Dad always reminds me, is thatso. You can fish off the beach, up it’s not just about catching fish,many of the creeks along the West- sometimes we may not catch any-ern side of K’Gari (Fraser Island) thing, but the best part about fishingand Hervey Bay, the shallow reefs is being out on the water and enjoy-or even venture a little further to the ing this beautiful place that we calllower reaches of the Great BarrierWhat better way to spend a day home, Hervey Bay. This also makesReef. My favourite places to go fish-than to have a line in the water, it hard not to give up your secreting are Wathumba Creek, Coongul spots because there are just so manyCreek and Moon Creek on K’Gari.waiting for that next bite. great places to catch fish in HerveyThese creeks hold species such as Bay and the Fraser Coast, and whatwhiting, flathead and bream. We Dad doesn’t know won’t hurt him.would often have sessions catching The calm waters of Hervey Bay30 or more whiting using live yab- mean endless options. You can fishbies. Dad always taught me to fish as light as possible, so I was riggedeastern side of Woody Island, thederstand why! There was no way my Chasing squid in crystal clearup with 6lb Platypus Platinumreefs around Point Vernon or alongGrandma was getting these becauseThe great thing about water can be frustrating.mono with a 1-3kg Austackle rodthe western side of Fraser Island, asI think they taste really good!!K’Gari is that there is These ones just looked at mywith my Shimano Sedona.they all hold different species of fishWe fished very light for the reefalways something to do squid jig. My other favourite thing to catchat different times of the year.using 20lb Platypus Platinum Mono is tiger squid which often follow theThis particular day started earlyand fresh live bait. Hervey Bay andwhen the fish are not schooling fish in the creeks and theafter finally getting a break from thethe Fraser Coast has a huge range biting…. shallow reefs. These can be fun butNortherly winds and after 11 monthsof fishing activities to keep big kids sometimes very frustrating.of not much rain. This meant theand little kids interested.That is After about my thousandth whit-Mary River was not flowing and thewhy Hervey Bay is a kids fishing ing, I begged Dad to take me to thewater was crystal clear. We left the paradise. spots where I could catch some bigGreat Sandy Straits Marina, and reef fish. I remember him braggingafter 20minutes, we arrived at theCatching whiting from a that he used to catch big estuary cod“secret spot” where we anchored.kayak is a lot of fun. at Bogimbah Ledge. When I’d fi-After half an hour with no luck, we nally worn them down, Mum sug-decided to move around and find the gested: “Why don’t you take him tofish. After the next anchor, it didn’t @#$ %&*^?” Let’s just call this thetake long! Dad caught the first fish, “secret spot”. This spot is where myand then I caught the next five. I grand-fathers father fished.I sup-was so excited to finally be catching pose that would make me a fifth-some big fish! The species included generation Fraser Coast fisherman.a parrot fish and painted sweetlip. The truth is, the “secret spot” couldDad said that some people call these be any of the many shallow reefs; themother in law fish, but we can’t un- CREATE YOUR ADVENTURE 515 NORTHERNER • 4mm bottom sheets - 5052 • Full carpeted floor with under floor flotation • 115Lt Esky in hatch • Live bait tank 30L plumbed • Under floor fuel tank with sender unit (110L) • Electric bow mount bracket For more information visit www.horizonboats.com.au or call your nearest dealer Barney’s Marine Shed 3A Nissan St Pialba Qld 4220Phone 07 4124 3170 57-59 Musgrave St North Rockhampton Qld 4701Phone 07 49 22 2211 64 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads Qld 4220Phone 07 5576 7388 7 Judds Court Slacks Creek Qld 4127Phone 07 3290 6370 T 943 Ingham Road Bohle Qld 4818Phone 07 4774 3777 1 William Murray Dr Cannonvale Qld 4802Phone 07 4946 7286