The September Fishing Report, Week Three 2004, Noosa, Queensland, Australia, brought to you by Castlemaine Perkins XXXX.

OFFSHORE: Well, It was one of those weeks where you wouldn't be dead for quids. With very light to moderate (5 to 15 knot) variable Westerlies dominating the almost idyllic morning sessions it was as good as it gets for this time of the year. The afternoons, on the other hand, were pretty sloppy with the usual brisk North Easterly sea breezes chopping up the waters and making life a tad uncomfortable for those anglers who were late crossing the bar. Squire, Snapper, Parrot Fish, Pearl Perch, Moses Perch and Cobia were common to nearly all of the visited reefs. In addition, for those with a yearn to travel, the Barwon Banks produced Northern Bluefin Tuna and Gold Spot Wrasse as did Chardon's 'Wide', but with the added bonus of Sweetlip, and as you can see by the photo on the right, quality Red Emperor. Brisbane angler Matt Robinson boated the 9kg specimen he's pictured with while out there on a Cougar Too charter on Saturday.
Snapper

Closer in, Massoud's Reef yielded Sweetlip and Bonito while at North Reef the bonus species were Maori Cod, Northern Bluefin Tuna, Sweetlip, Scarlet Sea Perch and Teraglin Jewfish. Snapper, however, were still very much one of the higher profile species and the 4.1kg 'Knobby' that Gympie angler Mark Wickson (above left) nailed at North Reef yesterday was a prime example of the quality. Mark, on a 3/4 day Cougar One charter, was kitted out with a Wilson Live Fibre rod and an Alvey 825C reel loaded with 30lb Pioneer Flexline. His bait was Squid on a 5/0 hook. Back towards home base there were Mackerel Tuna and plenty of Dart working just off the National Park headland while in Laguna Bay there were Queenfish and juvenile School Mackerel around Tea Tree Bay and Northern Bluefin Tuna just out from the shark nets.

ONSHORE: With the North Shore Fishing Challenge in full swing over the weekend there were anglers all over the Greenback Tailor

place looking for that prize winning fish. Teewah Beach on the North Shore, of course, was the most popular coastal surf beach with the stretch above the camping grounds producing Jewfish, Dart, quality Bream and the bigger Tailor. In fact, local angler Rob Cooke (right) took out the top prize in the $1000.00 'Tailor Chase' when he landed this 4.32kg 'Greenback' up there in the early hours of Saturday morning. Rob, armed with a SnyderGlas 14' surf rod and an Alvey 650 reel loaded with 15lb Schneider line and 80lb trace, tempted this thumper with a Bonito fillet on 2x5/0 hooks. Apart from that there was plenty of Dart off the National Park headland rocks, Jewfish in Alexandria Bay and further South; Dart at Sunshine Beach and Tailor, Bream and Dart at Marcus Beach. In the river, Flathead, Bream and Whiting were well spread with the standouts coming from down at the mouth, Weyba Creek, Munna Point and Harbourtown where Tailor were also on the bite. Lake Cooroibah was another target area for these bread and butter fish, school Jewfish were active somewhere in the river (they just wouldn't say where) and in the Woods Bays the catch was mostly Trevally and Tailor. On the freshwater scene, there were smallish Bass chasing trolled C-Lures Borers around the 'Bubble Trail' at Lake MacDonald.

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