Rock walls

THE last half of the run in and first quarter of the run out tides are the best times to target salmon, grunter, queenfish and the odd barra off the VMR rock walls using live baits or soft plastics. Try low tide at the Whitsunday Sailing Club and Port of Airlie with live baits for barra and jacks. Peeled prawns are still producing some good grunter.

Cannonvale Beach and Conway are still producing whiting during the rising tide. Wilsons Beach is fishing well for barra and salmon at low tide on both lures and baits.

Rivers

FISHING the mouths of the rivers seems to be the most productive areas for targeting salmon, grunter and flathead. Fresh strip baits, live baits, prawns, soft plastics and soft vibes are all producing fish.

Live poddy mullet fished in the deeper holes around low tide will be your best chance at a barra, with some quality salmon and grunter to keep you occupied between barra.

Islands

ONCE again the islands fished well over the last week, rewarding those who took the time off to venture out onto the water with a good mix of reef fish. Sweetlip and red throat are providing the bulk of the catch. There have also been some very good bluies getting about and the best technique for these fish is using a heavy handline with a lightly weighted prawn or crabs.

The mackerel were still a bit quiet. They seem to be down deep, so try fishing baits deeper than usual or vertical spinning for them with spoons when found on the sounder.

Ryan Fuller, Whitsunday Fishing world

Dingo Beach/ Hydeaway Bay

MOST of the inshore fishing in the last week has been pretty tough.

We've still been managing to get a few reef dwellers by not sitting in one spot for too long and keeping on the move.

Most of the better reef fish have been caught on trolled hard bodies, the trick is to troll the lures nice and fast and close to the structure.

The inshore pelagic scene has been almost non existent with just a few school mackerel coming to the boat.

It hasn't been all doom and gloom though, the boats that managed to make it out to the shoals have all come home with good bags of nannygai and other deep reef species.

Beach anglers are reporting plenty of flathead and whiting being caught.

The next few days should see things improve with some nice weather forecast coinciding with making tides. This will see most species start to eat a little more eagerly and allow small boat anglers safe access to all their favourite spots. Hopefully a few big Spanish mackerel will be on the cards.

Mick Underwood, Reel Addiction Sport Fishing

Reef

ANOTHER week gone and another brilliant week of fishing at the reef. Brilliant catches of red emperor, nannygai, red throat and trout continue. The mackerel have been a bit patchy with some days not sighting one and other days smashing numbers. Time to fuel the boat up and get out there.

Ashley Matthews, Sea Fever Sportfishing