River

THIS big tide period will make for tougher fishing conditions on the rivers. If you venture down, target the tide turn where tidal movement is slack.

There's reports of some good barra on live baits of mullet and prawns and trolling deep lures. Try hitting where Kelsey Creek meets the Proserpine River in the deep holes.

There's also reports of grunter being caught at river ramp on mussel beds.

Worth taking a few crabs down as there have been good catches of quality crabs reported.

Dam

THE dam has slowed down due to water temp drop as we come into cooler months.

However due to Tropical Cyclone Debbie there has been a good water rise and this has allowed for good shallow water fishing on the weeded points.

Try targeting these fish in the early morning or late in the evening with surface poppers.

During the warmth of the day it is a good time of the year to target barra in the tops of the dead trees using shallow diving hard-bodied lures with plenty of pauses in your retrieve.

There are still reports of the odd barra being trolled up in the main basin using three to five metre trolling divers.

Dayne Thompson, Barra World Proserpine

Rivers/rockwalls

PROSERPINE river has been the spot to be if you are chasing crabs, with the recent big tides getting the crabs on the move. There have also been a few grunter and king salmon on the bite in the deeper corners of the river using live and dead prawns.

The small coastal creeks around the area have been fishing extremely well for mangrove jack with a few anglers reporting good numbers of jack being caught on mullet fillets and half pilchards.

Mud crabs have also been getting caught around the local bays and creeks.

A few barramundi have been caught around the local rock walls, with live mullet being regarded the best choice of bait.

Islands

FOR the anglers getting out and about, the islands have been reporting big sweetlip and red throat emperor around the fringing reefs around most islands.

Coral trout are still being caught but no reports of good numbers. There have only been just a few showing up.

Anglers floating live baits out the back of the boat have been catching some good size cobia and the odd Spanish mackerel.

Anglers trolling around the bays and headlands at the moment have caught good numbers of school mackerel and ribbonfis.

Ryan Fuller, Whitsunday Fishing World

Reef

NOTHING to report from the reef this week with consistent southeast winds keeping most anglers landbased.

With the new moon just passed, the water has been stirred up again with the big tides but should improve as the week goes on.

Ash Matthews, Sea Fever Sportfishing

Weekend weather

MODERATE winds (22-29km/h) are expected to blow from the SSE shifting to the SE on Sunday and remaining moderate.