Fly Fishing Near Brisbane

[fishauhj2]

hello:

I may be go going to Brisbane around september for vacation and I was looking into saltwater fly fishing opportunities in and around brisbane. I just started doing the research; are there some good fish to be caught from the shore. It'll be just nice to catch some saltwater fish. I don't mind catching smaller fish as long as they are around.

I started getting together some gear with a 9' 6 and 8wt saltwater fly rods. Any suggestions as what I may need for line, ree, flies, etc.

thanks in advance.

Ted

ps. if there are any trout around brisbane I wouldn't mind either but saltwater

fly fishing would be a new experience for me.

[Ken A]

A couple of the locals here in Caloundra do well on fly during the Bream run & in September there are Flathead & small GTs available also.

[Guest bluecod]

to the site.

from what I've picked up in my short time swoffing in Sydney, unless you're fishing poppers or bread flies the best all round flyline for flats fishing would be an weight forward intermediate suited to your rod with about 100 metres of dacron/braid backing [20lb]. For tippets use flurocarbon 6 to 10 lb. If you're fishing suface poppers or bread flies also get a weight forward floating fly line and use mono tippets rubbed with vaseline. Loops attached to your flyline [both ends] assist in quick change of tippets and change over of fly line. Fly clips allow fast change of fly.

Reels need to be balanced to your rod and have sufficient capacity to take the above and large arbour reels are better for faster line retrieval but will depend on your budget - flyline and reels built for freshwater can be used but wash them well in freshwater after every use.

A range of flies from #4 to 1/0 will do most jobs and, for example, get some in crazy charlies, surf candies, deceivers, clousers, shrimp and crab patterns - all are pretty easy to tie yourself [do a web search on saltwater fly patterns to get an idea]. Again, easy to tie, are bread flies ranging from hook size #10 to #4. For saltwater make sure your hooks are stainless.

happy fishing

[fishauhj2]

to the site.

from what I've picked up in my short time swoffing in Sydney, unless you're fishing poppers or bread flies the best all round flyline for flats fishing would be an weight forward intermediate suited to your rod with about 100 metres of dacron/braid backing [20lb]. For tippets use flurocarbon 6 to 10 lb. If you're fishing suface poppers or bread flies also get a weight forward floating fly line and use mono tippets rubbed with vaseline. Loops attached to your flyline [both ends] assist in quick change of tippets and change over of fly line. Fly clips allow fast change of fly.

Reels need to be balanced to your rod and have sufficient capacity to take the above and large arbour reels are better for faster line retrieval but will depend on your budget - flyline and reels built for freshwater can be used but wash them well in freshwater after every use.

A range of flies from #4 to 1/0 will do most jobs and, for example, get some in crazy charlies, surf candies, deceivers, clousers, shrimp and crab patterns - all are pretty easy to tie yourself [do a web search on saltwater fly patterns to get an idea]. Again, easy to tie, are bread flies ranging from hook size #10 to #4. For saltwater make sure your hooks are stainless.

happy fishing

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[fishauhj2]

I am not familiar with waters around that area and I need to study some maps. Do you mean by flats water that's sandy and shallow, without quick drop off, and without much current because of obstructions (such as a reef). In these areas can

one wade easily and catch fish from the shore?

For those bream and other fish that were mentioned do one sight fish for them,

and are they hard to locate. The bream look familar to surf perch I caught in california but we had lot of wave action. I'll check out the areas and find out where the reef start and endt, look up fish were mentioned.

thanks,

Ted

[Ken A]

The flats around here (Caloundra) are wading areas. There are a few deeper channels along the edges of the wading areas. There are no steep drops or anything dangerous but there is a fair bit of current at times. I'm mainly about knee deep or a bit more when I'm fishing. It's all easy access & comfortable fishing.

There is some sight fishing for Bream but mainly its blind casting around weed beds & channel edges.

If I am still living in Caloundra when you visit your welcome to join me for a fish.

[fishauhj2]

Bluecod:

What type of intermediate line would be good; slow sinking or the real fast type and how deep can the flats get near where one would be wading. Perhaps it gets much deeper in the channels.

Thanks,

ps. any real big fish around the flats; e.g. sharks?

Ken,

Now I am beginning to get a picture it's mainly sandy flat fishing. What would be a good rod/line wt. to use around this area, I am used to casting flies flies #16 or smaller for trout so I am trying to get a feel for this!

From bluecod's comment it sounds like I'll need a hefty reel to hold a lot of line. I do have a 6wt. and a 8wt. If I need to use the 8wt. a lot I better start practicing

and start looking into tying some flies.

Flats fishing sounds like a lot of fun.

Thanks for your offer,

Ted

[Ken A]

A 6 weight would be fine but I would practice & bring the 8 weight also so you can get some distance if the wind is blowing Small baitfish flies would work well around here as would shrimp imitations.

[Guest bluecod]

Bluecod:

What type of intermediate line would be good; slow sinking or the real fast type and how deep can the flats get near where one would be wading. Perhaps it gets much deeper in the channels.

From bluecod's comment it sounds like I'll need a hefty reel to hold a lot of line. I do have a 6wt. and a 8wt. If I need to use the 8wt. a lot I better start practicing

and start looking into tying some flies.

Ted

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Ted,

This is where my limited knowledge is starting to show and I'll defer to Ken as he is more experienced in this than me.

The water that I am fishing is up to 12 feet deep [edges of drop-offs] has very little current but does get windy [saltwater lake open to the ocean]. I often use my #8 in preference to the #6 for its ability to punch through the breeze. I am also using a WF8I in sink rate #1 which is a medium sink rate. Check with Ken, but if the water is generally no deeper than 6 feet you might consider a floating fly line with a fast sink tip.

[fishauhj2]

Bluecod, Ken:

Only "flats" fishing experience I have is fishing for trout in urban lakes during winter and long range nymphing for trout in small creeks. The big issue for each was strike detection and in creeks 30-40ft (do you use feet or meters?) was maximum. What type of fishing distances do you work with and what do you do about strike detection. Do your fish strike hard and do the fish around the grass and channels drop the fly quickly.

I am I am beginning to get an idea about flat fishing and I also reread some section on a book on Estuary Flyfishing. This book discussed the effect of tides, movement of fish, channels, etc. on salt ponds and lagoons. If I am not mistaken in fishing some parts it must be similar to long line nymphing.

Do those fish near grass and channels live there or move in and out with the current. I imagine some of them must move around. I need to read up more on the fish and the environment, and the tackle issue should resolve itself.

Thanks for all the info.

Ted

[Ken A]

The channels in this area are only 6 to 7 feet so a sink tip line may be OK. You would be looking at around the 60 foot mark to fish effectively. Bite detection isn't a problem with the bream feeding in the current they hit pretty hard & tend to hang on , Flathead just grab flies & swallow & are no problem to hook.

I can take some photos of the area at high & low tide today if you like. It will give you a better idea of the area.

[fishauhj2]

The channels in this area are only 6 to 7 feet so a sink tip line may be OK. You would be looking at around the 60 foot mark to fish effectively. Bite detection isn't a problem with the bream feeding in the current they hit pretty hard & tend to hang on , Flathead just grab flies & swallow & are no problem to hook.

I can take some photos of the area at high & low tide today if you like. It will give you a better idea of the area.

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Ken:

I looked up the bream, flathead and the GT. I get the sense one would have to horse in the bream and the flathead and GT look better built for speed.

I test casted my 8 weight with a bass popper and 60-70 feet cast was no problem

(with no wind) so I am in the ballpark.

I would appreciate those photos and good luck fishing this weekend.

thanks,

Ted