Toolooa Bends - Gladstone

[CQ_Fisher]

G'Day,

Just looking for a bit of local knowledge. Wanting to check out the Toolooa Bends & Lillies area. Have been in Gladstone for a while now but have not fished this particular area before. Wanting to know if there are any obstructions or dangers (eg. rock bars) that i should be aware of before i go. It just seems that every time i check out a new area that i havnt fished before i find something to hit with my prop. Starting to learn that it is alot easier and cheaper to ask questions before i go to new spots.

Cheers
JD

[CQ_Fisher]

Bump

[CQ_Fisher]

Bump2

[BladeRunner]

CQ I to have smashed a prop at the same spot you intend to fish in this area .
It would be the only clump of rocks between Toolooa bends boat ramp and the lillies.
When you go under the pipe line bridge heading towards the lillies on you port side is a small reef ( rocks) [smiley=smash.gif] I went wide coming back from the Lillies to give another boat less wash and crunch smashed the bottom part of the leg and gears inside rooted . Had to be towed back to ramp attacked by miggees also not a good day .
Stick to the middle and you should be right
BladeRunner [smiley=bandana.gif]

[CQ_Fisher]

Thanks Bladerunner,

It scares the hell out of you, doesnt it? I found the rock bar at the mouth of the Calliope River on low tide a while back. It was a beautiful day, glassed out and i hit it while doing approx 32 knots. It took off half of each blade on the prop and still got on the plane to get me to the ramp. 2 weeks after getting a new one i then found some more rocks up the back of the Calliope River just where that island is (dont know the name of it), but luckily i wasnt going that fast so its just a few dings that i need to get repaired. Any other info would be greatly appreciated, might even catch up for a fish some time if your keen and you can pass on some of your local knowledge.

Cheers
JD

[BladeRunner]

It shore dose ......... ::)
No worries Mate. Sounds like you have had a bit of bad luck in the rock dept.
Have you been to Station point through the Narrows ?
Do you like river or offshore fishing ?
Keep in touch and if the weather is in our favour lets do it .
BladeRunner [smiley=bandana.gif]

[CQ_Fisher]

Have only been as far as Graham Creek so far. Am keen to explore a bit further up the narrows, sounds like there is some good fishing and crabbing spots up there. As for your question to whether i prefer river of offshore, i prefer anything ;) Mainly stick around the rivers and the harbour in my boat (4.5m) Have spent a bit of time around north entrance and rat island and have been lucky enough to score a few coral trout in that area. I want to start venturing a bit further in my boat (weather permitting) but havnt got a GPS yet. What kinda boat have you got and where do you normally go?

Cheers
JD

[BladeRunner]

Usually head out to where the big ships anchor 12 mile or if the weather is good shoales and beyond. My boat 5m. C C .
GPS helps and so dose a sounder, your boat looks good.
What do you catch in the harbour ? [smiley=ears.gif]
Safe Boating
Blade [smiley=bandana.gif]

[CQ_Fisher]

I've often heard of "12 mile" but never knew where it was. I like the look of your boat. I've got a sounder but GPS is on the wish list ;D "What do I catch in the harbour?" Well thats the problem, i dont catch shit!! Every now and then i might be lucky enough to score a decent cod but majority of catch is pissy throw back stuff which is why i want to start venturing a bit further in my boat once i know where to go.

Cheers
JD

[Needmorerum]

Don't stress JD, all I've managed to catch in the Harbour is a cold. I have had a bit of luck in the Calliope with livies. And some luck around Rat Is. Have heard alot of stories about Colleseum (spelling) but never been down that way. Should get off my arse and have a look. Went to Turkey Beach the other month, again nothing. I think you either have to go with someone who knows, or have good directions to somewhere to fish. There's not much success in trying to cuff it.
Anyway, hopefully things will get better, have noticed even the tiddlies are off the bite since the Hook Up. Happens ever year, but what can we expect when we throw that many people in one area, and the weather turns bad so everyone stays closer in than projected.

Corry

[CQ_Fisher]

Corry,
Have always wanted to check out Colleseum Inlet too. Flew to Brisbane in May and was lucky enough to score a port side window seat. Plane followed the coast most of the way down. As we flew over Colleseum, Rodds Bay and 1770 you get an awesome view of the whole area in one hit. Turns out i was sitting next to a 50 odd year old lady who was a keen angler too, so talked fishing most of the way. Read an article on Seal Rocks about 12 months ago in QFM, looks like a top spot and its just outside Colleseum. Very keen to check that out.

JD

[Fitzy]

Its been a while but I remember rocks on the left either just before or just after the bridge heading out from the ramp. Think it was just after. Anyway, we pulled some good tevally & grunter from it.

I gave up on trying to get very far up the Calliope. Too many rocks up there for occasional foray when in town.

Fitzy..

[Needmorerum]

Yeah, Ya not wrong Fitzy, there are some pretty well hidden surprises in the Calliope. I have both seen and towed a few people back to the ramp.
It's funny when your sitting there fishing and someone comes ripping around the corner heading straight up along side you a full noise. You wave your arms and point to the other side of the river and they think your having a go at them for being so close. Next minute, crunch. Ah well, that's what they get for being ignorant.

Corry

[mini696]

I've had a lot of success in Gladstone Harbour and esturarys.

The 12 mile (from when I sailed on the harbour) is a couple of mile from the tripod marker. I've fished around that area succesfully for parrot, reds, macks, stripys, cod, and all other manner of reef predators. This was with a friends boat so I dont have marks, but next time I'm near him I'll give a carton for a couple of marks.

Ive heard the QAL wharf is great for Jew and cod.

I've fished the Boyne from the shore with a lot of success (my best and most varied fish have all come from one spot up there). I've caught Barra, queenies, moses perch, bream, whiting, catfish, salmon all in one spot.

I reckon if you have a canoe try from the rail bridge (up from the road bridge) and paddle upstream to the wier (where the fresh meets the salt). I bet there is some huge fish up there. On the downstream side of the road bridge I've caught Grunter, bream and others. Lot of bait too. The hole near the dredge (is it still there??) holds HUGE catfish.

The calliope has been good to me too, I've got queenies, barra, salmon, bream from the hot water outlet at NRG (and bream at the inlet). I've also had success up the anabranch.

The narrows are GREAT for crabs... Go as deep into the mangroves as you can. DEEP DEEP DEEP. Go as far as you dare, then a little furthur. Now I dont mean up the main channel, I mean like into Grahams creek (for example), find a small feeder creek and follow it as much as you can.

[mini696]

And JACKS... I've caught nice BIG Mangrove Jacks in the Boyne too.

How could I forget them!!!

[mini696]

Apparently the South end Jetty is good to. Never fished it myself, but heard good reports.

[Volvo]

:)Gladstone Harbour is a top Harbour ta drop aline if one follows their moon phases and tides...
Anyone with a smaller tinny shoudnt have probs cathing themselves a good feed.. ;)
Email or PM me for further help, dont mind sharing local knowledge.......
Cheers

[DNO40]

Hey JD,

As you head under the pipeline support (it,s not a bridge) heading east, the Rocks and reef that you are talking to the left are actually called Mounder Rocks. The creek to the immediate right is called mounder creek. these Rocks have produced some good fish in their day. The best and most productive I have found at the Bends is drifting on an outgoing down the last leg before the QAL conveyor. This has produced some nice flatties and bream. Toolooa Bends is a vast waterway which I have spent some time in. You are always after years of fishing still finding new spots that produce good fish. I can honestly say that I have never been to the bends and came home without a feed. ;)

[Needmorerum]

CQHornet, you sound like another CQ member, where abouts are you from? We have a number of Ausfishers from the CQ area.

Corry

[Volvo]

:oPast the pipeline??, you actually mean ya went past the pipeline without stoppin fer a Fish there :'(..
Starboard side of the Gooseneck heading downstream..Cast your baits back into the piles or pipeline supports ;)..some mean Bream, n Grunter there at times i can assure ya...
In n out going tides, just make sure you fish into the supports..Or adjascent to em in the channel side..Drops off into the channel it does with some nice fish hanging about waitin ta pounce on someones bait:).....

[DNO40]

Volvo,
Don't give away all the spots matey, I'm sure they will find them one day. ;)

Corry,
I live in Tannum Sands. Have sold the big boats and now fish out of a Quinnie Hornet Trophy 4.75. :-* It gets me out a little on nice days and is also good inshore for harbours creeks and estuarys. I have had yhis boat in some places that you would normally have trouble getting a canoe into. ::) Mind you I had to wait for the high to get out again. :P