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JB
25-02-2004, 06:51 AM
Just wondering what effect all this rain will have on the pelagics in the bay and if it forces the fish down, or out of the bay??

Gorilla_in_Manila
25-02-2004, 07:53 AM
Good question JB, hopefully a few responses or thoeries will be forthcoming.
Guess it might have to do with where the bait goes when it rains, or even where whatever bait fish eat, goes when it rains.
Are you talking just after a couple of storms, or after rain for a few days?
Cheers
Jeff

JB
25-02-2004, 07:59 AM
i was thinking like 2-3 days of fairly decent rain..

Gorilla_in_Manila
25-02-2004, 09:21 AM
The only pelagics I tangle with are tailor off the rocks or beach. They seem to move off the coast after some consistant rain. And certainly do when the rivers start flushing and the fresh hugs the coast.
The rain on the shallow coastal water would affect the salinity level moreso than out in deeper water for the short term. I'm guessing, but if you could find a current line that is bringing in salt water from out of the rain area, you might find the pelagics there and on the surface. Food for the bait there also of course.
Anyway, just a thought. Let us know if you try it out.
Cheers
Jeff

jeffo
25-02-2004, 10:40 AM
i have found after the rain to be the best time for tailor off the rock walls at the mouth of the mooloolah river, get some good ones in water that is chocolate brown.
generally speaking most mackeral dont like the muddy fresh water in their gills so they will stick with the clear water (or so i have found).
in saying that though we have caught some good broadbar mackeral (greys) trolling the dirty water lines after the big rains.

Gorilla_in_Manila
25-02-2004, 10:55 AM
i have found after the rain to be the best time for tailor off the rock walls at the mouth of the mooloolah river, get some good ones in water that is chocolate brown.


:o :o :o
Jeffo,
Bait I presume.
I've never caught nor heard of tailor in brown water; didn't think they could be found in it. Stood on the rocks plenty of times watching birds working about a km ouside the line where brown meets blue.
Learn something new every day.
Cheers
Jeff

jeffo
25-02-2004, 11:02 AM
you might be spot on for most other areas jeff!? just what i have found at the rock walls. :D and yeah most have been taken on unweighted froggies. the wolf herring seam to like the dirty stuff as well.
maybe the rock walls is an exception. tailor are meant to be a predominately winter fish... but we have a couple of spots where you can almost gaurrantee tailor any day of the year!

agnes_jack
25-02-2004, 11:06 AM
we find that the spanish tend to move right out after heavy rain makes the water dirty, but the schoolies and to a lesser degree spotties can often hang right in the river mouth feeding while the fresh is pouring out.

Regards, Tony

Brissyguy
25-02-2004, 11:49 AM
Hmmmm nothing to add here but I would have thought rain meant a dip in the old barometric pressure causing most top water fish to go off the chew.

Interesting thread... :-/

Cheers,
Rich.

agnes_jack
25-02-2004, 11:56 AM
Rich
Im not saying during the rain event but days following while there is still a lot of runoff happening.
Regards, Tony

Brissyguy
25-02-2004, 12:02 PM
Cool Tony,
Have to agree there, have seen the same thing up near Yeppoon.

Cheers,
Rich.

Gorilla_in_Manila
25-02-2004, 12:10 PM
Rich,
I was thinking that might be a factor as well.
However, one of the hottest tailor bites I ever had was about 3pm one afternoon before a storm blew up from the south and hit at about 5.30pm. Tailor were even hitting unbaited gang hooks and shiny swivels. Barometer must have already dropped well before 3pm though.
Cheers
Jeff

firetruck
25-02-2004, 12:15 PM
For someone like me that has done next to no pelagic fishing it's interesting to see what you all have to say this. :)

Brissyguy
25-02-2004, 12:36 PM
Now thats interesting Jeff [smiley=dizzy.gif]

Maybe an exception to the general rule...

Has anyone else had a red hot bite go on through a brewing storm ???

Cheers,
Rich.

agnes_jack
25-02-2004, 12:45 PM
Many times I've had a red hot bite before a storm, and it often shuts down once the storm gets close. This I have found very noticable on freshwater species such as bass and yella's.
Quite often too in the estuary's you see a sudden increase in activity, fish boofing the surface, mullet jumping etc.

Tony

Gorilla_in_Manila
25-02-2004, 12:46 PM
Rich / Firetruck,
Heres a article I found when we were talking about a similar subject in a previous post - Old Salts Tales. I found it interesting and lines up very well with my memories of that afternoon before the storm.
http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/saltwater/fishing/article/0,12746,462078,00.html
Cheers
Jeff

basserman
25-02-2004, 01:25 PM
i have found that after the rain we get quite alot of marlin patrolling the dirty water line and are alot hungery than normal
as for other fish i know bass HATE rain (drop of presure more to the point) but jewies like it as do the sharks and flathead but kingys go off the chew
well theres a few i have noticed :)

Gorilla_in_Manila
25-02-2004, 01:48 PM
Tony,
Yep, that bite turned off about half an hour to 45mins before the storm arrived if I remember right. Like somone had flicked a switch.

Basserman,
Thats interesting about the flathead and Jewies. Any particular place for the jewies - meaning river, beach, mouth, offshore? Are you saying they bite better on a low or that they just don't seem to mind it?
(and can you go catch one on a buzzbait please ;D)

Cheers
Jeff

spike2
25-02-2004, 01:54 PM
dont know if u would put jew fish in the pelagic category but they definitely get turned on at river mouths after a big wet . the struggling bait makes easy pickings

basserman
25-02-2004, 01:56 PM
top of ether tide but seem only in the mouth or that may because thats where we all fish!

JB
25-02-2004, 03:50 PM
interesting, thanks for the info - im just hopin the spotties will be smashin up that bay next time i get out there or as soon as mother nature lets me.. ;D

Remo
25-02-2004, 04:59 PM
I have to agree, that when you have a really hot day, and a storm develop. The fish really perform right up to about 1/2 hour prior to the storm hitting. I've had this happen at moogerah dams quite a few times and in salt water.
In yeppoon when I was there the barra would boof everywhere including the tarpon.

And in Brisbane flathead, and bream go nuts in a couple of spots. When trolling trevally and jacks seem to snap at everything. ;D ;D ;D

What would a summers day be with out a storm to improve the fishing :D :D

Ray

team_mongo
25-02-2004, 05:41 PM
jb, some of the best pelagic fishing has around periods of rain. The pic below was a ugly day with 20kt winds and intermittent bucketing rain, and Wes 'persuading' a nice longtail. We had an awesome day, and they were taking anything presented to them. So dont know if rain has too much to do with it.

Dirty water - well thats different..

George

JB
26-02-2004, 04:49 AM
thanks wes, nice photo looks like that longtail was winning at that stage :P

agnes_jack
26-02-2004, 06:27 AM
Jeff
A lot of predatory fish such as jew and pelagics like schoolies tend to hang at river mouths after rain , not due to barometer changes but for the opportunity of all the bait etc thats being forced from the estuarys.

Tony

firetruck
26-02-2004, 07:57 AM
Interesting read, thanks Jeff.

Gorilla_in_Manila
26-02-2004, 08:50 AM
Tony,
Thanks. Sorry, i probably didn't write that too well. I realise about the bait flushing out of the river, but Basserman seemed to be saying specifically that jew like a low barometer and was a bit curious as to where that came from. I'm sure their main motive is having the estuary fish washed down straight into their gobs. ;)
I remember some good tailor sessions off breakwalls at river mouths in the day or two after rain had started, but always before the really brown fresh was there. Therefore I was surprised at Jeffo's comment that he got tailor out of chocolate coloured water. Still see birds working whilst raining etc but they always seem to be out in the clearer water and out of reach for a land based cast if the water on the coast has turned more brown than green.
Had some good tailor sessions trolling behind racing skis on rainy, overcast days just like george showed above. Water ranged from the jade green look like in george,s photo, to duller grey-green but no good when it got a brownish hue. We were 500m or so off the coast trolling around the back of bommies in probaby 15 to 20m of water. Don't think the guys back on the rocks on the headlands were doing so well. This made the haul all the more sweeter of course, and a wave and big grin just out of slug casting distance on the way home is always called for ;D.
Cheers
Jeff