Southport Seaway

[gunna]

I will be towing the boat up in a couple weeks (4.5 m) & plan to take it out the Seaway. I have no bar experience but I get the impression that this is a fairlty safe one. Is that right ??

[Katrina]

;D Wrong!!! Any bar is ok in the right conditions. It can also be very dangerous. Get some local advice, and pick your tide and weather, ie swell under 1.5m. Talk to the local tackle shops. Plenty of people have come unstuck crossing that bar. Contact Gold Coast Seaway tower VMR 414. Good luck, and remember think safety first.

[Goodoogetter]

Gunna,
Take Katrina's advise, bars are not to be taken lightly, try to find a local to take you through and even if you get out on what appears a flat day, conditions can change very quickly, watch the out going tide as this can stand the swell up, call the seaway tower for updates on the tide and bar conditions and log on to them giving the number on board where you are going and when you expect to be back.
As an old Currumbin Air sea rescue skipper I have pulled a lot of people out of the water on so called calm days, on all of the bars from the Tweed to the Pin.
Play it safe and good fishing.
The Goodoogetter.

[adrian]

hi gunna
i agree with the others . this bar looks easy but it's not . the weather plays a big part in this area as do the tides . if you must go out follow another boat out and sit and watch what he does before you attempt any crossing you can drive up to the seaway along past seaworld . go up and take a look at what is the go . remember in 6 hours alot can and will change as the tide goes out .
there are places to fish inside the broadwater .

all in all if you go out be careful use common sense and if in doubt don't go
anzac

[gunna]

OK - Thanks. If I stay inside where do you recommend I fish ?? Can I find live bait anywhere ?

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

Gunna,What sorta' fish do you plan to chase,why the live bait query',Are you focused on outside fishen'? ???,the place has a sh*t load of diff. fish species,whiting, flattie,bream,surface fish,jew, mangrove jack,lure/bait ???,give us a bit more detail, I'm sure some of us can make ya holiday a fishy one.Cheers Touchy.

[Jeremy]

Goodness sake! The Southport seaway is one of the safest bars in SE Qld. Yes, of course you need to exercise caution, but I have never seen a wave build and break across the front of the seaway is all the times I have been out (about 20). That doesn't mean there wasn't any white water though. It is chalk and cheese compared to other bars such as Caloundra which I also cross regularly in my 4.3 m tinny.

My opinion is the Seaway is a relatively safe bar in reasonable conditions. You wouldn't be going outside in over 15 knots or 2 m seas in a 4.5 m boat anyway.

As for the fishing, I have never done really well fishing outside the Seaway. It does get quite heavily fished. Live bait is easy to obtain at a wreck called the Scottish Prince about 2 km South of the Seaway. There are usually bait schools easy to find around the 20 m line E and SE of the Seaway. Should be able to catch yakkas, slimies, pike, tailor etc. GPS marks for the scottish Prince are widely available.

There should be plenty of tailor and trevally around the Seaway itself, and flathead, bream and whiting inside the broadwater. Check out www.browniescoastwatch.com for reports. Also the reports section of this site for what you can expect to catch.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[gunna]

Thanks Touchy. I have fished a bit around Wave Island on holidays over the past few years & used to fish the Pin about 25 years ago. I guess I will target the basic estuary species with yabbies. When I fish the estuarys down here (Sydney) I like to have a live yakka or two out at the same time. I guess up there I would be targetting a decent lizard. Its just finding the live bait. I have never fished the mouth of the Logan so I will probably check that out - & the Pin again - just for old times sake. What can you suggest around that ?

[webby]

Hi gunna, Most have explained the seaway , it is one of the
safest crossing in seq, outside the entrance on the right side
passed the rock wall, a sort of bar has build up , it doesnt
come oout on low, but does create some choppies water
at times, but on most good days its a strait run out, if in doubt
follow someone out., high i find is the best going out.
as for livies inside try the around the pipe line where it crosses the seaway theres a big concrete block jutting out of
the rocks jig for bait their if there on you sounder, or try around the jetty near the grand hotel boat ramp, if u can throw
a cast net, u should pick up some herring or gar and sometime poddy mullet. if intending to fish the seaway drift
it on either side with the tides, or head to the end of the nrth
wall there a hole there that most anchor at, or inside the
rock wall jutting out fm wavebreak is go inside the wall as
current can be a killer., only trubs with this area is the zillions
of boats and jet skis, so fish real early or of a evening ,
culd go on and on and on so hope this helps
regards

[Heath]

Gunna,

You will have no problems going out the seaway except in the biggest of swells & also on rare occassions on king tides.

The Seaway is deep & easy to enter & exit from. It is a bar for only the fact that it is sand & that sand does move, but not like other bars such as Noosa, Currumbin, Tallebudgera in which the bar can change daily.The sand pumping jetty makes sure the seaway stays clear of sand build up.

In big swells & I am talking the size of swell that boats wouldn't be out in anyway, the seaway bar does break approx 200m out. On big king tides on the run out you get the odd pressure wave.

Go have a look at it about an hour before the last of the run out, when it will be at it's worst, before your first trip. Here on the Goldcoast 99% of the time you will be fishing in the morning only, as that is when the wind is at it's lightest, by 10am you will be calling it quites.
Make sure you check in with the Seaway Tower & have a great day fishing.

[gunna]

Thanks all. Jeremy, Heat, Webby - I have watched the Bar from tinny level down near Wave Is & it never looked too bad - your comments cheer me some. Obviously I would not be going out in any sort of a sea in a 4.5m. I can repack the light trolling gear now.

Cheers