mud island advice

[solwota]

hi ,
i'm after a bit of advice on fishing mud island. I've been fishing there quite often over the last twelve months and usually manage a few keeper squire and other bits and pieces.I usually have most success in fairly close to the island and often over the tops of reefy stucture in 12 - 16 ft. Now my problem is as i have not caught any squire over 50cm i am wondering if i should be fishing wider (and deeper) or do larger snapper/squire venture in close.I've been following ausfish for twelve months or so and i have seen quite a few nice snapper caught around island in the saltwater reports. I know also that they are probably just a rare catch but any advice would be greatly appreciated

cheers
richard

[charleville]

Mate - the best advice that anyone would give you on this site is to attend Webby's talk tomorrow night...

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfis...num=1147209501

[Cheech]

Rich, you probably won't get any bigger than that in close. Still, a 50cm squire is a pretty good fish.

We fish the Island very regularly and have been known to have the odd good session, but in the last year or 2 we have only picked up maybe half a dozen over that size.

If you are after bigger fish and not quantity, then I would suggest on the outer side of the ring reefs in a bit deeper water. (only as a guide because a few very good fish have been caught in 5ish metres of water. But still on the outer side of the ring reef.)

Everyone has there theorys as to where the bigger ones are (or any for that matter). I have caught or seen caught good size fish on each corner of the island. But almost always the common factor is a bit of depth.

Cheech

[solwota]

cheers cheech,
i've been starting to think i have been targeting smaller fish by sticking in close where the quantity is. my presumption is that larger fish ( and presumably more wary) stay deeper. what your saying would seem to agree with this. i will try further out and invest a bit of time looking for larger fish. will let you know how i go.when you say reef rings do you mean what i would call the rock walls.

richard

[Amokk]

was out there sunday night.. only 2 small squire. no where close to legal. but about 6 nice tailor and a few bream

[Amokk]

was out there sunday night.. only 2 small squire. no where close to legal. but about 6 nice tailor and a few bream

[Scalem]

Solwota,

I don't think I get out as much as cheech, but I agree with him. I find the schools seem to gather around where the average depth is 7.5 mtrs but can be either 9 or 5 mtrs either side of that. Where you see rubble, uneven bottom that changes often while drifting. I avoid water that is constantly 5 mtrs or shallower for two reasons, there's more pickers(little stuff) and I start losing more tackle in amoungst the coral. And be there 1st light....

Scalem

[solwota]

thanks scalem, looks like nice weather monday think i might spend dawn out there....will post a report

[Amokk]

i am going out there sat night.. hopefully should do well

[Amokk]

well i don't know where teh squire have gone.. it was all bream and tailor