“Some of our favourite fish – barramundi, flathead, mangrove jack, whiting, and bass – all love the warmer water,” says Quintrex ambassador Michael Guest.
“Summer brings the south-easterly trade winds to Queensland’s coastline so, having a well-stocked fishery of big barra out of the wind is a great summer option.
Impoundments like Lake Awoonga, west of Gladstone, or further north at Lake Kinchant, just inland from Mackay, are great examples. Early morning or late evening with top water lures, casting suspending hardbodies or rolling soft plastics will all work. There are no crocs, so the dams also make a great place to cool off.
I really like fishing the impoundments with the Quintrex Frontier range – the big casting platform gives you truckloads of room to fire a cast around for a tenacious barra. Two of my mates do all their impoundment fishing from Quintrex Hornets and Explorers; once again, they’re so well suited to casting lures for a big barra. All the QLD impoundments that I’ve been to have well-constructed boat ramps, some with camping available, and others with accommodation options close by.
Further south around the mid-north coast of New South Wales the trade winds switch to the northeast, with fishing boating options offshore generally better in the morning before the breeze kicks in. River-based towns like Southwest Rocks and Port Macquarie offer great summer fishing and boating options. If you’re up for an adventure, a run up the river into the freshwater is well worth a look to chase an Aussie bass. Try using cicada-style surface lures along the bank and around the snags, early or late in the day.
Having the option to head offshore to catch a mackerel or even a marlin adds another element to the fishing options available. I like the Quintrex Top Enders and Renegades for tackling the coastal bars and both models really fit that crossover category”.
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