Episode 4: Brisbane River King Threadfin With Steve Morgan

Steve’s Tips For Brisbane River Threadfin Salmon

• There are two ways to fish for threadfin salmon in the Brisbane River. Bigger fish are usually caught down around the port in deeper water by dropping vibration baits on their heads, but Steve’s preference is to fish for them on the surface in the middle reaches of the Estuary.
• The Brisbane River presents a unique opportunity for threadfin salmon fishing because at certain times of the year they leave their bottom feeding habits behind and freely take lures from the surface. This unusual opportunity tends to occur at night time under the lights of man made structure such as ferry docks.
• Look for places where there are “light pools”. These occur where bright artificial lights on docks and landings are close to the water. Fish will be taking prawns, garfish, mullet and other bait fish on the surface away from the structure, so don’t cast to the structure, cast to the light pool.
• Cast your stickbait upstream of the light pool and twitch it gently back through the light as slowly as possible. DON’T fish from ferry terminals, it’s illegal and is unnecessary if you take the time to find an angle to cast from the shore.
• If fish aren’t under a light pool, move to the next one. Just because there are no fish under a light on one occasion doesn’t mean they won’t be there next time. Put in the time to find the bait – wherever the bait is, the fish will be there too.

Steve’s Tackle For Brisbane River Threadfin Salmon

• Any spin or baitcast combo that can handle 24kg braided line and 27-30 kg Schneider mono leader will be suitable.

Steve’s Top Lures For Threadfin Salmon

• A slow sinking stickbait in the 20-30g range, 80-120mm are ideal. Brand is not important as long as it’s in this size range and is a slow sinker.
• Avoid bibbed, rattling or vibration style lures.

Tides And Time Of Year For Threadfin Fishing

• March to September is prime time for Brisbane River threadfin salmon.
• Prawns move downstream on a falling tide and travel on the surface, so an hour and a half into the run out until the last hour of the run out is best. Even on the neap tide there is often enough current in this period to get the prawns moving.