Episode 86: Gold Coast Land-based Sport Fishing With Andy Sparnon

Andy’s Gold Coast Landbased Fishing Tips

• Don’t just focus on the bread and butter species there are lots of amazing species available to land based anglers on the Gold Coast if you take the time to figure them out. Andy has caught GT’s, barracuda, milkfish and many more. Research social media and watch the top land based anglers t see what they’re catching. Then take the time to research the species and its habits.
• Nothing beats putting in time, both on the water and in research. The more effort you make, the more your eyes will be opened to the land based opportunities.
• Andy focuses his efforts on landlocked lakes around the Gold Coast, where he finds many large predatory species move in to find bait and finish up becoming resident fish. In particular, areas where the bigger rivers and drainage systems enter these lakes tend to hold more bait and hence a larger variety of sport fish.
• Andy finds the bigger tides (1.6-1.7m on the Gold Coast) tend to fish best.
• Some species are more active at some times of year (eg mangrove jack in the warmer months, jewfish in the cooler ones), but Andy finds that even those species can turn up at any time of year. He finds that tide is the most important factor, trumping season.
• The prime bite windows occur when big tides coincide with a sunrise or sunset, but bust-ups and action can happen right through the day when there is big tidal movement. Trevally are particularly attuned to the change from dark to light or vice versa and are a good bet in those low light periods.
• Be aware of yur surroundings and safety, especially on rock walls. Carry a landing net and try to position yourself s that you can play fish without the line touching structure such as rocks and pylons. Sometimes when land based you’ll need to put more pressure on fish than when you’re boat based, purely to keep them out of structure.

Andy’s Landbased Fishing Tackle

• A lighter outfit comprised of a 7 foot, 3-6kg line class rod with a 2000 size reel loaded with 6lb braid and a 10lb fluorocarbon leader takes care of soft plastics and smaller species.
• A medium outfit comprised of a Shimano Stradic 3000 with 20lb braid and a 20-40lb leader covers larger fish and heavier lures.
• When he’s targeting GT’s and larger tougher species Andy uses an 8-10kg rod with a 4500 Daiwa BG reel, 35-40lb braid and 40-60lb fluorocarbon leader for use with poppers

Andy’s Gold Coast Landbased Lure Recommendations

• 45mm Strike Pro Astro Vibe can be cast over feeding fish to avoid spooking them, then worked swiftly back through on a constant wind. If fish have busted up and then gone deep, try sinking the lure and working at a slower pace, or even allow it to hit bottom, followed by a couple of quick whips before allowing it to sink again on a taught line.
• 100mm OSP Bent Minnow. Andy likes the “Pink Head” colour during the day and darker colours at night. These lures have a super unpredictable ation and are best worked with plenty of whips of the rod to get a reaction strike from giant herring, trevally and other speedsters.
• Savage Gear Fat Curl Tail in purple haze colour (67 or 84mm length) on HeadlockZ jig heads are Andy’s current favourite lure and do an excellent job of matching local bait species.