Brisbane’s Moreton Island: Amazing Opportunity by Stephen Booth

Moreton Bay has been an angler's paradise since Europeans first settled Brisbane and its surrounds, and while some will tell you the fishing is red hot others will tell you the EPA zoning plan has ruined opportunities. We recently found out just how good the fishing around Moreton Island can be for anglers and tourists alike and along the way discovered a range of activities families can enjoy while visiting Moreton Island.

To geographically isolate the area we are talking about we have made Moreton Island as the centre piece and worked from there. So the southern boundary is a line running from Amity Point on North Straddie, basically west to the Fisherman Islands boat ramp. The northern boundary runs from the northern tip of Moreton Island, out to the area around Hutchison reefs and then southwest to the Redcliffe area. To the east of Moreton Island we have stretched the area out to about 20km offshore, enough room to take in all the Green Zones and the wonderful reef systems found east of Moreton Island. This area covers a variety of fishy and tourist options and provides a wonderful playground for Brisbane residents and visitors alike.

The Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning Plan is the most important document you need to understand if you plan to visit Moreton Bay and Moreton Island to fish. The reasons are pretty simple and include:

• Anyone who fishes will need to know where they can and where they cannot fish and what gear restriction apply to certain areas;

• Anyone who boats will need to know where the Go Slow zones are, and;

• Anyone who recreates in the Marine Park will need to know what they can and cannot do in the various zones.

There is a great publication available at most tackle and boating outlets that reveals just about everything you need to know to stay within the laws. It's called Moreton Bay Marine Park Users Guide and is produced by EPA. You can log onto their website for more information about Moreton Bay Marine Park, the User Guide and the associated fees involved with accessing some of the islands and waterways.

THE FISHING

The fishing in Moreton Bay is spectacular. Just about every saltwater species chased by anglers can be caught in Moreton Bay at some time of the year and for a fishery so close to a capital city, it is in amazingly good condition. The islands, channels, mud flats, open waters and sand banks provide a diversity of habitats that sees everything from mullet to mackerel call the area home at different times of the year.

Because the diversity of fishing is so great, we are going to condense the options into some of the most popular fish targeted around Moreton Island, in Moreton Bay and offshore