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If you live in, or are visiting South East Queensland, you’d have to be hiding under a big dark rock not to have heard about the hot black marlin bite. Most fish are in the 15-30kg range and hopefully they will stick around through the Gold Coast Light Tackle comp 16-17 January before they head further south (we’ll catch up with them again as slightly bigger models at Port Stephens in Feb/March when we are chasing the stripeys). On the whole, the Sunshine Coast seems the more consistent, with cleaner water. But there are still magic days to be had on the Goldy as well and so close to shore, as you can see from my picture above – a little black on Sunday jumping off the Miami shoreline. We’ve seen 4.5 metre Quintrex Hornets with bow mounted electric motors more suited to bream fishing the Broadwater getting amongst the marlin!On the Sunshine Coast – Capt Dave on Cabolito’s perfect run came to an end just today. Dave and his anglers had a 100% conversion rate with 12 from 12 until today when they went 4 from 6, and still tied up in time for lunch. That amounts to 16 from 18 bites in five days (one miscellaneous sailfish in that bunch as well as three blues). Great fishing – most fish a first marlin for the anglers. No doubt they are now hooked like the rest of us. Dave says Cabolito seems to be making the right noises as it is certainly raising them! Also off Mooloolaba, Smithy on Triton IV has been plucking away at the marlin too even on bottom fishing trips averaging one a day. Smithy also reports many other Sunshine Coast boats getting in on the action, including Keneka going 7 from 7 and 9 from 11 on recent trips. Smithy ventured down our way on Monday and can attest that our water is not as good as what they are fishing in up there. Maybe when the pumping South East-ers come through next week they’ll push some clean water through. On the Gold Coast, while some days you may come home with just one or two like we did on Sunday, other days it’s firing. One boat off Burleigh had more than 10 up on Saturday but Sunday was slow. Then Monday fired again a little further wide with Capt Ross on Lucky Strike reporting 10 from 10 – another great day’s fishing! All of above average size and including one who managed to get himself caught and released twice in the one day. Boats that have been fishing for blues have also been rewarded with some action.We are taking off again for the New Year for some more fresh water fishing fun – keep the reports coming in, I’ll catch up when we are back. Have a happy and safe New Year – see you in 09!