School holidays are in full swing and according to the experts we are breaking all sorts of records with regards to visitor numbers to the Fraser Coast. The persistent northerly winds have eased off and for this family that means spending lots of time on the water fishing, swimming, exploring and having fun.
Locations
One of our most common and favourite day trip adventures can be enjoyed by practically anyone with a boat. And to be honest, you can achieve roughly the same thing on the mainland. Except you won’t have the soft white sand and sense of isolation which Fraser Island can provide.
I have written a previous blog post about family boating adventures, it is full of tips from a logistical point of view and can be found – here –
Launching from either the Urangan boat harbour in Hervey Bay or the nearby River Heads boat ramp, provides great access to some close, isolated, white sandy beach locations along the inside of Fraser Island. These are ideal, safe locations for the family, especially if there is a chance that the wind may pick up and you don’t want to risk a rough return boating trip from further north along the island.
As I have mentioned previously, the deep-water channels between Big Woody Island and Moon Point can stand up and become a little tricky when you have a decent amount of wind against tide.
We prefer to leave the Urangan Boat Harbour, turn right and then follow a well navigated route to the vicinity of Kingfisher Bay Resort.
Once We Are There
Once we have secured the boat and judged what the tide is doing it is generally a period of frantic activity as our boys charge around discovering what is where. This usually involves boogie boards being pushed like racing boats through the shallows and heading in a straight line to those areas which mum and dad may have a question mark over before they get a chance to declare it safe themselves.
It may feel like everything is out of control but let them run free, get dirty, fall over, splash around and have fun. Keep a close eye on them and always be close by. We make sure that we set some clear boundaries for the boys, so they know how far they can go, and rest assured after a while they will slow down and come looking for something to do or to eat!
It is probably because we are so used to it now, but after the first frantic period we all end up fishing. While the boys are off charging around under the watchful gaze of my wife Gen, I tend to unpack fishing rods and set them up.
I think once the boys see me fishing, they want to get in on the act and then we can spend hours, all four of us, walking through the shallows casting at likely fish holding locations with the occasional distraction of chasing soldier crabs, harassing toadies in the shallows, fixing wind knots and re-rigging lures.
Why the Beach?
Fishing on the beach, in the shallows, is an ideal location for helping kids develop their casting skills, lure retrieves and hopefully hooking up and landing a fish. Then, there is the excitement of touching and feeling the fish, discussing what to do with it, showing them how to handle fish, where all the dangerous spikes are and how to identify species.
My biggest tip for the adults is, that it must be a get back to basics approach. Even the simple task of rigging a soft plastic lure or threading a yabby onto a hook is a terrific lesson. While it may seem painfully simple to you have patience with the kids and watch their confidence grow. As they develop their skills you can start talking through likely fish holding locations, tactics for sneaking up on those locations and loads more. It really is a lot of fun, especially if you manage to land a fish. Any fish will do, trust me!!
I think one of the key ingredients is activity, my boys need to be doing something, sometimes the fishing is slow, or it is simply too hot, or they simply are not interested in fishing that day. That is where the boogie boards and hand net come in to play. Let them switch between playing and fishing as much as they want. Trust me, if you hook and land a fish, they will be back, rods in hand and casting in anticipation.
Just Starting Out ?
If you are only just starting out as a family with fishing my advice is to use bait. Lure fishing will come in time but using bait will pretty much guarantee some form of fish will come and have a nibble and for the first few trips landing a fish, any fish, even a toady will encourage the kids to try more and more. It will spark their interest and challenge them and as they gain confidence, they will probably start asking about lure fishing.
Build Independence
One thing we are big on is ensuring the boys look after their own gear, so we set a very clear expectations, that if you stop fishing and start playing you must return your fishing gear to the boat. The same goes for when they stop playing and start fishing again, boogie boards get tied off on the boat and fishing gear collected. It is a valuable lesson and saves mum and dad from scouring the beach collecting discarded items at the end of the day.
For those lucky enough to have a boat, just the boating journey itself holds a whole other level of learning and fun for the kids. As I mentioned – activity, keep it simple and catch something – before you know it you will be a passenger in your own boat as you kids navigate to their favourite beach, rig their own gear and catch your dinner. You just need to plant the seed now to ignite their passion for adventuring.