When you travel along the Esplanade you will cross a small bridge, this is a man-made canal creek called The Lock – famous for mangrove jack. You can’t enter this canal unless you own a home there, but from the mouth to the actual locked gates (hence the name) is home to some of the nastiest mangrove jack the island has to offer, along with bream and other species. This is only approximately 300m of waterway, but don’t be fooled, it holds plenty and is best fished from land. As you enter The Lock waterway to your left is a man-made bathing beach and play ground for the kids with BBQs. Good whiting and flathead are taken from this bathing beach on a regular basis. Keep driving and on the left is a caravan park with full water views directly into the Passage. There is a boat ramp very close by. Keep going and you will find Military Jetty to your right, which has multiple areas to eat, drink or just relax, with a Bowls Club, RSL Club, Fast food, fish and chips, tackle, ice cream and much more. This is an awesome jetty, with pontoons that have limited time mooring for boats; this ensures anglers have the main run over the area. I can only suggest that as an angler, target this area very early or very late before the crowds set in as it is a popular spot for jet skis and swimmers. The area is a haven for fish as the jetty enters into 25ft of water and is the main thoroughfare for fish like mulloway, bream, juvenile snapper, flathead, cod, parrot, grassy sweetlip, Moses perch, mackerel and tailor entering and leaving the Passage. Remember that tailor are seasonal from June through until August. Look to the west of the jetty onto the main land on the opposite side of the Passage and this is where you have some of the best sand crabbing grounds the Passage has to offer and all the way north to the bridge and beyond. You have Moreton Bay out to the left best suited to craft 5m plus. Keep going south from the jetty and you will find the famous Red Beach – a deadly area for targeting whiting from the beach.

THE BRIBIE BRIDGE

The bridge is a hot spot for juvenile snapper and mulloway, although it is very hard to fish on a full flowing tide. But with a little bit of thought it can be done. Fish closer to the island or main land on the full flow period and move into the middle of the bridge as it slows and just add or remove lead as needed. I recommend using a little heavier leader than you would normally as these pylons are covered in oysters. The fish will towel you up in an instant if you give them a chance.