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Even though South Trees Inlet is connected to the Boyne River it is a separate water course in its own right. Historically it was an inlet with a problematic braid linking it to the Boyne River but the transfer of water from the Boyne River to the inlet was very light. Between 2002 and 2005 around 400 meters of the braid toward the top of South Trees Inlet was excavated to create a canal which realigned that part of the braid and therefor to allow for a permanent flow of processed storm water and treated water from the Boyne Island Aluminum Smelter from the two large settling ponds which are often referred to as the 'Red Rock Ponds' as well as an easier flow from the Boyne river. Interestingly, without the very minimal braid from the Boyne River, and subsequently the canal, between the Boyne River and South Trees Inlet Boyne Island may have ceased being a true island.

Despite the fact that little water flows from the Boyne to the Inlet except at the times of floods South Trees Inlet has many of the same characteristics to parts of the Boyne River. The only road bridge is Harbour Road Bridge which links Parsons Point to South Trees Island. That road and bridge are not open to the public. As part of the industry only road system South Trees Island is linked to Boyne Island where the aluminum smelter is located by Handley Drive and the Handley Bridge over the second and smaller braid of South Trees inlet.

There are two other 'bridges' over the main arm of the Inlet. One is just south of the boat ramp and the second is about half way between that bridge and Parsons point. Neither of those are traffic bridges and instead carry service pipe works associated with QAL and the aluminum smelter. These bridges are however significant from a fishing point of view as they do provide additional structure within the inlet and of course they break the river up into sectors making it easier to identify hot spots.

The boat ramp with the upper pipe bridge in the background.

Handley Bridge between Lilly Island and Boyne Island.

The pilons ... just outside where the main arm of South Trees Inlet meets the harbour.

The river has a range of habitats from sand and mud flats and banks, overhanging mangroves for the lower reaches and trees and scrub as you progress toward the Boyne River. It also has some sand bars and a significant rock bar on the south east corner of the point creating the two arms to the inlet. There is also occasional drowned trees and large rocks throughout and of course of the river.

How to get there

South Trees Inlet can only be fished from the bank at the boat ramp or from the area accessed from the stopping bay about 200 meters north of the boat ramp and consequently most fishing is boat based.

Boat launching

The only boat ramp is about half way along the Gladstone Benaraby Rd. It's a 2 lane concrete ramp with parking for 20 or so cars with trailers and whilst I have never had a problem launching there it is described as sometimes tide dependent.

Closed season

Throughout the Queensland east coast a closed season applies to barramundi from midday 1 November to midday 1 February, except in and from waterways upstream of Awoonga, Burdekin Falls, Callide, Eungella, Fairbairn, Fred Haigh (Lake Monduran), Kinchant, Koombooloomba, Lenthalls, Peter Faust, Teemburra, Tinaroo and Wuruma dams.

There are also closed seasons for other fish that you can check out at http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/rules-regulations/closed-seasons-tidal-waters

Services & facilities available

South Trees Inlet basically links Boyne Island with Gladstone Harbour and both the town of Bayne Island and the fast growing industrial town of Gladstone have a reasonable range of services. There is also fuel, accommodation and lesser services at Benaraby which is where the Bruce Highway crosses the Boyne River and at Tannum Sands just east of Boyne island.

Target species

Being linked to the Boyne river below Awonga Dame and therefor subject to major overflows from the dam the Inlet has all the species that the dam holds. That list includes Barramundi, Bass, Mangrove Jacks and of course Fork tail cat Fish.

It also boast coastal species such as various Trevally, Queenfish, Tarpon and occasionally even Spanish Mackerel that run up from the sea and of course estuary species including Flathead, Bream, Whiting, Mullet and Estuary Cod.

Stocking

Since 1996, over 2.5 million Barramundi fingerlings and 470,000 mullet fingerlings have been released into Awonga Dam and as noted above many of those fish finish up in the Boyne River and consequently South Trees Inlet when the dam spills.

The Gladstone Area Water Board has a fish breeding program in place and breeds Barramundi and Mangrove Jack for stocking into Lake Awoonga as well as some of the surrounding waterways. Approximately 200,000 fish are released into Lake Awoonga each year (200,000 Barramundi and small numbers of Mangrove Jack).

The fish are bred at a purpose-built fish hatchery in Gladstone, operated jointly by the Gladstone Area Water Board and the Gladstone Ports Corporation.

The Board has a continuing fishery monitoring program in place using net surveys, to evaluate the success of the restocking effort.

South Trees Inlet also has a healthy population of Mangrove jack. They are basically a summer target especially when there is an afternoon storm looming which often puts them into overdrive. Target them on the ebb of the high tide tide when they are well up in structure. As the tide falls away from the mangroves and other shore structure the jacks retreat to deeper pools and generally go quiet. Hits are generally hard and fast followed by dramatic runs back deep into structure.

Food chain

A major nursery you will find bait fish throughout the South Trees Inlet system which are a dominant element of the food chain from a fishing point of view. There is however a well well balanced phytoplankton and populations of prawns and shrimp as well as a range of crabs and other crustations or also on the menu. Drowned terrestrials including, beetles, hoppers and cicada are significant to the food chain during summer.

Techniques

Choice of rods is important. If you use your trout gear and hook up to a Barramundi your gear will in most cases probability 'explode'. I suggest rods in the #9 or #10 weight range are best suited to fishing the Boyne River unless your fishing small delicate flies to the like of whiting or mullet. If your targeting Bream or Flathead on your #6 to #8 weight gear don't assume that you want get a Barra or a Jack as I have been surprised by big fish taking flies just 50mm long.

Reels and backing are important also and large arbor reels with an efficient drag system and a full complement of backing are certainly the go.

My main fly outfit (and the one I would carry if I could only carry one outfit) is based on an 8 foot 3 inch #10 weight rod matched with a saltwater fly reel. I like modular reels and mine allows me to carry intermediate, floating and T14 shooting head lines each set up on modular spools that can easily be swapped over onto the reel. As well as the line each spool has room for around 200 meters of 50lb braided backing. Each line has a 30cm to 40cm of 40lb leader nail knotted to it with a loop at the business end. For all three lines my preferred leader is generally around 7 foot of 25lb or 30lb Maxima Ultragreen. The leader is connected to the loop knot with a locked open loop. I use a Lefty's loop knot to connect all my flies. Finally, indispensable if you encounter the likes of Spanish mackerel I do carry some 30cm to 40cm shock tips of 50lb maxima ultra green and others that are 50lb wire. In both cases they have a roller swivel at the end that can be connected to my leader and a snap clip at the other end to connect to the fly.

I don't enjoy fishing when the tides are running hard and generally only fish in South Trees Inlet an hour or so either side and during the ebb of high and low tides.

Fly suggestions

Fly choice will certainly depend on species targeted. Bass and Mangrove Jack, pretty well universally, respond well to the types of flies in my My Bass and native Species fly box and My saltwater fly box.

Hot spots

This is a very fishy inlet with plenty to offer:

• There are two locations associated with the Red Rock evaporation ponds on Boyne Island.
• The first is above the Top Pipe Bridge and just before the canal starts. There is a little bit of industrial structure located there and a 'pump' type structure there that has a small discharge into the Inlet ... the area around that is always worth a look.
• The canal above that is only navigable at high tide but about one kilometer up there is an underwater discharge into the inlet.
• Throughout the system when the tide is retreating from the mangroves and mud flats target the gutters for ambush predators like flathead and barramundi and the colour line for trevally and queenfish.
• At higher tides and of course the ebb of the high tide consider working up the various back waters. Barra, jacks and flathead will have moved in with the tide and will be actively hunting.
• As you get to know the river a little better you will identify individual pockets of drowned timber. These are prime positions for mangrove jack during summer.
• I mentioned the four bridges above. All of the pilons for those bridges provide structure for bait fish and consequently predators and are great fishing locations particularly on the ebb of the tides.
• These are the best areas in the southern arm of the braid:
• Just as you enter the southern braid there is a rock bar and rocky shoreline on the northern bank that often holds ambush predators. Directly opposite that there is a back water that holds a lot of bait fish at times and barra, queenies and trevally often congregate in front of during falling tides.
• Lilly Island is on the south east end of South Trees island and just east of Handley Bridge. Whilst it has island status on most maps Lilly Island presents as part of South Trees Island at lower tides. In any case a popular fishing location is colloquially referred to as 'The Lillies' and is along the south edge of Lilly Island. Best time to fish that is on either side and during the ebb of high tides.
• Above, below and under Handley bridge itself there is good water that often holds queenies and trevally.
• At low tides it's generally not possible to access the harbor from the Southern braid but when you can the channel heading into the outer extremities of Gladstone Harbour and the sand bans on either side are often worth a look particularly during the winter salmon season. If you do get stuck out there because of a falling tide you can either wait for the next high to open access to the southern braid or as long as it calm, and you and your boat are set up for open water, you can travel out and around the outer harbor berths and return back into South Trees inlet just short of the pilons and under Harbour Drive Bridge.
• Others than back waters from my perspective there is only one main structure in the northern arm of the braid. That is just at the end of the island that splits the river into two braids where a sand and gravel bar provides structure that is always worth a prospect. The two braids also link at this point so you can of course access this sand and gravel bar by motoring across from Handley Bridge.

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