Queenfish: the traveling angler's friend

The main iconic angling species anglers head north for would most likely be barramundi. Northerners themselves seem very focused on the red species that do taste so good. Many also seek the adrenaline rush of hand-to-hand combat with the powerful GT. However, this is a shout out to an understated northern species that I'm sure if they swam in non-tropical areas, would be a far more appreciated target, the majestic queenfish. 

Queenfish can be encountered in a wide range of environments, from offshore to up creeks. They are perhaps one of the most likely northern species of fish you are going to come across if you are just having a casual flick as opposed to a full-on focused mission. Unlike many northern species they fight generally fairly, with exciting leaps and jumps more likely than full on dives to cover and bust offs. I think they look great. They don't have sharp teeth to bite you off and they aren't the worst fish in the world to eat if eaten fresh. 

They respond to a wide range of techniques which also adds to their appeal. I find an easy way to fish for them is simply casting white soft plastics like the Bait Junkie 4.2” Minnows or 5” Jerk Shads. They are a great all-around lure for queenfish and most things that swim in tropical waters. These can be fished throughout the water column as some situations call for the lure to be fished quickly along the top and on other times sunk down deep to where fish are holding. A weighted soft plastic gives you this versatility. Alternately, we all love a good topwater strike and the largest Slippery Dog 97F is a great lure to do some prospecting with as you wander or drift a flat or shallower area where you might encounter a queenie. 

We all love the full-on fishing trip with a rod tube loaded with an arsenal of various combos, however this may not always be possible or the case. Adding a couple of travel rods into your packing can easily turn a golf, business, wedding or family trip into a perfect opportunity to get a tropical fishing fix. The 20 Wilderness rods come in a lovely solid case that fits easily in a standard suitcase. You can also then easily fit a 23 Wilderness X (which doesn’t come with a hard case) in as well, giving you two different sized/weighted combos to use without taking up much room. I've found the 20 Wilderness 765HFS to be a perfect sized rod for throwing the earlier mentioned style of lures around for queenfish and the like. It's such a versatile rod I use it frequently at other times  when travel compactness isn't a factor. The Wilderness X model that works well for such applications is the 705HFS Inlander. 

So next time you’re on that trip up north and you've snuck in a travel rod, grabbed a pack of plastics and a couple of jig heads, and wandered around a nearby harbour, beach, or headland, hopefully a nice queenie is going to give you the fishing fix you are looking for.