Anglers have long guarded the secret locations of wonky holes and the nannygai that gather around them. They are one of fishing’s great hidden treasures. Here is what a wonky hole actually is, what large mouth nannygai are, and how these spots are found.
What Is a Wonky Hole?
A wonky hole is an underground hole or channel where freshwater from the mainland drains out into the ocean through the sea floor. The name comes straight out of Australian fishing culture, describing the odd channels that form where fresh water escapes beneath the sea.
What Does a Wonky Hole Look Like?
They look like channels cut into a reef or the sea floor. Fishermen coined the term because trawlers kept losing gear in these spots. Coral does not grow well in freshwater, so the fresh water kills off the coral and leaves an irregular, uneven shape that stands out on the sounder.
Where to Look for Wonky Holes
They are notoriously hard to find, since the anglers who know them keep their coordinates to themselves. Around 200 are thought to exist near Townsville in Queensland, running up towards Cape York, and about 50 have been documented near Vanderlin Island in the Northern Territory. Modern GPS and sounder technology has made them easier to pinpoint.
What Are Nannygai Fish?
Nannygai are saltwater bottom feeders that live on deep reefs from around 30 metres down. The large mouth nannygai can weigh in at a whopping 13kg. They go by plenty of names, including red snapper, golden snapper, king snapper and red squirrelfish.
Why Wonky Holes Attract Nannygai
The freshwater draining through a wonky hole carries nutrients from the mainland out to the reef, and those nutrients draw in bottom feeders like nannygai looking for a feed.
Coral does not grow in freshwater, so a wonky hole leaves an irregular scar that stands out on the sounder.
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