Reef Fishing
April’s reef fishing window opened nicely, particularly around Cairns, Port Douglas, and Mission Beach. Conditions offshore were best early Easter during the neap tides, allowing anglers to effectively target deeper water wonky holes, isolated rubble patches, and reef drop-offs.
- Bar-cheek coral trout: These prized table fish responded well to fresh baits fishing the deeper water up to 50m.
- Large & small mouth nannygai: Consistent in 40-60m depth zones, with squid, pilchards and slab baits doing the damage. A mix of spangled & long-nose emperor, painted sweet lip, cattle dog cod and trevally were also on the bite.
- Spanish mackerel: Sporadic due to neap tides and were best taken by floating pilchards, particularly over the tide changes.
The offshore scene should only improve in the coming days as the tides build, offering increased current flow and extended bite windows for both pelagic and bottom species.
Rivers & Estuaries.
The region’s rivers and estuaries are performing well across the board, with each system providing unique opportunities based on structure, tide, and bait presence.
Daintree River has fished brilliantly during the neap tides, particularly for larger barramundi with a few fish up to and over the magic metre mark caught. Paddle tail soft plastics and imitation prawn lures fished deep near snags and eddies have been the go-to. Jungle perch are abundant in the clear freshwater pools upstream, with small surface walkers and soft plastics working well for light-tackle enthusiasts.
Both the Cairns Inlet & Barron River are holding solid numbers of barra, particularly around deeper holes, submerged snags and mangrove edge flats. Best techniques include live herring, weedless rigged plastics and prawns. Fingermark, trevally & jacks are also active, particularly around structure and natural snags.
- Dickson’s Inlet: A real hot spot for mangrove jacks recently, especially on live baits during the run-out tide.
- Mourilyan Harbour: fishing well in the deeper holes for fingermark and trevally, particularly for anglers using live baits.
- Hinchinbrook’s Missionary Bay headlands: producing quality barra for those casting large plastics and hardbody lures.
- Coastal creeks: Holding jacks, barra, grunter, whiting, flathead & bream on both bait and artificials.
Runoff river drains in the fresh continue to produce sooty grunter, tarpon, and juvenile barra. Deep snag work with soft prawn imitations is pulling big girls out from heavy cover.
Coastal Headlands & Beach Foreshores!
The coastal fringe delivers the goods for land-based and small boat anglers alike. Along the Cairns Northern Beaches big barramundi have been a standout feature, taken by savvy anglers using side-scan sonar to locate fish and casting large paddle tails and Irukandji Prawns.
Hinchinbrook Headlands & Islands
School-sized Spanish mackerel, grassy sweetlip, gold spot cod, and fingermark are all on the menu. Trolling hardbodies and spoons have produced the mackerel and fresh live & strip baits on the bottom dwellers.
Weekend Outlook!
Tides are now building post-neaps; expect increased current, more bait movement, and better bite periods. However, we will see moderate to rough conditions on the open water at this stage restricting reef fishing to the bigger boats.
Top Targets!
- Reefies: Coral trout will be the main target fishing behind the sheltered reefs like Arlington & Sudbury to avoid the slop. Spanish mackerel should also be fired up on the bigger tides and smashing floated pilchards while targeting trout.
- Barra & Jacks: Especially around structure in estuaries and coastal creeks during the run-out tide. The mangrove flats will fish best on the big morning high tides & creek structure on the low.
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Mud Crabs: A prime target during the big run and time to get the pots back in baited with fresh fish or chicken frames.
