Reef Fishing - Prime Conditions
Late last week’s calm, glassy conditions lit up the offshore grounds from Daintree to Tully, giving reef anglers a golden opportunity to cash in and the results didn’t disappoint!
Largemouth nannygai were the stars of the show, turning up in excellent numbers on rubble patches and isolated rock outcrops wide of Euston, Saxon, Fin, Onyx, and Norman Reefs. Those targeting the deep features found the action hot if they could avoid the ever-persistent sharks, which continue to make their presence known in force. Last Friday I fished the 60-70m depths with quality fish marking but consistently lost most hooked fish resulting in continual location shifts. While we ended up with a mix of nannygai, cobia and various emperors it was hard work battling with ocean monsters until something broke.
At depths of 250–350 metres, deep droppers reported solid hauls of ruby snapper and flame snapper, offering a rewarding option for those equipped to fish the depths with electric reel outfits designed to rip hooked fish in fast from the depths to avoid shark depredation.
On the shallower reefs and bommies closer to the coast, from Cairns inshore reefs down to Mission Beach and Hinchinbrook, the coral trout bite has been steady, with quality trout responding to well-presented baits and soft plastics. Alongside them, healthy numbers of red throat emperor, grassy sweet lip, and estuary cod made for a mixed-bag bounty on the southern coastal reefs.
Cairns Tackle World's Manager Rob Erskine with a Cobia which he managed to drag from the depths & beat the sharks recently.
A quality largemouth nannygai caught late last week with Dragon Lady Chaters off Port Douglas.
Rivers & Estuaries - Barra Bonanza
If the blue water was rewarding, the estuaries were on fire, with a hot barramundi bite lighting up systems from Daintree to Hinchinbrook during the light winds.
The Daintree River produced some explosive sessions with barra pushing up to the 90cm mark, especially around the deeper bends and mangrove-fringed snags.
The Cairns Inlet continues to be a barra stronghold, with fish responding well to both live baits and soft plastics cast into the timber and gutters. The northern beach, Barron River mouth, and surrounding flats have yielded not just barra, but also threadfin salmon and some chunky flathead, especially on live mullet and prawn imitation plastics.
Further south, improved water clarity post-rainfall/wind has stirred up serious action around Tully, Mourilyan, and Hinchinbrook Channel. Rock bars, drains, and creek mouths have fired up, producing several metre-plus barra and even the odd king threadfin salmon.
Mud crabs are another bonus right now with plenty of bucks on the move. Pot placement in side creeks, drains, and mangrove edges has been productive especially in the Cains Inlet.
Spanish mackerel have been patchy due to murky green water in some zones, but those who hunted out clearer patches near, the inshore reef edges saw some success. Trolling deep-diving lures, floated pilchards, and live fusiliers accounted for most of the Spaniard hookups.
A note of caution: shark activity is rampant across the board, especially offshore. Numerous anglers, including myself, faced frustrating losses to oversized noahs that turned every big hookup into a tug-of-war with a grey-suited predator. Authorities need to take urgent action as their fishery policies and regulations have contributed to the plague proportion of the apex predator & massive imbalance in almost all locations from the Coral Sea to the upper freshwater of our rivers.
All Tackle Sport Fishing has continued to catch barra on live mullet in the Cairns Inlet
Anglers fishing with Fish Hunter Charters FNQ have been amongst the barra in the rivers.
Coastal Beaches & Headlands!
Barra continued to be targeted & caught along the Cairns Northern Beaches and headlands before the big blow that has dominated the recent weather.
Weekend Outlook!
Unfortunately, the forecast is less than ideal heading into the weekend, with 20–25 knot winds and possible intermittent rain set to dominate across the coast. That means offshore trips will be all but impossible for most anglers, but inshore still has promise especially in certain locations sheltered from the wind.
Best weekend options.
- Cairns Inlet: Wind-protected and productive, in several of the creeks and still worth a fish chasing barra & jacks.
- Mourilyan Harbour: Another great option with plenty of snags in the smaller creeks with barra, mangrove jacks, fingermark, trevally and grunter all possible targets.
- Hinchinbrook Channel: Still fishable in areas, especially inside the creeks and flats of Benjamin Flats, in the middle of Hinchinbrook Channel. This area offers a great option with multiple small, fishable creeks protected from prevailing winds with access via Fishers Creek boat ramp south of Cardwell. (tide dependent). These spots have held barra, mangrove jack, grunter, salmon, estuary cod and fingermark.
Land-based anglers will find potential around protected headlands and accessible creek mouths, casting soft plastics or soaking live or strip baits (garfish and mullet are top picks) for grunter, blue salmon, flathead and barra. Look to fish around the tide changes for best results.
If the rain holds off, upper freshwater reaches of rivers like the Mulgrave, Russell & Tully offer a change of pace chasing jungle perch, sooty grunter, and small barra are all on the cards with surface lures and small paddle tails.
Mud crabs will be a target option this weekend in the Estuaries.
Tip of the Week: Beat the wind with a smart option!
When the wind picks up, it’s not game over, it's simply a change in tactics.
If the conditions turn off your fishing urges, soaking a few crab pots is always an option especially if you need to get the kids on the water—mud crabs are active and worth the effort in most of the estuaries and creek mouths including the Cairns Inlet.
Poor weather conditions are also the ideal time for gear maintenance, servicing your reel, re-hooking trebles on your favourite lures or sorting out tackle trays. Restocking at your local tackle shop is always good medicine for destroyed fishing plans including barra fever.
Fishing is set to explode after the long and late wet season and having your gear in tip top condition should always be a priority to avoid the massive disappointment of gear & tackle failure on that prized fish.
Be patient. I'm tipping for mind blowing fishing over the coming months.
Tight lines and good luck out there!