Cairns Fishing Report 10th July

Local angler 'Kiwi' trolled lures and bottom fished inshore marks, landing some solid Spanish mackerel.

Reef Fishing

A drop in winds at the start of the week and over the weekend saw many anglers take the cover off the boat and head out on the water and make most of the short window. The Spanish mackerel were thick inshore, trolling deep diving lures and floating pilchards while bottom fishing proved very effective. Bottom fishing on the inshore reef edges provided some excellent mixed bags of coral trout, Rankine cod and nannygai.

This young angler landed a cracking coral trout along the reef edges with Cairns Reef Charters.

Fishing aboard Cairns Reef Charters, this happy customer pulled up a ripper Rankine cod.

Fresh squid producing some nannygai on the wonky holes aboard Cairns Reef Fishing.

Rivers & Estuaries

Estuary fishing was on fire this week with local anglers landing some cracking fish with large barramundi taking soft plastic paddles at night around structures right on the tide turn. With the cooler water temperatures during the morning large giant trevally and cracking queenfish were chasing mullet in the river mouths around the Mourilyan Harbour and Daintree River systems. Casting metal jigs or slugs with high-speed retrieves proved very effective.

In the Cairns Inlet, quality grunter and fingermark were caught on live herring on the mud flats, and the Barron River has still been producing some quality barramundi off the Stratford Jetty. Local mud crabbers have reported good numbers with night tides increasing around the full moon.

Further south, the Russell and Mulgrave Rivers fished well with GTs and queenies moving around the flats. Smaller barra were also active in the freshwater reaches, taking soft plastic paddle tails and slow-worked prawn imitations.

Local Cairns angler Liam fished at night on the tide turn, landing a new PB of 90cm chrome barramundi.

Aussie traveller Sam landed this acrobatic queenfish on spinning gear fishing the flats.

Cairns Tackle World staff Brayden landed this impressive giant trevally on light spinning gear.

Islands & Headlands

Anglers fishing the local headlands and islands from Cairns to Cardwell had great success with Spanish mackerel, golden trevally, spangled emperor and coral trout being caught in solid numbers. Finger-mark, mangrove jacks and barra were taken around rocky points and headlands using live baits such as sardines, mullet and garfish. With gar being the dominant bait around the islands, matching the hatch has been key to consistent bites.

Fishing the inshore islands and wrecks, this happy angler aboard Cairns Reef Charters jigged a solid golden trevally.

Junior fisho Clay Edward fished the headlands at night landing some quality barra.

Weekend Outlook

With poor to windy conditions forecast, smaller boats may be restricted to the inlets and rivers as winds reach 15–20 knots. Larger charter and reef boats may try their luck inshore or around sheltered reefs, targeting schools of mackerel with trolling tactics.

Casting lures around estuary structure during the night and into the full moon tides could result in some solid barra action. Bait anglers can also expect good results chasing winter species like whiting, bream and flathead. Mud crabs should be active as well, especially for those setting pots overnight with fresh fish frames.