The warmer weather has well and truly settled in, and with some beautiful conditions over the past week, anglers have been making the most of the opportunities both offshore and in the freshwater impoundments. The black marlin season continues to gather momentum, while the Great Barrier Reef has started producing some quality fish again following the latest reef fin fish closure. With more good weather on the way, it's a very exciting time for local anglers to get out on the water.
Black marlin. Brute power, size and acrobatic prowess, these fish have it all
Henry nailed a proper one! Casting the 8in Chop Block
Reef & Offshore Fishing
The Great Barrier Reef has been producing some excellent fishing, with the recent run of calm weather providing some great opportunities to get out wide and explore the deeper grounds towards the shelf. The reef fin fish closure finished on the 10th of November, reopening on Wednesday the 11th, so anglers are once again able to target their favourite reef species. A few anglers managed to get wide straight after the closure and brought some quality fish over the gunnels, though most are looking forward to the calm weather over the weekend and early next week to get out there.
Some cracking coral trout speared once fin fish were back on the target list
The wind is forecast to be down through the weekend and into next week, with the calmest conditions through the mornings. Off the back of the New Moon, it will be neap tides and only one big tidal influx through the middle of the day, meaning the predatory fish and bait will be mostly scattered until the tidal influx.
Game Fishing
The black marlin season is continuing to build, with Cairns once again proving why it is recognised as one of the world's premier destinations for heavy tackle game fishing. There have been some impressive captures and encounters over the past 7 days, including some very large black marlin reported at 950+. To mention a few crews: Sea Baby V released 34 black marlin over the past 11 days, Shore Thing released 14 black marlin (notable sizes at est. 950, 900, 900, 800, 800) and Wild Turkey went 4-7 (est. 950+, 800). With plenty of bait and warm water around, the coming weeks are shaping up nicely for those heading out in search of a fish of a lifetime. Wahoo, dolphin fish and yellowfin tuna are also worth keeping an eye out for along the shelf and wider grounds, providing some excellent opportunities for anglers looking to mix things up offshore.
Hanging on to a solid black marlin
Freshwater Fishing
With the barramundi closure now in place across east coast tidal waters, plenty of anglers have turned their attention towards the freshwater impoundments. Lake Tinaroo and Koombooloomba Dam are both worth considering, with some quality barramundi being caught daily. Surface lures, paddle-tail plastics and glide baits have all been effective, particularly during the early morning and late afternoon sessions. Land-based anglers shouldn't overlook the opportunity either. Metre fish have been pulled from Tinaroo Dam during that first light bite window. The 8in Berkley Chop Block seems to be the lure of choice, with multiple anglers using this lure landing some serious fish. The lure runs shallow and can be retrieved at a steady pace or twitched a few times and paused, both retrieves have been successful of late.
Atti got the bite throwing a paddle tail on sunrise
Early Bird gets the barra
Lance living for the early morning bite. He's nailed a few large barra at the dam of late!
Saratoga and sooty grunter are also great options for anyone looking to escape the saltwater and explore some of our beautiful freshwater systems. Small paddle tails and small surface lures are the go-to when targeting these fish, and nothing beats a topwater strike!
Brayden can find the toga. Quality fish on a 4in Nomad Dozer
Banjo nailed a solid sooty up a local creek
Another large sooty grunter
Looking Ahead
The forecast is looking promising for the weekend, with light easterly winds and relatively small seas providing some encouraging opportunities for those looking to head offshore. Off the back of the New Moon, it will be neap tides and only one big tidal influx through the middle of the day, meaning the predatory fish and bait will be mostly scattered until the tidal influx. With the reef fin fish season now open again, reef fishing will be high on the agenda for many anglers. The black marlin season is also continuing to fire up, making this an exciting time to be out on the water. Spanish mackerel closure remains in place until the 27th of November, and the East Coast Saltwater Barramundi closure runs until the end of January, though with plenty of activity for all other pelagics and the dams firing for barra, locals can be sure to scratch the itch elsewhere.
Good luck to everyone heading out this weekend. Stay safe, keep an eye on the weather, especially with the risk of afternoon storms, and most importantly tight lines.
Need gear, bait or just a bit of local advice?
Swing by Cairns Tackle World at 172 Aumuller Street, Bungalow to chat with your local independent fishing experts.