Spanish mackerel have been on fire off Cairns and Port Douglas. This crew enjoyed a hot session on Spaniards while bottom fishing with Dragon Lady Charters.
Calm seas, hot reefs and fired-up rivers across the Far North.
FNQ has dished up another exciting week of fishing conditions, with calm seas, light winds and clear skies setting the scene for plenty of activity on the water. The reef, inshore islands, estuaries and freshwater systems are all alive with a great mix of species for every angler.
From Cooktown’s outer reefs to the Hinchinbrook Channel, anglers have been spoilt for choice. Offshore fishers are finding coral trout and nannygai in exceptional numbers, Spanish mackerel are still thick around the islands and reef edges, and the black marlin season continues to produce the kind of action that defines FNQ blue water fishing. Closer to shore, the rivers and creeks are fishing solidly, mangrove jacks have gone into overdrive, grunter are running hard and the freshwater systems are alive with aggressive sooties and jungle perch along with the occasional incidental barra that must be released.
Whether you are chasing red fish on the reef, trolling for mackerel, flicking plastics for jacks or exploring the upper creeks with surface lures, this is the week to get out there. Calm seas, fired-up fish and blue horizons mean FNQ is in full fishing form.
Reef Fishing
Reef fishing across the Far North has been outstanding once again, with glassy seas allowing boats to push wide and fish in comfort. From Osterland Reef off Cooktown to the rubble grounds east of Cairns and the bommies off the Cassowary Coast, coral trout have been the stars of the show. Anglers drifting baits and jigging plastics along the reef edges are reporting quick-fire sessions, especially around the tide changes when the current picks up.
Largemouth nannygai have been another highlight, stacked thick on the rubble patches and deep ledges in the northern regions. The bigger fish are coming from the wonky holes where anglers prepared to wait out the bite windows have been rewarded with trophy reds. Red emperor, reef jacks and trevally have filled the gaps, while a few quality cobia have turned up on the deeper drops.
Spanish mackerel remain widespread across the inshore to mid-shelf reefs and islands. Floaters of pilchards and live fusiliers have worked well, but early morning trolled wolf herring and deep divers continue to produce the bigger fish. Many anglers have found mackerel hovering around the trout bommies ready to ambush floated presentations.
Further offshore, the black marlin season is still in good form. Crews fishing Linden Bank north to the Ribbons are seeing some absolute monsters approaching the 500 kg mark. Yellowfin tuna are also active along the outer reef edges, with some solid 20 kg fish taking trolled skirts and minnows. It has been blue water heaven with flat seas, blistering runs and plenty of big game action.
Coral trout have been biting hard for anglers fishing with Dragon Lady Charters.
Spanish mackerel have been schooled up thick on the building new moon.
A typical big largemouth nannygai being caught on the wonky holes and rubble patches with Exceed Sport Fishing.
Reef jacks have been in the excellent mixed bags of reef fish recently.
Islands and Inshore Grounds
The inshore islands have been fishing beautifully thanks to the long run of settled weather. From the Daintree’s Snapper Island to the Family Group and Dunk Islands, there has been consistent action on both bottom species and pelagics. Coral trout, fingermark, grassy sweetlip and nannygai have all featured in catches, with anglers dropping fresh baits and lightly weighted soft plastics through the channels doing well.
Spanish mackerel are still a dominant presence around the island drop-offs. Early morning trolling with wolf herring or deep divers has accounted for some serious fish, while grey mackerel have been turning up for those working spoons through bait schools.
With the calm conditions, many anglers have enjoyed full days exploring multiple island systems, fishing the morning mackerel bite then shifting to the shallow coral bommies to target trout and reef species on the tide changes. For lure casters, there has been cracking surface action on GTs working around bait schools in the channels. Stick baits and poppers have drawn explosive strikes during the hard run.
Spanish mackerel have been smashing trolled wolf herring around the inshore islands during the calm weather.
Rivers and Estuaries
The estuaries have come alive as the build-up continues, with mangrove jacks stealing the show across almost every system. Warm water, stable pressure and abundant bait have fired them into full predatory mode. The Endeavour, Daintree, Mourilyan Harbour and Hinchinbrook Channel have all been producing fish, particularly for anglers casting hard-bodied lures and soft prawn imitations tight to the mangroves.
Grunter have also been in strong numbers, providing a reliable fallback for bait fishers. Fresh squid, garfish strips and small live baits have been top producers. Harbour flats and sandbanks have been prime grounds during the spring tides, with plenty of 40 cm plus fish showing up. Evening sessions have been particularly good around Mission Beach, Cardwell, Missionary Bay and Mourilyan where light winds and clean water have combined perfectly.
Topwater anglers have also enjoyed great sport with trevally and queenfish in the river mouths, smashing stick baits and poppers during the run-in tide and clean water.
Mangrove jacks will be targeted on lures and live baits this weekend.
Freshwater
Freshwater fishing remains as exciting as the saltwater scene. Tinaroo Dam has once again produced metre-plus barra, with several anglers landing fish well over 110 cm this week. Trolling hard bodies around the points and old riverbeds early in the evening has been the winning technique, while those casting plastics at night have also been rewarded. Surface strikes at dusk have added plenty of excitement when the lake turns to glass.
Up in the freshwater creeks, the light tackle brigade have been chasing sooty grunter, jungle perch and tarpon. The upper Tully, Johnstone and Murray Rivers have been the standout systems, with small surface walkers, poppers and lightly weighted plastics producing well. Early mornings and shaded pools have been the key, and a few surprise barra have shown up as incidental captures which must be released.
Brayden Rodley with a Tinaroo Dam barra caught on a surface fizzer
Sooty grunter have been super aggressive in the freshwater
Weekend Outlook
The weather pattern remains steady heading into the weekend, with light winds and calm seas forecast right across the region. Reef trips are well and truly on the cards, island runs will be comfortable and even small craft will find good windows to fish both inshore and offshore.
Tides will favour both reef and river anglers, with building tides up to the new moon. Prime bite periods are expected around the tide changes. Water clarity remains good across the systems and with the warm up continuing, estuary and freshwater species will stay active.
All signs point to another cracking weekend ahead. Whether you are chasing reds on the reef, Spaniards around the islands, jacks under the mangroves, grunter on the flats or barra in the dam, FNQ is wide open and in top form.
Grunter will be targets on strip baits of mullet garfish & squid this weekend
Largemouth nannygai will be targeted this weekend on the deep rubble wonky holes.
Spanish mackerel can be targeted this weekend but are off limits from Monday.
Upcoming Closures
Targeting and taking Spanish mackerel and reef fin fish is fine over the weekend, but from Monday both will be off limits due to spawning closures.
Spanish Mackerel: November 17 to December 8
Coral Reef Fin Fish: November 17 to November 21 inclusive
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.