Cairns Fishing Report August 22nd.

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Tackle World Cairns Weekly Fishing Report.

Each week, the Tackle World Cairns Fishing Report brings you the latest local insights across Far North Queensland. From the reefs off Cairns and Port Douglas to estuaries like the Daintree, Russell, Johnstone, and Hinchinbrook, we cover what’s biting, where to go, and what gear is working. Whether you’re chasing coral trout, nannygai, or mackerel offshore, or barra, jacks, and queenfish inshore, the Tackle World Cairns team has your FNQ fishing forecast sorted.

Reef Fishing

Coral trout have been the mainstay of bottom fishing action this week, filling eskies alongside red emperor, large and small-mouth nannygai, jobfish, spangled emperor, and plenty of trevally including GTs. Spanish mackerel numbers remain excellent across the reefs and island drop-offs, with standout captures including a 20kg Spaniard taken on a slow-trolled wolf herring near Hinchinbrook. Trolled lures, floated pilchards, and the new Reaper Rigs with rigged garfish are all accounting for multiple fish. Coastal reef divers have reported solid catches of trout and crayfish.

Islands & Headlands

The inshore islands and headlands have been alive with pelagic action. Dunk Island, the Family Group, and Silver Sands are producing Spanish, school and spotty mackerel on pilchards, spoons, and jigged metals. School mackerel are also running strongly off the Cooktown Wharf, keeping land-based anglers in the game. Around the islands, bottom fishing continues to produce island trout, fingermark, and grassy sweetlip, providing plenty of variety.

Reef Runner Charters has been stuck into the Spanish mackerel recently off Cairns

Rivers & Estuaries

It’s been a strong week for barramundi, with the Endeavour River, Daintree, Johnstone, Liverpool Creek, and Cairns Inlet all producing fish. Live prawns and mullet have been standout baits, while soft plastic prawns are proving deadly in deeper structure. Mangrove jacks are biting well in the snags particularly on live mullet, fingermarks are on the chew in deeper holes and rubble country, and grunter have been working the estuary flats and sandbars. Queenfish and trevally have also added to the action in Cooktown and Daintree systems for surface lure enthusiasts.

Fresh Water

Lake Tinaroo has again turned on the action, with anglers landing trophy barramundi by casting large soft plastics across prominent points in the warmer pockets of water. In the running freshwater creeks, sooty grunter and jungle perch have been responding best in the late afternoon bite on small diving minnows and hardbodies in the sun heated warmer water, the occasional barra is also being hooked.

Weekend Outlook

The strong southeasterly winds are expected to persist, limiting small boat access to the reef. Larger charter operators may still make the run fishing the sheltered reefs where trout & Spanish mackerel will be the primary targets. Floated pilchards & live fusiliers are proving deadly on these fine table fish while bottom fishing.

Early morning raids before the wind intensifies, around the southern Islands and inshore grounds should see action on Spanish, school & spotty mackerel. Inshore river and estuary fishing will again be the most reliable option for small boats and land-based anglers, with plenty of barra, jacks, and fingermark on offer.

Freshwater streams and impoundments remain a top option for those looking for calmer waters chasing natives and stocked big dam barramundi. The larger night tides should again see grunter and big barra feeding on the estuary flats with the barra targeted by live scanning anglers cast large imitation prawns and paddle tails.

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.