Cairns Fishing Report July 17th

Estuary fishing will be popular targeting mangrove jacks and fingermark this weekend.

From reef drop-offs to mangrove-lined estuaries, it’s been a sensational week of winter fishing across Far North Queensland. With the wind easing in parts and clearer water moving through the systems, both inshore and offshore fishing has hit top gear. Here's your comprehensive breakdown:

Reef Fishing

After a stretch of rough weather, calmer conditions have lit up the reefs from Port Douglas to Hinchinbrook. Reef fishing has been on fire, with anglers landing full mixed bags of tasty bottom fish. Coral trout, large and small mouth nannygai, reef jacks, spangled emperor, and trevally have been common, especially around Batt, Pixie, Thetford, Oyster and Sudbury reefs, and the rubble paddocks near Trinity Opening. Cut baits and pilchards on paternoster rigs are working best for trout, with squid proving effective for nannygai.

The Spanish mackerel bite is hot, with fast bag-outs happening on both the inshore and outer reef grounds. Trolled lures, rigged gar, and floated pilchards are all producing around trout bommies, drop-offs, and bait schools. Spotty mackerel have also made a strong showing from Cairns to Hinchinbrook, with Mission Beach waters holding thick numbers. Boats that made it to the shoals and paddocks off Tully and Hinchinbrook were rewarded with trout, nannygai, and mackerel, although sharks were quick to the scene. Bring fish up fast if you want them on ice.

Islands & Headlands

The inshore island groups and rocky headlands are buzzing with pelagic action. Spotty mackerel are schooling thick in areas like Silver Sands, Dunk Island, the Family Group Islands, and the inshore reefs off Cairns and Mission Beach. Jigged metal slugs, trolled spoons, live sardines, and floated pilchards are all doing serious damage. Spanish mackerel have also been schooled up in these zones, particularly along the reef edges and shipping channels, offering consistent high-speed runs for trolling and floating bait enthusiasts.

Spanish & spotty mackerel have been schooling up thick around the southern Islands and inshore Hot Spots.

Rivers & Estuaries

The estuary scene remains lively despite the winter chill. Barramundi have surprised many with their willingness to feed in multiple systems particularly the Endeavour River, which produced several barra over the magic metre mark on soft plastics. Fingermark and the occasional mangrove jack are also coming from the deeper holes and structure using live baits in the river and estuary systems.

Topwater sessions have been electric at the Daintree and Russell River mouths, where GTs and big queenfish are smashing surface lures cast tight to the current lines and drop-offs. Metal slugs, imitating small bait fish are also providing a reliable alternative to surface lures The Cairns Inlet has been another estuary standout, with good sessions on fingermark, mangrove jacks, estuary cod, and grunter, while the flats are holding numbers of flathead.

Further south, the Russell, Johnstone, and Hinchinbrook Channel are turning up a few queenfish, barra, and jacks, especially on soft plastic prawns and live baits around the snags and draining flats. Mud crabs are still potting well in several systems, particularly around the bigger tides, so it's worth dropping a few pots on your next trip

Fingermark have been readily taking live baits in the Cairns Inlet deep holes for anglers fishing with All Tackle Sport Fishing.

Queenfish continue to smash surface lures along the major river banks on surface lures with Fish Hunter Charters FNQ.

Freshwater

Freshwater fishing is still productive despite cooler temps. Lakefield National Park is producing consistent barra on hardbodies and soft plastics in the lagoons and creeks.

Further south, the freshwater creeks around Tully are giving up solid sooty grunter, with spinnerbaits, small hardbodies, and surface lures working best through the warmer windows. Jungle perch are also showing up, especially for land-based anglers and kayak fishos.

Damon Gruzdev with a nice Lakefield National Park barramuni.

Weekend Outlook

It’s shaping up to be an absolute cracker of a weekend across Far North Queensland, with near-perfect fishing conditions on the cards if the forecast holds true.

Winds are forecast to sit around 10 knots, offering excellent access to both inshore and offshore grounds. Whether you’re chasing reef species, pelagics, or planning a family-friendly estuary session, the weather is on your side. The moon phase is building from a quarter moon on Friday to a new moon creating a dynamic bite period.

Reef Fishing: With the calm winds and pushing tides, this is your green light to head wide. Expect good bites from coral trout, nannygai, and red emperor along with Spanish mackerel, especially during the morning and afternoon tide changes.

Mackerel Mayhem: Conditions are perfect for chasing Spanish and spotty mackerel, particularly around the southern hotspots like Dunk Island, Silver Sands, and the inshore shoals off Tully and Hinchinbrook.

Estuary Action: Daytime tides are spot-on for working snags for barramundi and mangrove jacks, especially using soft plastic prawns or live baits. Tide changes will be prime time to target fingermark in deep holes with live bait.

Surface Sportfishing: The morning high tides are perfect for flicking surface lures at queenfish and GTs in the river mouth, expect explosive topwater strikes.

Night Sessions: Big night tides next week are ideal for soaking baits for grunter and salmon on the flats, and don’t forget to throw in a few crab pots, mud crabs are still on the move and worth targeting.

All signs point to a ripper weekend on the water, so whether you're heading offshore, working the headlands, or exploring the estuaries, now’s the time to get out on the water.