Cairns Fishing Report June 6th

A quality largemouth nannygai caught on deep rubble off Port Douglas with Exceed Sport Fishing

After a run of blustery weather, Far North Queensland has finally seen calmer conditions and the fishing has turned on across the board. Whether you were chasing reef fish offshore, working the rivers, or exploring the creeks, there was no shortage of action this past week.

Reef Fishing

Bluewater anglers made the most of the calm seas, with reef grounds from Cooktown to Mission Beach springing to life. Coral trout were aggressive across shallow and mid-depth bommies, smashing strip baits and pilchards. In deeper rubble zones, fishos turned up impressive nannygai, spangled emperor, long nose emperor, and even some quality red emperor.

Inshore reefs like Pixie, Batt, Thetford, and Sudbury produced steady mixed reef bags, while boats working Trinity Opening and Grafton Passage reported solid numbers. The standout performer, though, was the Spanish mackerel. These fast-paced predators were stacked along reef edges, current lines, and island channels. Trolled garfish, floated pilchards, and deep diving lures all did damage. Hot spots like Dunk Island and the Hinchinbrook reefs fired, though sharks were thick in some areas, costing anglers good fish.

George with a small mouth nannygai caught amongst a mixed reef bag with Fish Tales Charters.

River & Estuary Fishing

FNQ’s rivers and estuaries have been fishing well from the Daintree to the Tully. Barramundi have been feeding hard on live bait and soft plastics, especially on the run-out tide near creek mouths, pressure points, and snags. Mangrove jack were also on the chew, particularly around structure in the Cairns Inlet, Russell River, and Johnstone River.

There’s been plenty of surface chaos too! Queenfish and GTs were blitzing bait at headlands and river mouths, with the Russell standing out for topwater action. Down south, threadfin salmon and blue salmon showed up in the Hinchinbrook Channel and Cardwell Foreshore, chasing mullet and prawns. Grunter and whiting were steady for bait fishers using fresh prawns and mullet strips. Mud crabs have been active across many systems, especially with strong tides. Cairns Inlet through to Hinchinbrook has delivered well for those running pots.

Freshwater Fishing

Improved clarity and flow saw the freshwater scene fire up. Jungle perch and sooty grunter were active in shaded pools and runs, taking small hardbodies and poppers. The odd barra joined in around warmer backwaters, giving anglers an added bonus in the upper catchments.

Hank with a surface lure caught jungle perch fishing the sweet water this week.

Islands & Headlands

The Family Group of Islands and surrounding headlands are holding mackerel in strong numbers. Trolling garfish or lures around pressure points delivered solid Spanish, with grey, school, and even some spotted mackerel in the mix. Queenfish and giant trevally were also thick on the morning bite. Shark activity continues to be an issue, especially around Dunk Island and Hinchinbrook, so fast retrievals are key.

Spanish mackerel have been on fire around the inshore islands and reef edges trolling lures & floating baits.

Weekend Outlook

The weekend forecast is promising, with moderate conditions and improving weather by Monday. The building moon phase should keep the reef bite red-hot, especially for Spanish mackerel and coral trout. Troll lures like the Strada Pro Tracka 160 or rigged garfish, and don’t forget to float pilchards or run live baits.

Inshore, expect strong tidal movement to drive barra, jack, and salmon activity. The Daintree, Russell, Johnstone, Hull, and Murray Rivers are all worth a look. Keep an eye on Cairns Harbour Flats, Mourilyan Harbour, and the Cardwell Foreshore for mixed estuary species.