It felt like it was forever for a while there, but the sun finally poked its head out of the clouds for a few consistent days in a row, holding back on that dreaded drizzle. Anglers have ventured out all over FNQ this past week finding barras on the chew in many places from the local area to the rivers south, not forgetting the Gulf and through to the Cape region, everyone has been busy. Reef days are continuing for some in the larger boats where the fresh water has been fishing well for jungle perch and sooty grunter in the streams plus the occasional large barra up the dam.
Dan smashed some solid mud crabs up in Port Douglas.
Reef & Game Fishing
Calmer patches of weather have allowed anglers in bigger boats to punch out without a crowd, finding fish with ease seems to be the case. Those targeting demersal species have found them real easy to hook, but to get them through the thick numbers of sharks is another story. Large mouth nannygai have been prolific although so have the pesky grey suits. Spanish mackerel are moving in more numbers as the south east winds begin to settle in for the coming months, trolling shallow diving lures in the classic Quantis colourway, (white body red head) is always a staple for these toothy pelagics. Sailors have reported Spanish mackerel and schools of mack tuna to be quite thick along the coast as they travel, handlines with a classic spoon on the back is a simple yet effective method in most vessels.
A cracker large mouth nannygai caught aboard Dragon Lady Fishing Charters
A nice GT caught aboard Dragon Lady Fishing Charters
Rivers, Estuaries and Beaches
The good old local Trinity Inlet has been quiet this past week for many, mangrove jacks and barramundi have been scarce where other species have been showing up instead. Smaller GTs have been moving into the inlet where the punters targeting the barra and jacks are stumbling across these mini line burners. Grunter and fingermark are congregating in small numbers but some great sizes off the mud flats, small strips of mullet or shelled prawns are claiming fish where small prawn lures would work well if lure fishing is up your alley whilst a bait soaks. The occasional barra is still tempted through the mudflats and snake drains, using fresh strip baits or live bait is ideal plus timing your fishing trips around tide changes is a general bite time that could see yourself with a nice barra!
Just up north, mangrove jacks and solid mud crabs are a consistent catch from the local rivers in Port Douglas. Anglers putting their pots in before their fishing session have been getting rewarded with some solid bucks. Down south in the Russell and Mulgrave rivers the last little bits of run off drains and the neap tides have made the barra real hungry for some anglers. Pitching weedless soft plastics is a great way to get right up in the drains and through the structure with a lower chance of snagging your lure saving you spook all the fish as you go in to retrieve it.
Jack had a ripper session on the mangrove jacks in the inlet putting some great sizes in the tub.
Dan smashed some solid jacks up in Port Douglas.
Staff member Lance had a cracker session down the Russell river plucking some nice barra from the drains.
Staff member Liam found a nice little rat from some dark tannin water.
Freshwater and Dams
Bite windows have been short up in Tinaroo, with some anglers finding large fish in quick half hour stints then waiting for the next bite window hours away. Bait is thick and barras are gorging themselves in these short bite windows on the abundant bony bream that are schooled up throughout the dam. Persistence and time on the water has certainly been the biggest key to finding the big Tinaroo giants.
Out west the sooty grunters are coming in thick and chunky, canoeing down the rivers west of the tablelands has been an effective method in chasing these giant soots. Fishing areas that are hard to get to by the bank whilst being quiet and stealthy in the canoe the fish don't know what hit them. As the weather is cooling down the fish don't mind hitting larger profile lures, large poppers or swimbaits tend to tempt these larger models into having a chew.
Fishing out west, Jake had managed to wrangle these proper sooties from the sticks, he's lucky to land these ones!
The Gulf & the Cape
A few extra kilometres from home, the Gulf of Carpentaria has been fishing extremely well. Anglers over in Karumba are smashing some great sized barramundi, king salmon and even some large queenies. Numbers of barra through Wenlock river system are still in large proportions with anglers still hitting the 50 plus fish days, that's incredible fishing! While in Weipa keen anglers have been finding some solid triple tails whilst fishing at night under lights, or even sight casting them up in the creeks through the day.
Karumba has produced some quality fish for Jaxon on his recent trip, pulling about many barra, threadies and some large queenfish.
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.