Cairns Fishing Report | November 7th

It’s been a productive run offshore this week, with reef boats reporting exceptional fishing from Cooktown through to Hinchinbrook. Out wide, largemouth nannygai have been the dominant catch across all regions, hitting hard on rubble grounds and isolated rocks in deeper water between 40 and 60 metres. The bite has been particularly hot on the tide changes, with many crews filling ice boxes when putting in the hard work. Small-mouth nannygai, red and spangled emperor, and big coral trout have rounded out the heavy reef sessions, while painted sweetlip, cod, trevally and darktail sea perch have featured in the mix.

The trout bite has been exceptional, particularly off Cooktown, where some boats have reported double-digit catches on a single hang, especially where current hits the reef edge. Over the bommies, the sportfishing action has been electric, with big GTs, bluefin trevally and reef species smashing stickbaits and poppers in the shallows. Further south toward Tully and Hinchinbrook, coral trout have bounced back steadily post-spawn, while offshore rubble patches are producing great bags of nannies and reds. The key has been dodging the sharks, which have been brutal in some areas, forcing crews to move between spots continually.

The giant black marlin season continues to impress with another phenomenal week off the outer reef shelf between Cairns and north of Cooktown. Multiple boats are releasing fish in the 300 to 400 kg class daily, with the season shaping up as one for the record books. The heavy tackle fleet is reporting not just numbers but quality fish, with massive lit-up blacks feeding aggressively. Among the pelagics, dogtooth tuna, wahoo and yellowfin tuna are adding excitement for those trolling lures and baits beyond the reef edge. Closer in, a few grey and school mackerel have been caught around Dunk and the Family Group Islands, with small silver spoons and jigged metals doing the trick.

Spanish mackerel are back on the target and take list from this Sunday, and anglers will be setting floated pilchards while bottom fishing or trolling lures and baits chasing these great table fish.

Although barra are now off the take list, there’s still plenty of excitement in the creeks and estuaries. The last few days before the closure saw a fantastic run of barra captures, particularly in the Endeavour and Russell Rivers along with the Cairns Inlet and Hinchinbrook systems, with most falling to hard-bodied lures and soft prawns fished in the snags. With the barra now resting, attention has turned to mangrove jacks which are absolutely on fire. Jacks have been biting aggressively on both live mullet and soft plastics or hard bodies fished tight to structure, and the Cairns Inlet, Johnstone and Mission Beach creeks are producing consistent action.

Grunter are keeping bait anglers busy across the coast, showing up in good numbers around estuary mouths, beaches and headlands. Queenfish and trevally are working the clean-water zones, chasing schools of bait and offering excellent surface action. Up Cooktown way, the Wharf has been a hotspot, delivering barra (before closure), queenfish, trevally, mackerel and the odd jack — great land-based fun for anyone visiting the region.

The freshwater scene is absolutely firing in the warm weather. Across the Tablelands and upper freshwater reaches of the Tully, Russell and Johnstone systems, sooty grunter, jungle perch and tarpon are smashing lures. Early morning and late-afternoon sessions are producing the most action, especially with surface poppers and small hard-bodies worked along shaded banks above rapids. Over at Tinaroo Dam, the big girls have come alive under the moon, with several metre-plus barra landed this week. The hot ticket has been shallow-diving minnows like the Big B52s, paddle-tail plastics and top-water lures worked in the moonlight or early dawn.

The weather forecast couldn’t be more inviting, with light winds around 10 knots, calm seas and a gentle swell promising another perfect weekend for both offshore and inshore anglers. Tinaroo Dam will continue to see big barra caught casting the points, jungle perch and sooty grunter aggressive in the fresh, and mangrove jacks and grunter on fire in the rivers and estuaries. Out on the reef, nannygai and trout will dominate catches, along with Spanish mackerel from Sunday. Whether you’re chasing marlin on the shelf, jigging reds on the rubble, flicking snags for jacks or casting poppers for sooties in the fresh, the message is simple – this is the weekend to be on the water. Conditions don’t get much better than this in November.