GLORIOUS WEATHER CONTINUES

TROPICAL Far North Queensland coastal locations have seen a recent unprecedented run of light winds and calm seas over the past couple of weeks that looks set to continue into this weekend.

It’s hard to remember a stretch of calm weather that has lasted so long.

Along with the flat seas, reef bottom fishing has been on absolute fire with coral trout feeding up hard as they get ready to spawn.

All the local reefs off Cairns have fished exceptionally well including Oyster, Arlington, Thetford, Moore and Sudbury along with Eddy and Ellison reefs off Kurrimine Beach.

The bommies have fished best in the 20-30m depths with good current flow hitting them and marking bait.

While large-mouth nannygai and red emperor are still being caught on the rubble and rocks, they are not in big numbers. Spanish mackerel however, have been in good numbers along the reef edges and taking trolled rigged garfish and lures, while bottom fishermen are taking them on floated pilchards and live baits.

The wrecks are also firing on a variety of mackerel, trevally and cobia on jigged high speed metals.

Over the reef bommies

Plenty of over-size giant trevally and mackerel are being hooked on surface poppers and stick baits. The Cairns Inlet has seen a mixed catch of fingermark, mangrove jacks, gold-spot cod, salmon and the occasional barramundi caught on live baits. Soft plas MONSTER: This solid giant trevally was caught on a stick bait this week with Blackout Charters.