RAIN MAKES THE GOING A BIT TOUGH
HEAVY rain over much of the Far North has ensured most of our coastal rivers and estuaries received another good flush and are running dirty.
In the local Cairns area the Mulgrave River was at flood level and the Cairns Inlet running dirty brown again.
Fishing has been a little tough in these conditions, especially combined with the 25-30 knot southeast winds.
Before this week’s heavy rain the Mulgrave/Russell Rivers were producing some nice barramundi in the mouths of the drains running into the main system. Soft plastics and small minnow lures accounted for many fish.
The Cairns Inlet has been very dirty with plenty of fresh in the system and fishing has been difficult.
Grunter have been caught on the harbour flats and plenty of catfish and sharks in the deep holes. Only a few barra and jacks have been taken on live baits in the snags and gutters but fishing should improve as the system cleans up.
Large banana prawns have been in the Inlet and will be the premium live baits when chasing barra or jack as the tides build over the weekend.
A few nice barra have been caught on live baits off the Palm Cove Jetty.
Maria Creek south of Cairns has produced nice barra and mangrove jacks on lures, as has Hinchinbrook Channel.
Mud crabs have been moving with the rain, and the flats at the mouths of the systems have produced best in the higher-salinity water.
Tinaroo Dam was fishing really well before the rain with several metre-plus fish caught at night on soft plastic vibes and minnows.
Bottom fishing has been very consistent off Cairns with coral trout, large and smallmouth nannygai, cobia, spangled emperor and painted sweetlip all biting well.
Similar captures were recorded off the southern reefs with the addition of red-throat emperor. Sadly, sharks were stealing many hooked fish.
It looks like moderate conditions for the weekend which, combined with excellent estuary tides, should see some hot barra action as the water cleans up. Areas like the Cairns Inlet, Mourilyan Harbour and Hinchinbrook Channel should all fire up.
The rivers will also fish well once they drop and clean up.
Look to fishing the swampdraining gutters as they spill into the main systems. Mud crabs will also be worth targeting on the building tides.