PELAGICS PROVE TOP PICKINGS

WITH the Coral Reef fin fish closure over the last five days, in which bottom species like coral trout have been off limits, blue water fishermen have concentrated on targeting pelagics.

Spanish mackerel have been the main catch and while conditions were a little rough last weekend, the seas have been kind during the week.

Some nice spaniards have been taken jigging the wrecks with high-speed metal jigs, as well as trolling deep-diving lures like the Samaki Pacemakers on the reef edges and ridges of Pixie Reef, Oyster Reef and Sudbury Reef.

Cobia and trevally have also been regular catches jigging the wrecks, while some impressive giant trevally have been caught casting poppers over the shallow bommies.

The Cairns Inlet fished excellently this week with a big influx of mangrove jacks being caught on live sardines, mud herring and mullet.

Fingermark, estuary cod, blue salmon, trevally and the occasional barramundi have also been caught. With the barramundi spawning closure in force, any incidental barramundi catches must see the fish released unharmed quickly to the water.

The Daintree and southern river systems including Hinch-

Inbrook Channel (Missionary Bay) along with the Murray River, Dallachy and Meunga Creeks have seen quality grunter caught around the sand bar mouths on fresh prawns and squid baits. Fingermark have been active in the deep holes with live sardines and soft TOP CATCH: Blackout Charters has been catching plenty of spanish mackerel jigging the wrecks during the reef closure this week.