TOP CATCH TO BE HAD ON BOTTOM
GREAT weather during the week saw plenty of boats heading to their favourite reef marks chasing bottom species.
Large mouth nannygai have continued to bite off Cairns and Port Douglas with a mix of sizes including some thumping big fish.
Off Cairns, the elbow of Arlington Reef and the North Pixie Reef Grounds have fished well on the rubble and small rocks holding some bait.
Coral trout have still been in reasonable numbers with Moore and Oyster reefs fishing well and a few big bar-cheek trout coming off the heavy rubble. Unfortunately, sharks are thick and stealing fish.
Spanish mackerel are still taking floated pilchards while bottom fishing, and metal jigs around the wrecks.
On the southern reefs red throat emperor and large stripey’s are welcome additions to the reef mixed bags. Schools of mack tuna and long tail tuna have been thick between the southern islands and main reefs. Casting small metal lures retrieved fast on light spin gear is great fun to target these.
Giant trevally have been smashing poppers and stick baits thrown over the shallow bommies of Sudbury Reef, Stagg Patches and Oyster reefs where the fusiliers are schooled up. Often aggressive coral trout, job fish and even spanish mackerel are also hooked. Mangrove jacks, fingermark, small trevally and estuary cod have kept live bait fishermen interested in the Cairns Inlet and a few mangrove jacks have been caught casting soft plastic prawns.
Maria Creek and Murray River have also fished well.
Tinaroo Dam has fired on barramundi ranging in size from 50cm to 110cm, which is great for future fishing.
With this week leading up to the full moon the fish have again been feeding on the surface and taking poppers and shallow minnows on the points.
Barra can be targeted during the spawning closer in stocked impoundments with a permit.
This weekend sees winds around the 10-15 knots from the north which can see conditions a little bumpy inshore during the afternoon.
Bigger tides should see the mid depth bommies fish well on trout and a variety of reef species along with a few spanish mackerel on floated pilchards. The low tide change should see a few jacks caught in the estuaries including the Cairns Inlet, Mourilyan Harbour and the southern rivers.
A few grunter should be roaming the river mouths.
Tinaroo Dam will continue to produce numbers of barramundi over the full moon today and into the weekend.