BRAVE RAIN FOR GOOD CATCHES
FISHERMEN have become increasingly frustrated with the continual strong winds and annoying rain.
Small boat owners have been kept inshore for many weeks, and missing the hot pelagic action on the inshore reefs.
Spanish mackerel and small black marlin have been in great numbers off Cairns and other FNQ locations but anglers have been stuck in the rivers and estuaries.
A few of the larger charter boats have still managed to fish a few days this week and reported good catches of coral trout and nannygai, along with several spanish mackerel on floated pilchards.
Some boats were able to sneak out early morning around the Family Group Islands and also found a few nice spanish mackerel trolling garfish and lures along with grass sweetlip, small nannygai and coral trout.
Locally, the Cairns Inlet continues to produce fish despite the poor conditions, with fingermark the main catch on live baits and soft plastic vibes, along with estuary cod and the occasional barramundi and mangrove jack.
The Barron River has continued to see some quality barramundi caught on live prawns and plastic imitation prawns.
Hinchinbrook Channel and the Murray River fished reasonably well on barra and jacks last weekend, and also saw some nice fingermark and grunter caught.
Bream, whiting and flathead have all been common catches on fresh prawns and yabbies around the southern creek mouths.
With Cape York about to re-open again, Lakefield National Park will be a popular location chasing barramundi, with good numbers of fish being caught by the locals.
The Normanby River has fished well on barramundi along with some quality grunter around the mouth.
Many southern and local anglers have been waiting patiently for Cape York to open and head on their annual fishing adventures, spending money in locations that have suffered due to lockouts.
Fishermen will not get a reprieve this weekend, with winds still blowing strongly and the possibility of more rain.
However, all is not lost, with the big tides there should be a few grunter roaming the flats and coastal creek mouths with fresh strip baits of mullet, garfish and squid top baits, along with fresh local prawns.
With the small height low tides the river creek mouth channels will be exposed, and chasing whiting, bream and flathead will be a definite option on fresh local prawns and yabbies.
Flathead will readily take soft plastics and it will be worth casting the gutters for these great eating fish.
Many families have headed west chasing sooty grunter and barramundi, and will be another option for those keen for a fish this weekend and the last week of the school holidays.