SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE STILL BITING
UNFORTUNATELY, the same weather patterns continue with big high pressure systems rolling across the Great Australian Bite and sending strong southeasterly winds up the entire east coast of Australia.
Bluewater fishermen have been patiently waiting for a break that will allow small boats to chase the schools of spanish mackerel present around the islands and inshore reefs.
Even the larger charter boats have been heavily restricted by the conditions, with only the occasional day possible to get their clients out on the reef.
Cairns Reef fishing managed one trip this week with some nice nannygai and coral trout caught.
The southern islands of Mission Beach, such as Dunk Island, have seen mackerel also schooled up in the usual locations but locals and the grey nomad fraternity have been unable to chase them.
They’ll also be hoping once they get a break in the wind that the spotty and school mackerel are also schooled up thick.
Those who have put time in fishing the Cairns Inlet have been rewarded with reasonable catches of grunter, blue salmon, estuary cod, flathead, queenfish and pikey bream on baits. The occasional barramundi and mangrove jack is also being caught on lures and soft plastics.
Quality barramundi have again been caught this week in the Barron River at night on live baits.
The southern rivers have produced a variety of fish in the freshwater sections with sooty grunter, jungle perch, tarpon, mangrove jack and small barramundi being caught on lures.
Mourilyan Harbour is also seeing a few jacks caught on soft plastics fishing the structure.
Grunter were the main catch in the Hinchinbrook Channel last weekend on the big tides. Floating strip baits of fresh mullet, garfish and large local prawns along the edges of the sandbars has produced good numbers of these great table fish.
The mouths of the Hull and Murray River are seeing some nice whiting caught on prawns and yabbies along with small poppers cast over the sandbar flats. Blue salmon and bream have also been caught on the beach and in the creeks.
At this stage, Sunday will see a slight easing in the winds to around 15 knots that should see a few bigger boats fishing the reef and islands.
The weekend neap tides will see fingermark as the main estuary target on both live baits and soft plastics in the deep holes.
The smaller tides should see the major rivers and creeks clean up if we don’t get too much rain – throwing poppers around the river mouths targeting queenfish and giant trevally will be an option.
Trolling the deep water structure will also be worth a go – chasing a barra, jack or fingermark.