WINDS PICKING UP ON WATER

AFTER two weeks of glorious weather it finally returned to strong winds on Sunday and through this week.

Before the blow, reef fishing continued to fire with excellent numbers of coral trout, large and small mouth nannygai, spangled emperor and trevally.

Spanish mackerel have also been in good numbers with trolling wog rigged garfish and deep diving lures like the Samaki Pacemakers working well on the pinnacles holding bait in good current.

With The Telstra Business Centre Cairns Bluewater Covid-Crisis Billfish Tournament held last weekend, fishing was excellent with many small black marlin tagged and released during the two-day tournament.

Saturday saw fishing start in good conditions but Sunday’s weather deteriorated and several small boats ceased fishing early.

To the south, some big spanish mackerel have been caught slow trolling wolf herring around the islands like Dunk and The Family Group.

Spotty and school mackerel continue to be caught on the inshore ground of Silver Sands on floated pilchards. The schools have started to thin out and the big schools of spotty mackerel will head south.

A few spanish mackerel have also been caught among the spotties.

Fishing the Cairns Inlet continues to see some nice fingermark caught along with mangrove jacks.

The southern rivers and estuaries have fished pretty well on barras and jacks on soft plastics and prawn imitations.

I fished a couple of the southern river systems during the week and caught several nice barramundi to 78cm but most fish were caught in a small bite period around the low tide which is typical during winter.

Grunter continue their great run also in the creek mouths and estuary flats.

The weather for the weekend isn’t look too impressive with strong wind warning conditions that will whip up sea conditions and keep even the big charter boats tied up to the dock.

Fishermen will be looking to sheltered locations in the rivers and estuaries with live bait and lure fishing for barras and mangrove jacks along with fingermark on live baits the best option.

The building tide will also suit chasing a grunter on the estuary flats on fresh prawns, herring and strip baits of mullet. Setting a few crab pots chasing mud crabs will also be an option.