Tides to turn for anglers
WINDS are forecast to drop out to about 10 knots on Friday and Saturday morning, increasing to about 10-15 knots in the afternoon.
Reef fishermen will be looking to fish their favourite reef marks again, and with better tides, fishing should fire up on coral trout, large mouth nannygai and red emperor. Spanish mackerel should be in great numbers and taking floated pilchards, trolled lures and rigged garfish.
The estuaries and rivers should also improve greatly, and chasing a barra and jack on lures and grunter on baits will be worth the effort. A drive up the Gillies Range could also produce a monster barramundi in Tinaroo Dam.
Far North boat ramps were chaotic on both Friday and Saturday, with light winds and calm seas allowing reef fishermen on the water in droves.
While the tides were neap and not usually ideal for reef fishing, the ocean current was strong and fishing, while patchy, did fire up in certain locations.
Boats that headed offshore to fish the deepwater isolated rocks and reef-edge drop-offs were rewarded with some thumping red emperor, large mouth nannygai, job fish and gold band snapper.
With the strong current the deeper bommies still fished reasonably well on coral trout despite the neap tides, along with several Spanish mackerel on floated pilchards.
The deeper bommies saw some ripper strawberry trout caught – much to the delight of excited fishermen.
Spanish mackerel were also taken trolling rigged garfish and lures along the reef edges and pinnacles holding bait, with Thetford Reef producing a few fish.
Those who trolled the offshore shelf and contour lines to the south encountered quality yellowfin tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, marlin and large Spanish mackerel, with skirted lures, like the Pakula range, working well.
Small black marlin have been hooked off Cairns on the inshore grounds, while the heavy tackle giant black marlin season has swung into action with a 450kg fish tagged and released at Linden Banks this week.
The season will build into October as the game boats head to the Ribbon Reefs, north east off Cooktown, with anglers from around the world chasing the prized 455kg- plus fish on 60kg chair tackle.
The Cairns Inlet is still fishing a little tough and was quiet over the neap tides with the exception of some nice fingermark that were caught in the deep holes on live herring. Hinchinbrook Channel fished best of the southern systems with barra and jacks caught on small diving lures and soft plastic prawn imitations.
Anglers fishing Tinaroo Dam have noticed the monster barramundi becoming more active, while Copperlode Dam has also fired up.