Conditions hot up for good catch
RISING water temperatures have triggered the recent bite activity across Far Northern waters and anglers are enjoying some hot fishing.
The freshwater sections of the major rivers have also fished well with sooty grunter, jungle perch and barramundi all increasing in numbers on cast surface lures and soft plastics.
Tinaroo Dam was productive over the recent full moon with multiple fish in the 90cm-plus range. One massive fish caught last weekend measured 120cm on the brag mat.
The forecast for the weekend predicts winds up around the 15 knots and with the bigger boats still fishing the reef the deep water will be the best option with the small neap tides.
Nannygai, red emperor, spangled emperor and coral trout will be the main targets.
The small tides will be ideal to chase a fingermark in the deep estuary holes on live baits like herring and prawns or soft plastics jigged on the structure holding bait with the Cairns Inlet, Mourilyan Harbour and Hinchinbrook Channel all prime locations.
The small tides are my favourite conditions to target big barramundi in the deep estuary and river holes on soft plastic imitation prawns. Live baiting these areas over the tides changes can also be successful.
With moderate conditions on the water last weekend most anglers opted to fish the rivers and estuaries.
Those that did brave the conditions and fish the islands and inshore reefs were restricted to sheltered locations but still managed good catches of coral trout and other reef species.
Spanish mackerel were still taking floated pilchards and
garfish. Trolling Dunk Island with rigged wolf herring produced a few nice bigger spanish mackerel.
Grey mackerel continue to increase in numbers with trolled spoons and cast metal jigs successful target methods.
Grey mackerel are similar to spanish but have the broad bars as opposed to narrow thin bars on spaniards. Grey mackerel eat very well and most anglers rate the same as spanish.
The southern river and estuary systems fished red hot on both barramundi and mangrove jacks on lures and baits.
Paddle tail soft plastics like the Zman Swimmerz and imitation prawns produced good numbers in the Daintree River, Barron River, Cairns Inlet, Mourilyan Harbour, Johnstone River and Maria Creek.
To the north big barramundi are being regularly caught off the main Cooktown Wharf with live pike the killer bait.
The barra have been up around 80-90cm with a sprinkling of fish over the metre range and keeping the visiting and local anglers very happy.
A mix of trevally, queenfish and spanish mackerel have also excited anglers.
Several quality fingermark showed up in the Cairns Inlet on the deep water rubble and small rocks and readily took live prawns, herring and jigged soft plastic vibes.