Conditions will be trout of this world
It looks like strong wind warning conditions again today then slightly easing into the weekend which could see the bigger charter fishing in behind the reef again chasing trout and Spanish mackerel.
The tides start to build again from the quarter moon on Saturday which should see fishing improve in the estuaries and creeks with barramundi and jacks the main targets on lures and live baits along with fingermark in the deep holes.
As the bigger tides start to run early next week grunter and salmon should be running on the estuary flats and mud crabs will be well worth targeting in pots baited with fresh chicken or fish frames.
The Cairns Inlet, Mourilyan Harbour, Hinchinbrook Channel and the southern river systems will all be worth a fish.
Another option will be to target the queenfish that are starting to filter into the river systems on live baits and surface lures.
Strong wind warning conditions have heavily affected fishermen along the entire Far North Queensland coast, with most boats restricted inshore, in rivers, creeks and estuaries.
An exception has been some of the larger charter boats that have fished behind the sheltered reef lagoons catching a variety of reef species dominated by coral trout.
Dragon Lady Charters has been catching plenty of coral trout behind the reefs during the blow and some impressive Spanish mackerel, like the one pictured, on floated pilchards.
Spanish and school mackerel have been showing up in bigger numbers around the southern inshore islands like the Bernard’s, Dunk and the Family Group Islands.
The cold snap and falling water temperatures will see the schools of mackerel continue to increase in numbers into winter and through until late October.
Small black marlin are also arriving early, with several fish already caught on the ground off Fitzroy Island and north on the Wide Grounds with prime months being June to early September.
Once the wind dies off I’d expect a good mackerel bite trolling wog-rigged garfish on the reef ridges and pinnacles holding bait.
The Cairns Inlet has fished tough with a few small fingermark, trevally, queenfish and the occasional decent mangrove jackcaught on baits.
Queenfish are starting to move into the river mouths, and have been caught on live baits and surface lures. The fish at this stage are only average size but it won’t be long before the metre-plus models move in with the cooling water and bait school heading into the rivers.
These fish along with Giant Trevally that will also make their presence felt in winter are amazing hard fighting fish that attracts sport fishing anglers for all over the country casting surface poppers and walk the dog style lures.
Banana prawns have been thick in the coastal creeks and estuaries which will also be targeted by cast netters.