weekend hotspots

DAINTREE TO COOKTOWN

WITH extremely strong winds last weekend and early this week, fishing has been restricted inshore. The Endeavour River is producing a few mangrove jacks and fingermark on live herring along with the occasional barra. The Cooktown wharf has been a little quieter during the wind but a few barra continue to be caught on live yellow-tail pike. Mud crabs were caught on the big tides in the Endeavour River also.

Contact: The Lure Shop, Cooktown ph. 4069 6655

BEACHES TO DAINTREE

EVEN inshore fishing has suffered from the recent strong winds but the Cairns Inlet has produced mangrove jacks, pikey bream and moses perch for those who have put the effort in. Yesterday the wind dropped out and the charter boats reported good numbers of large-mouth nannygai, red emperor, coral trout and trevally on the bite. Contact: Erskine’s Tackle World, Cairns ph. 4051 6099

CAIRNS TO TULLY

There are good schools of sardines in the Johnstone River (Innisfail) and some quality barramundi are being caught on live baits among them. The Russell River has been quiet with the exception of some large tarpon which are readily taking soft plastics. Reef fishing will fire up today with calm conditions and good numbers of nannygai are expected to be caught in the deep water on the small tides.

Contact: Innisfail Tackle & Sports, ph. 4061 1416

TULLY TO HINCHINBROOK

CONDITIONS have improved late this week and fishing will fire up again. The Tully River has fished well in the upper freshwater reaches on sooty grunter, jungle perch, tarpon and the occasional small barra. Hinchinbrook Channel was firing on barra before the strong winds and should fish well again early next week on the building tides. Reef fishing will be on the agenda today with calm weather forecast. Contact: Tackle World Tully, ph. 4068 1604