weekend hotspots
DAINTREE TO COOKTOWN:
COOKTOWN has seen consistent rain this week which should see the mud crabs starting to move on the big tides. The Cooktown Wharf has fired during the week with one lucky fisherman landing a 1.25m spanish mackerel on a cut half herring and a 1.07m queenfish, also on a herring. Several barramundi have been sited feeding on the herring schools. The Endeavour River has fished OK on mangrove jacks and the pikey bream are still in good numbers despite being well into summer. Contact: The Lure Shop, Cooktown ph. 4069 6655
BEACHES TO DAINTREE:
THE Cairns Inlet continues to fish reasonably well with a mixed bag of grunter, trevally, fingermark, queenfish, blue salmon and moses perch being caught on live sardines and prawns. Prawns are still readily being caught on the low tides for those chasing the top live bait. Blue salmon have been schooled on the northern beaches with some big fish being caught on live baits from the beaches and Palm Cove Jetty. Tinaroo Dam is fishing well on big barras as expected this week leading up to the full moon on Christmas Day. Contact: Erskine’s Tackle World, Cairns ph. 4051 6099
CAIRNS TO TULLY:
BLUE salmon have been thick in the Russell River and some quality fish among them along with small trevally, tarpon and pikey bream. Surprisingly a run of doggy mackerel have been caught at Etty Bay and the fish still are carrying roe which indicates a very late spawn. Fishermen and boaties should be cautious in the Flying Fish Point area with a croc estimated at up to 5m spotted on the beach. The upper reaches of the Russell and Johnstone rivers have fished well on sooty grunter for the freshwater enthusiasts. Contact: Innisfail Tackle & Sports ph. 4061 1416
TULLY TO HINCHINBROOK:
SOME excellent grunter are being caught along the foreshores out of the mouths of the local rivers such as the Tully with large prawns the top bait. Quality fish between 65-70cm are being caught and are a toptable fish. Hinchinbrook Channel is fishing very well on mangrove jacks with good numbers of fish being caught on live baits in the snags and lures around the mangrove roots. The upper freshwater reaches of the Tully River are fishing very well on sooty grunter, tarpon and jungle perch with surface lures and soft plastics producing best. Contact: Tackle World, Tully ph. 4068 1604