ANGLING IS GOING TO BE FESTIVE
TROPICAL Far North Queensland is slowly returning to normal after the rollercoaster weather ride dished up by Cyclone Owen.
With light winds and calm seas this week, many fishermen have headed to the Reef to chase a bounty of fine eating table fish for Christmas. With the kids on school holidays, reef fishing has been high on the agenda for many families.
Reef fishing has continued to see the deep-water rubble patches fish best in the heat, with good numbers of nannygai, cobia, gold-band snapper and trevally being caught in areas such as Grafton Passage. The coral trout have moved onto the deeper bommies in the 40m plus depths and are still in reasonable numbers, along with the occasional Spanish mackerel caught on floated pilchards while bottom fishing. Offshore reefs such as Spur and Nicholas Reefs have seen some bigger trout caught.
Offshore dolphin fish (mahi-mahi) are still being caught but not in big numbers on the reefs from Jenny-Louise Shoal to Linden Banks.
Estuary fishing is also starting to pick up again after the poor weather and freshwater influx, with mangrove jacks again being caught on live baits and cut pilchards, along with blue salmon and small GTs in the Cairns Inlet. A few grunter have also been roaming the Cairns Harbour flats on the bigger tides.
To the south the rivers are just starting to clean up, while Hinchinbrook Channel has started to produce good numbers of mangrove jacks, again on lures and live baits. Some big grunter are being caught in the mouth of the Missionary Bay creeks on strip baits of fresh mullet and sardines on the big run-out tides that will continue this weekend. Mudcrabs have also started to move and will be targeted this weekend for Christmas dinners.
Fishing this weekend should see some quality catches over the full moon period. Tinaroo Dam, with the light northerly winds, will fire on the monster barramundi and those already camping on the dam over the break should hear plenty of boofing barra action at night. Grunter will be an obvious target on the estuary flats on the falling big tides.
With light variable winds for tomorrow, the reef and islands will be popular. The big tides will suit coral trout and Spanish mackerel in the 40m plus locations. Nannygai in the deep 50m and on the rubble will be best on the tide changes when the current slows.