Traveling north along the Captain Cook Highway between Cairns and the resort town of Port Douglas one passes many pristine sandy beaches, punctuated by rocky headlands and boulder strewn points.

Although the beaches themselves are not a very productive area to fish, small trevally, catfish and sharks can be caught, the rocky headlands can be brilliant under specific conditions.

During the warm summer months after persistent heavy rainfall, large and even monster barramundi patrol these bait holding areas in search of easy pickings as they do at Yorkeys Knob just to the south. The "rocks" at this specific time of year consistently produce big barra with fish of over 60lb a possibility.

Lure and rig selection is very important here. These large fish will destroy dinky tackle. Medium strength rods, a minimum 10kg spinning or baitcasting outfit and lures with beefed up hooks and split rings a must.

Repeated casts seaward should be worked back through the eddies and around the rocks, the swirling water hiding the intended prey.

Many an angler has been left in shock as a metre of silver muscle explodes at your feet. The boof is deafening and quick thinking is required to stay connected. Good footwear is essential, wet slippery rocks can be a recipe for disaster for the unwary.

Patience is required however and several successive trips may end in failure until that fish of a lifetime finally gets the adrenaline going. Fishing is like that!

It's worth the effort though, and by targeting the prime tide times (the hour either side of high and low tide) not too much time is wasted. Look upon it as an escape from the pressures of life, or wife!