01 August 1999 - Volume 3 Issue 8

Blue Water

The winds are still blowing at better than 25 knots but are expected to ease coming into the week end. The past week has seen many outside trips cancelled, conditions just too rough to venture to the wide grounds out from the Barrier Reef. When conditions do ease however, expect the fish to be hungry.

It is always excellent fishing after a persistent blow. Most reef fish will be ravenous as they too find the rough conditions difficult to feed in, keeping away from the turbulent waters near the reef structure. The broken coral also reveals new hiding and feeding niches.

The macks should still be a fairly easy target and as the bait schools start to congregate the billies will follow.

Rivers

Bait fishing the likes of the Daintree, Russell & Mulgrave rivers has produced trevally, queenfish, grunter, flathead, cod and bream. Big sickle fish have also been fairly active. Live prawns are still easily caught as the waters recede from the mangroves / mud flat areas and along with sardines are the preferred baits.

The queenies are showing up in ever increasing sizes, it won't be long before the real beauties around the magic metre long mark appear in the tidal zones. Luring has been a little more difficult in the windy conditions, early morning and late afternoons the preferred periods. Quality fish though have been caught by the persistent angler, trevally, jacks and estuary cod.

The occasional barramundi falling to a well presented lure on the calmer, sunnier days. Reports of small mackerel hitting lures meant for trevally near the river mouths are also coming in, a surprise indeed. Fly fishing has been extremely difficult, but persistence pays off with mangrove jacks, trevally, cod and some unstoppable critters scoffing a fluttering green clouser.

Estuary

Bait fishing the Cairns estuary has turned the corner on the last set of building tides. Justin Gibbins of Fishing The Tropics had a great afternoon session yesterday, landing three legal sized barramundi on prawn baits. The biggest went a credible 94 cm. Other species include trevally, jacks, grunter, sickle fish, bream and catfish.

There are also heaps of big prawns running along the mud flats at low tide, they won't be there long however as they will soon run to sea. Juvenile prawns are as thick as Campbell's soup so a continual supply of these fresh baits, they are not bad on the tooth also, is assured for the coming weeks.

GOOD FISHING,
Les Marsh