Far North fishing forecast: Rob Erskine tells where to catch spanish mackerel, big barra
Unfortunately the forecast for parts of the Far North this weekend is winds up to 20 knots but there are still opportunities for keen anglers.
Cairns
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UNFORTUNATELY, the forecast for the weekend is winds up to 20 knots to the north of Cairns but lighter to the south over the weekend.
However, those who can skip work and wait, will see the light winds return again early next week and plenty of boats will hit the reefs, islands and wrecks again targeting bottom species and pelagic.
The big tides will suit targeting some big grunter for those stuck inshore on the harbour flats, creek mouths and beach foreshores with fresh strip baits of mullet, garfish and fresh local prawns great baits. All the creeks are firing on barramundi for the lure fishermen with the Daintree, Russell/Mulgrave, Johnstone, Liverpool and Tully River all worth a fish.
The occasional mud crab should also be moving and worth setting a few pots.
Reef fishermen were finally blessed with calm seas last weekend and into early this week, which resulted in multitudes of boats hitting the reefs, islands and wrecks.
With the Coral Reef Fin Fish Closure in force from Saturday midnight, bottom fishermen fished hard on the Saturday chasing a feed of fish.
The popular species including coral trout, nannygai, red emperor, spangled emperor, reef jacks and trevally were all hungry and on the bite on the local reefs off Cairns and Port Douglas. Come Sunday, with coral reef fin fish off limits, focus turned to targeting pelagic species, with spanish mackerel at the top of the list.
I fished the Pixie Reef area chasing spaniards on Tuesday in glorious conditions and big schools of bait were marking along plenty of schooled-up mackerel, but inducing a bite was tough, especially on floated pilchards.
We managed to land four spanish mackerel trolling deep-diving lures and wog rigged garfish with a nice fish I caught trolling close to the reef edge going over 12kg.
Giant trevally were another common target species over the closure casting large poppers over the reef bommies holding schools of fusiliers.
Several big fish were caught and released after reel screaming fights on these powerful fish.
Locally, Cairns Inlet has improved with nice mangrove jacks being caught on live herring along with fingermark and trevally. The jacks have been quality fish in the high 40cm range.
Barramundi have been regularly caught also in the Barron River at night on both live baits and lures.
Most of the southern rivers and the Daintree are all fishing well on barramundi in the brackish to fresh sections and while most fish are in the small range, a mix of good fish up to 80cm has kept lure-casting anglers excited.
Big barramundi are stirring in Tinaroo Dam with multiple fish being caught in the hot weather and will be worth a shot over the weekend. Early morning is seeing plenty of shots on top water lures.
Originally published as Far North fishing forecast: Rob Erskine tells where to catch spanish mackerel, big barra
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