Cairns Reef fishing

[Johno 45]

I have a flexible weeks holiday at Palm Cove and was hoping someone could give me some advice on the best time of year to go and maximise my fishing time on the reef with a 5m tinnie?

[levinge]

Anytime in NQ, although primo times would be a few days before the full moon and a few days after. JUst don't get suckered into fish too close to the reef. Find the big ones in the deeper water, look for shows and fish them, don't stay in one area too long as the fish may move or go off the bite after you hook a couple..

[FNQCairns]

Also the wind!! This will more than likely be the determining factor, we have just got through (it seems so far) a horrible period that lasted a year +. If when you come and strike it nice and calm then you will get out to your heart content, if a windy period then it can last for literally months straight at 15kn offshore.Winter is nice and cool, good camping conditions, the mackerel are visiting but the winds can cause grief.

We are being treated very nice ATM so IMHO as a shocking weather forecaster...get in as soon as you can, say in the next 2 months, while dodging any tropical lows!!!.

cheers fnq

[Coddie]

If it's a bit blowy you may still be able to head to one of the wrecks off double island. Not too far and safe enough in a 5m tinnie. PM me, if you want to coords.

[Wahoo]

as said earlier, around D I wrecks is ok, Pixie is close by, have a look on the GPS around Pixie, some nice grounds NW, Satellite reef is good also, while your there might as well give Batt reef a shot, dont launch your boat at Palm cove, that ramp should be ripped up and taken away, you will swamp your tinny, good luck and enjoy


Daz

[Johno 45]

Thank you for the replies. I will get up there in the next few weeks and try my hand around the Double Island wrecks. Where is the best place to launch from if the Palm Cove ramp a shocker?

[Coddie]

Yorkeys Knob.... waiting for all the comments but yes, it actually is a suburb in Cairns.

[FNQCairns]

For interest here is a screen shot from a GBRMPA zoning map.

At this scale it's 31.5km to pixie from Yorkeys direct line - so one can measure other locals.

cheers fnq


http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...pture-reef.jpg

[Coddie]

I went out last week (tuesday I think) and did quite well between Vlasloff and Michaelmas, got a few macs and some decent trout. It's about the same distance and you have more ground to play with.

[FNQCairns]

I went out last week (tuesday I think) and did quite well between Vlasloff and Michaelmas, got a few macs and some decent trout. It's about the same distance and you have more ground to play with.

I agree that area alone would take a fair few 2 week holidays to get to know hence the yellow zone, 5m is more than capable of hitting those areas comfortably in up to say 15kn. Have fished that area only once so I have no good clue, we didn't do very well at the time, will pencil it in as an option later so cheers. I have caught a few trout in the past around the s/e perimeter of Arlington.

Johno, the close wrecks can be hit and miss, best often to have enough fuel to go to plan B each time. I have fished there numerous times within a gaggle of other boats and often all of us where being very patient, the wrecks are in no way sheltered with a lot of fetch before the waves reach them, as a result often fishing on the inner reef can at the same time be less bumpy, the travel/time/fuel is the only negative.

cheers fnq

[Coddie]

Good point FNQ. The weather isn't looking too flash at the moment thou, you might be lucky to get out.

[Johno 45]

I am glad that my week is flexible with the current weather.
Is it possible to run over the reefs on a high tide or am I better off going around if was going to Vlasoff or Pretty patches?

[Pazz01]

You are better off going around.

I fish that area pretty regularly and the reef comes up shallow.

There is a set of buoys on the bottom of Arlington that will guide you through towards Michaelmas and Vlassoff. Make sure you watch pretty patches, on a low tide you'll see the swell break on a section of them.

I went out on Friday 2nd January in that area and got 15 trout. But we really had to work for them.

Pazz

[Coddie]

15 Trout! Good effort. I haven't tried there yet, I had intentions to go there last time I was out at Vlasloff but it blew up too much and we headed back.