The Captain's

Blog & Latest News

Welcome to our news page, where you’ll find the latest articles covering reef fishing from Port Douglas, fishing insights, our adventures, exciting stories, expert tips, and the latest happenings in the world of sportfishing with the premier Port Douglas fishing charter. Stay tuned for our insights and stay connected with Akula Sportfishing.

Fishing in Port Douglas with Akula Sportfishing – February 2025 Report

February was a slow month for Port Douglas, with tourism declining after the Australia Day weekend, partly due to media exaggerations about flooding. Despite mostly excellent sea conditions, strong winds and unfavorable tides limited fishing opportunities, though one exceptional session yielded a great catch of Large Mouth Nannygai, Crimson Snapper, and Red Emperor. With sharks remaining a persistent issue and water temperatures still high, hopes are pinned on cooler waters and late wet-season rains to improve fishing conditions.

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Fishing in Port Douglas with Akula Sportfishing – January 2025 Report

January was a busy month for Port Douglas fishing charters, with us operating almost daily except for weather disruptions and maintenance. While sea conditions were often calm, making fishing more challenging, there were still some great sessions with full eskies when the bite was on. Sharks were a major issue, and with ongoing concerns about their numbers, hopefully, there’ll be plans in place to address this soon. Fishing conditions are expected to improve as water temperatures cool.

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Fishing in Port Douglas with Akula Sportfishing – December 2024 Report

December 2024 brought excellent weather in Port Douglas, contrasting with last year’s disruptions from Cyclone Jasper. However, the calm conditions, paired with gentle northerly winds and high water temperatures, created challenging fishing conditions as fish are less likely to bite during these circumstances.

The best fishing occurred during evening high tides, though finding strong currents was difficult. Calm conditions also made drift fishing and anchoring tricky, requiring precision to target fish effectively.

Despite the challenges, we’ve achieved success by putting in the right amount of effort to still catch quality fish.

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Fishing in Port Douglas with Akula Sportfishing – November 2024 Report

November delivered great fishing conditions in the far north, with consistent weather supporting successful trips. Coastal reef charters saw abundant nannygai and grassy sweetlip action, while outer reef excursions offered larger catches like nannygai up to 65cm, gold spot cod, and cobia. Full-day charters explored remote waters, yielding coral trout, gold band snapper, and spangled emperor, despite some shark challenges. Anticipation builds for rainy season fishing, promising bigger trophy fish from “wonky holes.” With December and January heavily booked, anglers are encouraged to secure their spots soon. Merry Christmas and happy fishing in the new year!

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Fishing in Port Douglas with Akula Sportfishing – October 2024 Report

October was a smooth month operationally, thanks to favorable offshore fishing conditions, with minimal rescheduling due to wind. Most trips were 4-5 hour coastal and outer reef adventures, yielding good catches of coral trout, large mouth nannygai, and occasional gold spot cod, while full-day trips rewarded VIP clients with prized species like gold band snapper and reef mangrove jack. As reef closures approach, I’m taking a break to enjoy some laid-back canal fishing with my dad before resuming in November, eager for more action.

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Fishing in Port Douglas with Akula Sportfishing – September 2024 Report

This month’s fishing report reflects challenging early weather conditions, making coastal trips difficult. By mid-month, conditions improved, allowing for successful coastal and outer reef trips with notable catches like nannygai, trout, and emperor fish, though shark interference was an issue in some areas. The school holidays brought more families on board, and bookings for October look solid, with upcoming restrictions in mind for reef closures and Spanish mackerel.

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Ready to embark on an unforgettable fishing charter ADVENTURE from Port Douglas or Cairns? Secure your spot now with Akula Sportfishing and get ready to reel in the excitement!