The month of August again did hold its ‘Gremlins’ as the south easterly winds reared their ugly head. We did however experience one run of brilliant weather which lasted for just over a week and I’ll keep the glass half full and concentrate on this. Obviously the fishing was at its best. It’s pure and simple, with weather on your side we can go far and wide to the most productive grounds. We did have a super full moon amongst this tidy weather but we did work our way around this scenario. The large-mouth nannygai in water 50-65m were my friends and they tended to be your solid types from 5-10kg. A combination of sardine, pilchard and squid is all you need. I prefer BKK 8/0 Octopus Beak hooks. A bit more squid on the hook does help as they can slurp as opposed to strike and you need to let them take it in their own time.
There were some good sized coral trout up in a touch shallower water 30-40m of depth and you can’t argue with 4-5kg models. Naturally in the same territory you come across the other usual suspects such as spangled emperor and cod varieties. We also pumped out a few Spanish and School mackerel just inside the reef in pretty quick time. The variety of species on our doorstep makes a Port Douglas Fishing Charter a must do. Looking ahead for those who are looking to fish up this way, as locals we get excited for the next couple of months. It is mostly ‘Blue Ribbon’ reef and sportfishing opportunities where anything is a “reel” possibility. If you’re wanting a fishing charter from Port Douglas or Cairns we do tend to book out in advance so don’t go putting it off.
Don’t forget to follow Akula Sportfishing on social media to follow our adventures. We would be delighted to show you what a Port Douglas fishing trip can be like.