Whitsunday Fishing Report

The weather this past week has certainly been a mixed bag, but there’s been a lot of you making the best of it and catching great fish despite it. One thing’s for sure – the drop in humidity has been welcomed by all!

Dam
The dam has been producing some good barramundi over the past week, particularly in the bays and creeks in the southern part. There have also been some cracking sooty’s coming over the side as a bycatch.

The water temperature is starting to drop, which means it’s a great time to use soft plastic lures. Both 5” and 6” ones are great options for the dam at the moment.

Estuary
We’re continuing to see some good land-based barramundi being caught across the local hotspots. The VMR boat ramp has been the standout location.

Mud crabs are still being caught in the river, and the current weather presents a great opportunity for you to scope out some prime locations. Be sure to focus on gutters with fresh bait. It’s also worth a reminder to check the weather and tides, especially if you’re leaving your pots in overnight, as you may need to secure the rope to a tree.

Islands & Offshore
If the weather forecast is correct, offshore fishing certainly won’t be pleasant (again!). If you’ve got a stomach of steel though, know that the mackerel are now pushing in. Large Spanish Mackerel aren’t as frequent, but school size ones are in numbers now, and they’re the best for eating.

Now is also the time to be targeting sailfish, with some good numbers being caught during the past fortnight. Focus your efforts on trolling fresh garfish around the outer islands, looking for current lines, in particular, clean water.

Best of luck out there!

Contributed with thanks to Beth Hockley and Jason Fisher from Tackle World Airlie Beach

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A great sailfish caught this week aboard Moonshine, operated by Top Notch Game Fishing. Photo supplied

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