Fishing Port Douglas

[Ale 301]

Guys, may be heading to Port Douglas next month for a few days and of course will look at wetting a line!! Anybody fished up there and have any recommendations? Obviously the options are many but I'm thinking a day charter somewhere(under $500)and I may also take a limited amount of gear with me for any casual flicks nearby if the time arises.Would like to hear if anybody has fished up there!!!!

[afishyfish 4]

Spent a few days up that way a couple of years ago ale.There's a ships chanderly just near the boat ramp, between the main marina and the wharf at the mout to the river/estuary.Ask for " Barra Bill ". Went with him myself and he's a cracker of a bloke. If your eplanning on doing anything shore based, you probably should go heavyish at least, as you never know just what you might get.The wharf at the estuary entrtance can hold big ooglies, and if you cast the mudflats on the the other side you can hook queenies etc too, especially on a falling tide Funnily enough I managed to snare a bluey from that wharf too !If you travel back down the coast 20 Ks or so, try the jetty at Palm Cove, it's apparently a hotspot for Barra etc when the waters clear :woohoo: Hope it all pans out for you

[Ale 301]

Thanx heaps AFF, that guys name comes up often when googlimg. I might give him a buzz and sus him out once I know more details. Not banking on some epic charter tho, Both timed I've done "tourist spec" charters I've been disappointed. Il be taking matters into my own hand and fishing myself , even consider just hiring a local tinny and trying my luck. Will just have to research the area, the species and the techniques.Any more tips or hints would be welcome guys!! Thanx

[afishyfish 4]

If you do go down the hiring avenue, let me know and I can tell you of two spots to try for Jacks and also a spot just outside the estuary mouth where I'm told u can get GT, Trout etc too I can also let you know where there's a spot to cast at some Jacks off a bridge that's low tpo the water, and theyre easily spotted cruising around to cast at There's also the option of hiring an individual guide, if u have the $ to spend !BUT, if you do catch up with Bill, I hope you dont mind just a tiny bit of potty mouthing :pinch: :whistle: He puts Gordon Ramsey to shame :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: Dont forget that whole section of coast, right down to Cairns is only about 60-70 Ks long, with the Cook Highway running very close to the beach the whole way along, meaning access to quite a few areas.The h/way also crosses a few good streams too with every chance of good fish around the Pylons and Mudcrabs available too, tho u might need to check regs for those, and in fact Ive seen the drum nets used for sale in Anacondas here too. Dont forget Google is your friend, but can be a bit misleading too, so if u need any clarification, PM me and I might be able to point u in the right direction

[brenton 637]

I've heard the estuary charter at Douglas is a bit of a dud. cheers brenton

[afishyfish 4]

I've heard the estuary charter at Douglas is a bit of a dud.

Yeah hard to escape the "tourist" mentality on charters sometimes :S At least we had plenty of Jack hits and a few ogglies to keep us entertained

[Rollas 2]

Watch out if landbased fishing, there are crocs and they will come up without you even seeing them. Just because its a big sandy beach does not mean they are not there.. If you can get some live bait then rig a 30lb - 50lb leader with a 7/0 circle and send it out. If you see a guy throwing a cast net around tell him you will give him $5 for a dozen herring. (You will need a bucket to keep them alive unless you fish next to the guy)Send out one line with a live bait and cast lures with the other to keep you busy.I would use 30lb braid on most of my mid range gear.Estuary fishing can be a bit hit and miss. See if you can get a Sunrise or sunset session instead of a 9 - 5 day. Most of them will do it. And if they are not using live bait then they are not a good operator who wants to put you onto fish.Cheers

[DieselSA 0]

Hi Ale,I just got back from Port Douglas on Saturday after a week there.I can confirm the croc safety warnings as already posted. I spent half a morning flicking lures around the Anzac park headland and sugars wharf (for zilch return)and had a 3m saltie surface only 10-15m away from my rocky perch. A bit hairy..Me and the boys didnt make it out on a charter, but did manage to hire 2 of the pontoon boats that you can hire out of the marina. We loaded with beer, fishmonger bought bait (most fish were caught on pillie halves and slivers) and hired rods from the boat hire place (Ian is the operator and a good bloke)and had an absolute ball.Ian will provide you with some regular fish holding haunts up in Dicksons inlet ('3 way' is the pick of the bunch) we caught 5 keeper Bream, 2 good size Jacks (55cm +)plus loads of grunter, fingermark, trevally and shitties. It kept us very entertained for 4 hours. (as did the sunbathing crocs on the bank)The boat hire (no license required) is $42 per hour. I cannot stress to bring some hardcore insect repellant with you. We loaded up with Bushmans but I'm still covered in midgey bites from head to toe!Have a great time up there, its a fantastic place!Diesel

[Ale 301]

Looking at a self contained very nice beach house on Wonga beach atm, 20mins north from the centre of Port douglas.getting excited now!!keep the hints and stories coming!! cheers

[Ale 301]

Well, it seems the sunshine is following me!! Left Adelaide last Wednesday morning just before the storms to arrive in balmy Cairns at noon. Got our loan car and drove north, past Port Douglas to stay at a beach house on Wonga beach. http://www.beautifulaccommodation.com/properties/daintree-beach-houseWe were looking forward to, sunny skies, white sand, swimming pools, 28-29 degrees, low winds and a great family holiday, we weren’t disappointed!!First up, we spent a day up at the Daintree, drove all the way to Cape Tribulation, would’ve loved to get to Cook town but without a 4WD, didn’t risk it.On the way back, stopping off at a Barra farm back at Wonga beach :http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hook-A-Barra/324223257642003 to play C&R with these lil guys:Barb-less hooks made for plenty of dropped fish as they jump to the sky upon hook up. Still a bit of fun for $45/hr. Unfortunately wouldn’t let me use my own gear, but still fun on their 6kg Shimano outfits (mono and soft plastics).Next day was a trip out to the GBR on this beast!!:http://www.quicksilver-cruises.com/obr_vessel.htmSnorkeling, buffet lunch, rides on little boats with underwater viewing areas, feeding the fish and expensive scenic helicopter rides for those richer than us. Highly recommended for a great family day, very professional and good value for money at around $250 p/p. Departed Port Douglas first thing, 1.5hr fang out to a floating pontoon on the GBR, then come back in the late arvo. The big cat cruises at 30+ knots, and can only be described as an airliner on water.Being a petrol head /boaty I couldn’t help but take a snap of the build plate and what powers this beast. I think its carries up to 400 people.Here are a few vids trying to capture its speed:http://s539.photobucket.com/albums/ff352/silverbackracing/?action=view&current=VIDEO0023.mp4http://s539.photobucket.com/albums/ff352/silverbackracing/?action=view&current=VIDEO0024.mp4http://s539.photobucket.com/albums/ff352/silverbackracing/?action=view&current=VIDEO0022.mp4Next Day I got dropped off at the Port Douglas Marina, whilst the girls went to a day spa. I was booked in to go aboard a bottom bashing charter with these guys:http://www.dragonlady.com.au/Cheap with it only costing $225 for a full day from 8.30am til 4 30pm. Upon getting on the boat I was fishing with one sand groper, and 4 Victorians and a guy from Brissy. The operators where Dinkum local Queenslanders, laughing at me as I had them rig up my 8kg threadline outfit with 5ounce lead hanging off the bottom. Most of my counter parts got given TLD 20’s or Big Penn spinfishers on 15-20kg beast master rods. One guy even put his hand up to fish Queenslander styles with a hand line and heavy mono with a piece of bike tube on his fingers.After the first drop I quickly put away my light outfit, 40m of water, current, big bait and 5 ounces wasn’t much fun on my rod , so I grabbed a TLD and settled in for the next drop.Skipper moved at least 20 times throughout the day, trying to rustle up a bag for us, they had a good day the previous day and it wasn’t till the last couple hrs of our trip that we got a few keepers.They worked hard to get us onto fish. Was very much like fishing the strait off CJ. Much the same bottom 30-40m, big bommies and trenches, I spent a bit of time on the flybridge chatting with the skipper whilst watching his electronics, was good fun.I got 2 spangled emperors, but both where under the 60 cm ? So they went back, I got a Morwong, some sweet lip plus I was lucky enough to get a Spaniard!!We couldn’t get a suitable livey so they just had one rod in the holder with a simple pillie on a ganged hook wire trace under a balloon.. I was pulling up my Morwong thing when the deckie was telling me to hurry up cos it was getting followed by a shark. I got it up, re baited and dropped back down, next thing we know we had 2 x 6ft Whalers circling the back of the boat. Skipper was about to pull the pin when the balloon shot off. Deckie screamed out who wants it as he sets the hooks, and I quickly said yep, assuming I would be wrangling a 6 ft whaler for a while, the thing peeled about 50m on a decent drag on the TLD 20, the deckie started telling me , “don’t fk around mate, get him in before the sharks get him!! It was only then I realized it was a Spaniard on!!! The first 2 runs where decent, but I got him in pretty easily after that.The day beforehand theyd got a couple about the same size, but lost half of one to a shark, the things are seriously everywhere!! As soon as the sharks would rock up theyd make us move. One guy hooked up on a decent one as he was retrieving his bait, took him around the back of the boat for a good 10 minutes before finally getting bitten off much to the relief of the deckie. They hate the things up there, and where laughing hard at the fact that we target them and eat them!!! I got reefed twice by big heavy things I couldn’t get off the bottom on lots of drag, deckie showing me pix of huge 100kg + cods theyd landed. Saying they come out from their hole, scoff ya bait and go back in without even knowing they were hooked. One other guy got 3 coral trout , one was a stonker about 70cm, and a prized catch they reckon, best eating fish in the waters according to the locals, and the local pros target them. Gorgeous looking things. I didn’t get to eat any off the catch, the rest of the charter here keen fish eaters and living in self contained resorts and since the catch rate of actual keepers was low I had no problem letting my mack get divided up amongst the rest. Would’ve just gone to waste back at our beach house, the mrs isn’t keen on fish,wanted a break from cooking and would’ve gone to waste, I felt pretty good letting the others take him after I was lucky enough to catch him.I would’ve been keener to try some of the coral trout. They also go super hard for a smallish fish, the first run is super strong as they try and reef ya. I can see why they fish such heavy gear, trying to keep these delicious edibles off the reef and into the kill tank.Noticed that most locals don’t even fish with rods, they just skull drag using thick handlines and bike tubes on their fingers!! Last day was spent back down on the Cairns foreshore, the midget enjoying the sea pool, whilst I took a wonder to the Cairns marina for some snaps.I didn’t have enough memory on my phone to take pix of the copious amount of 40-50ft game Full flybridges, then the tuna towers on top, stupid amounts of rigging equipment, game chairs, teak and mahogany timber all over them. Can’t comprehend where the $$$ comes from.But I did get a few snaps of some standouts, the jet powered fishing boat inside this “tub” is probs close to 8m long!!And life must be tough for this couple:Not to mention the owner of this one must be a really conservative type, and poor of course:Overall:Port Douglas was a surprise to me, was pretty oarsome.Lots of tourists as expected, but most where Australians, with a decent number of youngsters living out of the back of purposely decked out Vans. Very laid back place, lots of nice resorts, we spend most evenings dining on the foreshore just taking it in whilst wearing shorts and thongs with a cold drink in my hand.Be a great place to do some angling with a bit of local knowledge with more time.I fished Wonga beach for a couple hrs, but without a clue of what to target or baits/lure to use, Im not surprised I didn’t get anything. Shallow water and a bit dirty from the winds prior to use getting there didn’t help, and I didn’t get the chance to try more fishy looking areas. I nice 5m Tinny to get you out to Snapper island or fish the inlets would be the go. So some nice stonker Mangrove jacks in the shops that would go super hard if found!!The Daintree is a nice area as well, Ive seen lots of rainforest in my time but seeing and spending time in a Native Australian one was a nice changes, would’ve liked to do a river cruise on dusk but just didn’t have the time.Cairns was a bit tacky, many more overseas tourists and I think a few les souvenir and tie dye shops would be nicer.Nether less, still quite laid back with plenty of fine places to eat and drink, and can’t complain.Nice play to visit and a great place to spend a few months as a base to fish out off if one had the funds.So yesty I landed back in little old Adelaide, seems much busier now!! But it seems the sunshine has followed me home, and Im amped to get back to our local fishery and even tho we don’t have it as nice as North QLD, it seems our metro fishing craps all over the Victorian one!!Maybe Book mark this thread if your interested in heading up for a family holiday and want to get a bit of an idea. We only scratched the surface and one could spend much more time up there and go crazy with more funds, but still a viable place for the average Australian and a must see place if you like the outdoors, fishing, boating and a relaxing holiday. Be prepared to put on a few kgs tho!!

[Surtees67 3]

Thanks for the update Ale. Awesome place, spent a few days aboard a game boat chasing GTs and Mackeral. Cant wait to get back there soon.

[afishyfish 4]

Great read, report and story all in one there Ale ! Definteley a few cracker boats there for sure. In fact I recognise the one in the last shot with the round windows.Only thing missing is the dancing girls serving drinks The one that impressed me most was where you could actually dock the smaller baot inside the stern of the mother boat, not just on the rear deck. :whistle: Those Big Cats are pretty impressive beasts of things too. While out on one of the pontoons at the reef I got a good undertwater view of one of the Cats thrust chutes at the rear, and from memory it was probably around 1.5 X 1.5m, so you can imagine the amount of water the things would shift !Had a crew member telling me they cost something around 50G just to get each engine serviced :pinch: Makes our outboards seem cheap hey ! Did you happen to do the Karrundah Train/ Skyrail trip ?Definiteley worth it I thought

[Ale 301]

Thanx guys, now that I’ve been and re read the posts from prior to my trip, I can relate to it all so much more!! The whole coats line is oarsome with so much potential.I reckon between PD and Wonga beach I crossed at least 3 bridges that could’ve had fish under them, not to mention many more between PD and Cairns!If Id been able to take all the advice and got hold of some livies and spent the time I could’ve snared a few of the Jacks I seen in the shops. I also got told of a “Jamie” who fishes out from the Daintree inlet and smashes the fish in the area. Doesn’t advertise, but he number is googlable and would be worth a call.And yes the Cat was impressive, not to mention just in PD they have 3 off them, very similar in size, all run very well by “Quicksilver”. Build plate pic:Yep, thats 1440kw per motor!! It has 4 off themI didn’t have enough time to do heaps of fishing,( or the sky rail in Cairns AFF) but still got my fix and the family has come back in great spirit’s after such a great trip away, another one ticked off. I reckon the upper west coast is next, especially after chatting with the sandgroper on board......

[afishyfish 4]

Yeah those cats aren't all that powerful hey Ale :ohmy: and 4 of them too ! :whistle: I sem to recall that thyere being built in Tassie This is possibly the Jamie u heard of http://www.jamiesdaintreefishing.com/Those bridges certainly do have fish under them and one has a HUGE salty that lives under and near it too :evil: I fished the area at dusk from the top of a very high, very steep bank to be on the safe side. Managed to snare an abandoned, snagged up Crab Pot, baited it up and got a couple of mudddies too The rivers closest to Cairns airport looked pretty good, and I know of 1 beach-side resort where they have a small creek running past with bridges over it, and you can watch the jacks under the bridge from about 1 metre away.Kicking myself for not having a crack at those :S On the plus side of seafood, we found almost any prawn dish up there to be superb :clap:Some pics from our trip Our accomadation in Cairns, with a great Balinese RestarauntThis guy behind me was a bit of a nutterMuddy for lunch Croc Central Sign in the Karrunda Hotel, if u can read it lolOne of the pretty speccy waterfalls on the way up the karoonda railway before ctaching the sky Gondolas back. Wouldnt mind getting in that pool at the bottom left for a :woohoo: Will try and get some pics of that up tooApparently it cost somewhere around 20 Mill to install.Some of the reef as we left Cairns on the way home

[SnappaGuy 0]

Thanx heaps AFF' date=' that guys name comes up often when googlimg. I might give him a buzz and sus him out once I know more details. Not banking on some epic charter tho, Both timed I've done "tourist spec" charters I've been disappointed. Il be taking matters into my own hand and fishing myself , even consider just hiring a local tinny and trying my luck. Will just have to research the area, the species and the techniques.Any more tips or hints would be welcome guys!! Thanx[/quote']Howdy ale,Did the same couple of years back, chartered a 25 foot Cairns Custom Craft and went out for the day with limited success but had a top time, we got to be mates with the skipper and ended up at his home for a fish fry and swim in the pool that evening (they didn't swim, bit cool at 28C) At the other end of the spectrum we hired a tinny at Port Douglas bought some bait and couple of hand lines and headed out into the many canals that run through the mangroves ... we caught fish, after fish, after fish, big, small, silver, blue, yellow and all the colours of the rainbow ... we had an absolute ball spending the afternoon catching and releasing all manner of piscatorial wildlife On thing we didn't factor in though were all the tiny little black dots on our skin,crikey .. wear a good insect repellant and steer clear of those pesky sand flies, my wife and I spent the next two day scratching :S Regards ... SnappaGuy.