Tips and Gear for Landbased Fishing Cairns...

[southie THE BANGA 2,304]

So i have been given the opportunity to get away for the week with the olds to Cairns. We are staying in Palm Cove and being me I will be taking a couple travel rods to have a bit of a flick  

I will be doing it all landbased and taking lures with me. What sort of gear should i take? 

What Rod/Reel combos? and lures should I be taking? 

I know there is a little creek system a couple hundred metres from our hotel that has Barra, Tarpon, jacks in it and I know Palm Cove jetty itself has plenty of fish. But is there anywhere else i should be trying?

We will be having a hire car to get around so I don't mind travelling a bit. i got just over a month to sort some stuff out so any tips or hints would be fantastic  

[dmck 627]

Something to shoot crocs....

[Yorky 309]

I have some gear I can bring with us 

Cheers

Yorky

[rotare 491]

I stayed up at Palm Cove not that very long ago for a week.  Didn't fish myself, but daily walked along the jetty for a bit of a look at what the locals were catching.

From what I saw, there didn't seem to be much consistency with regards to the type of tackle being used, from handlines, light spin outfits to big overheads and heavy lines.  Some were using dead baits, other live baits then the rest were trying their luck using all types of lures from plastics, metal slugs to hard bodies. 

I'd say if you're planning on flicking lures about, just take a spin rod that's good for casting along with a rod and reel combo that could be used to chuck out a bait to the bottom.  I'd say kits between 5-8kg range would be fine for the size of fish that were being caught.     

[southie THE BANGA 2,304]

1 hour ago, rotare said:

I stayed up at Palm Cove not that very long ago for a week.  Didn't fish myself, but daily walked along the jetty for a bit of a look at what the locals were catching.

From what I saw, there didn't seem to be much consistency with regards to the type of tackle being used, from handlines, light spin outfits to big overheads and heavy lines.  Some were using dead baits, other live baits then the rest were trying their luck using all types of lures from plastics, metal slugs to hard bodies. 

I'd say if you're planning on flicking lures about, just take a spin rod that's good for casting along with a rod and reel combo that could be used to chuck out a bait to the bottom.  I'd say kits between 5-8kg range would be fine for the size of fish that were being caught.     

Cheers mate. 

I was thinking of taking a lighter and heavier travel rod. Then a range of bream size to around 120mm hardbodies and a few plastics.

Been watching alot on youtube and starting to get an idea of whats around...

[rotare 491]

22 minutes ago, southie THE BANGA said:

Cheers mate. 

I was thinking of taking a lighter and heavier travel rod. Then a range of bream size to around 120mm hardbodies and a few plastics.

Been watching alot on youtube and starting to get an idea of whats around...

I reckon that sounds like a pretty good plan.  There's a decent sized tackle store 5 minutes from Palm Cove, heading back towards Cairns on the main road.  Well sign posted and you won't miss it.

Be a good idea to drop in and have a chat with them and get some local intel too.

[Kelvin 2,196]

Fishing landbased is really hard up there. It seems like a lot of the best spots in Cairns Marina are now no fishing areas. I saw cod caught up there on bait and heard of a few barra but the locals that do well usually fish livebait and put in a lot of hours between fish.

If you don't have access to a cast net, try a bait jig to jig up some herring.

Get out on a charter out to the reef if you can, it is a great experience and the fishing is very different from what we get here. Micro jigging is great fun and Spanish Mackeral and reef fish are much better eating than our snapper.

 

 

 

[brenton 637]

I'd agree with Kelvin all i caught on bait in 3 sessions off the beach was little hammerheads and small dart

                                                    cheers b

[Kelvin 2,196]

http://www.bransfords.com.au/blog/palm-cove-jetty-mudmap/

 

Looks like Palm Cove Jetty is the pick of the landbased spots. Are you going during mackerel season?

65g and 85g raiders work as good as anything else on the mackerel and are cheap. Fish without wire if the fish are spooky. 

[DeathCal 212]

I lived in Cairns and as said, land-based is difficult.

Bring your crocodile repellant 😂

Any beach fishing comes with the risk of a crocodile attack, that's why everyone usually fishes out of boats.

Why not go on a charter out of the marina instead or hire a tinny for some estuary fishing?

They can be used on a car licence up there.

[southie THE BANGA 2,304]

Am staying at Palm Cove so will probably concentrate on The jetty there.... Im sure ill put together some sessions and get a fish or two