Cooktown

COOKTOWN

Justin

Coventry The weather has cleared and the opportunity to head out and go exploring new ground has gripped many anglers. The roads throughout the Cape are full of 4WDs, caravans and people camping (and escaping the news of Covid) the Cape, not many places haven’t been visited already – it can be frustrating knowing you’re not the first person to throw a lure into an isolated spot. But persistence will pay off and with cool conditions starting to ease, the fish might just start feeding more aggressively as the water temperature rises.

Changing your lures and size can have a big impact on home for the barramundi in the area. I was wondering why the new structure was so favoured over the old snags and it might be that the leaves and small branches are still there and provide more structure, which also provides great areas for baitfish to hide in. A new snag is always a winner in big waterholes and running a lure past it presents an easy meal to the awaiting predator below.

The winds have been battering Cooktown and there will be little opportunity to head offshore to chase any reef species but if a window does open, then the whole town will probably shut down and go fishing. Red

Mud crab catches have been impressive recently, which is surprising during the dry season.

to relax with family and friends out in our beautiful backyard of Cape York and surrounds. Dry conditions and access to many places opening up, there can be an overwhelming number of options to look for new fishing grounds and opportunities. However, with so much traffic traversing your success. As I mentioned last article, going smaller in size can produce more response when barramundi are being slow or shut down. The fishing has been great so far and a recent trip had several large barramundi landed from a single snag.

The snag was a large tree that had fallen in the last flood and it was obviously a prized The barra fishing has produced excellent catches this month.

There are plenty of tasty fishing options in August, like this redclaw. fishing in winter can be very productive and targeting the wonky holes can produce some nice nannygai as there will be still be some freshwater pumping through them. It’s just a case of waiting and being ready to go when the wind drops, which will be rare at this time of the year but you have to hope as it can’t last forever!

The mud crabbing has been productive over the last month – it surprised me as usually the best time is around the wet season. We did have some decent rain in late May, which might of stirred them up a bit. We had a visiting family and decided to throw a few pots in, we were rewarded with some nice size bucks and some of the biggest crabs I have seen for a while. It made for some great mud crab cracking on the front veranda (as you don’t want to do this inside) with the extended family and a welcomed surprise that we caught so many at this time of the year. Anyway, changing up your fishing and expectations can produce results.

The local wharf should start seeing some action by the end of the month as the mackerel will start to make their presence known and locals will be keen to throw out a live herring to the waiting toothy predators. When on the boil, there’s not much room on the wharf and it’s entertaining seeing how many make it past the resident groupers. Lots of small fish usually make it in, but the large ones fight longer and are more prone to be swallowed by the black hole of a mouth that appears from under the wharf.

I’m looking forward to the months ahead as the weather heats up and so does the fishing.

Fishers are advised to know their zones before they get out on the water this winter, with those who are unfamiliar with the Reef reminded that fishing in Marine National Park no-take green zones is illegal.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Field Management Director Dr Mark Read said compliance officers had recently detected offenders from the Brisbane area illegally fishing in no-take zones at the Reef’s southern reaches.

“Normally, offenders are local to the area where they launch from; however, in the case of zones out from the town of 1770, most offenders are from South East Queensland,” Dr Read said. “For example, recently a 48-year-old man from Brisbane was fined for fishing in a no-take zone in the Capricorn Bunker group.

“We’re finding that some fishers from South East Queensland are launching their boats at their nearest access point to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, without doing their homework on marine park zoning.

“Ignorance is no excuse. If you’re caught poaching in a no-take green zone you can expect a $2220 fine.”

Director of the Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Region, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Tina Alderson, said recreational fishers should plan their trip in advance using zoning maps that are available online, in paper form or via the Eye on the Reef zoning app.

“Once downloaded, the Eye on the Reef app contains a mapping feature that works outside of mobile range to pinpoint the user’s location and shows what zone they’re in and what activities, including fishing, are permitted there,” Ms Alderson explained. “If fishers are navigating with aid of a chart \plotter it is their responsibility to understand how zoning is displayed on their plotter.”

The Reef Joint Field Management Program has made this easier for anglers by producing short YouTube videos to familiarise anglers with popular units – such as Lowrance Elite, Garmin or Raymarine – and how they display Great Barrier Reef Marine Park zoning.

“While most fishers do the right thing, even a small amount of illegal fishing can have serious impacts on fish stocks and Reef health,” Ms Alderson said. “The Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting the World Heritage Area from illegal activities, and we have a zero-tolerance approach to poaching in marine national park zones.”

Zoning maps are available from bait and tackle shops, visitor information centres, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and by contacting the Authority on 1800 990 177. Members of the public can report poaching and other suspected illegal activity anonymously via the Authority’s 24-hour hotline: 1800 380 048 or online at www.gbrmpa.gov. au/report-an-incident.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service are partners in the Reef Joint Field Management Program: a 40-year program dedicated to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. – GBRMPA