Cape York

CAPE YORK Tim O’Reilly

wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Following a fantastic year for fishing in the Cape, August will be a mixed bag depending on which side of months as the metabolic rate of these veracious predators slows. However, some of the more experienced barra fishos will switch their focus from numbers to quality during this period.

Some big hungry girls will be starting to stir in fish holding in deeper water adjacent to structure. Live baits will get those fussier fish to take a bite.

On some of the more remote northern reaches of the west coast, sport fishers will be having a ball with incredible inshore sight

Threadies have shown up in good numbers.

the Cape you find yourself on. Cool brisk mornings and warm days will be the norm as we near the tail end of winter.

Barramundi fishing tends to be slower during the cooler August and a combination of warmer water, moon and tide will bring about short sharp bite periods that can see some long silver slabs hit the deck. The secret will be finding small pockets of

There has been some great crabbing this season, following good rains.

fishing. The flats and creek mouths will be abuzz with small queenfish and trevally, as well as the iconic fly species golden trevally and permit. Add to that manta rays cruising the shallows and the odd cobia tagging on behind.

Rivers will be as clear as they are going to be prior to any on-shore winds commencing on the West Coast. Upstream from any of the larger bays and inlets, expect fish to be a little shy but sight casting in clear water will be a highlight. Try and avoid dead neap tides this time of year to give the fish a chance to fire up around tide changes and transition points.

Spanish mackerel should be packing on pounds on both sides of the Cape. Some of the more isolated rocks and shoals of the west coast can see droves of these toothy critters and a garfishwoghead combination will be deadly, even trolled up short behind the boat.

On the East Coast following a decent wet season it has been interesting to see some of the ramifications of boosted food webs. Blue salmon of great size and numbers have been recorded around creek and river mouths right up the coast. Threadfin salmon have also been active and should fire up even more as

Queenies will be chasing bait inshore.

we move towards spring.

August will be a strong travel period throughout the Cape, as long as Covid doesn’t rear its ugly head in Northern Queensland. Record numbers from both inter and intra state are likely to descend on all the usual haunts. The difference this year seems to be how many convoys of travelling companions are converging on the tip.

Fishing pressure will be a little higher in key locations, such as Weipa and Seisia and most of the charter operations are near capacity when travel allows. It all bodes well for a few strong years for the recreational fishing industry in Australia, as long as interstate boarders remain open. Locals will be heading farther and farther afield to escape the masses and track down their truly wild quarry.