Lucinda

LUCINDA Jeff Wilton

jeffwilton83@hotmail.com Sitting here typing up this article, it is very clear summer has really ramped up quickly. It’s bloody hot, the humidity is rising each day, and it feels like at any stage a wild storm may brew up – typical NQ weather in December.

The fishing has been great, but to be honest it normally is up here! If you can deal with the heat then it is a great time to be getting out there and chasing a few fish. Barra are off limits for a few more months so hopefully we get some big rainfalls to spark breeding and recruitment. Summer in the tropics is normally left for the locals as most southern travellers give it a miss due to the weather, uncrowded waterways and less fishing pressure can see some great sessions being had.

Let’s check out what should be happening during the month of December.

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL

It’s all about mangrove jack as this hot dry weather can make these fish super aggressive. Jacks call the entire system home every creek and mangrove-lined bank will have resident jacks. The secret is to fish for these guys at the optimal times meaning careful consideration of where you will be at certain stages of the tide. Good areas will have current moving out and along the fronts of mangrove-lined creeks. Jacks will take up residence in the best ambush zones of each area, so a bigger snag or branch that sticks out a little further than the rest.

Throwing a selection of hardbodied lures or soft plastics will get results, but if you want the chance to do even better then learning the art of skip casting is well worth the time and effort. This cast will allow you to place a soft plastic into areas normal casts won’t allow. This style of fishing is also very handy in the heat of summer as you can fish shaded areas under mangrove overhangs. Shade lines are often overlooked areas that can hold fish looking to stay out of the direct sunlight plus acts as a great place to hide waiting for food. I have had plenty of sessions where I have skipped plastics deep under overhangs and the fish follow the plastic out and hit it as it is about to leave the shade every time.

Summer evenings and nights spent anchored up somewhere chasing grunter and fingermark is a great way to spend some hours. This is a popular time for the locals here as it means you are not fishing in the heat of the day and apart from the odd storm brewing up, it is a very comfortable time to fish.

Fresh caught bait will go a long way to getting better results, quality size fish will always choose a fresh or live bait over a frozen alternative. For those new to the area checking out the marine maps and a few hours sounding around will help locate a few spots to try. The well-known areas around the Bluff and Haycock Island do see a lot of boat traffic but for good reason as they always produce good fish. These spots are perfect for those traveling anglers who have no time so sounding around these spots for a few minutes locating some structure, bait and predatory fish before anchoring or deploying the electric. JETTY,

ISLANDS AND REEF

As I always say, the jetty is worth a fish every day of the year. It is just a magnificent fish attracting area with strong currents and structure, meaning it will hold baitfish and predatory fish. By far the best time to fish the jetty is early mornings or later evenings. Those periods when the sun is lower in the sky means the predatory fish will be hunting a lot more. During the middle of the day these fish seem to go deep and sulk in the pylons not interested in feeding, no matter what you throw at them. Most people will fish for sports fish like GT and queenfish, but it also holds some big fingermark and the odd good nannygai.

The Palm Islands will be popular but not really for the fishing. Spending a few hours, a day or even overnighting during the heat of summer is a great idea. The islands offer safe anchorages, clear water to swim and snorkel along with sandy beaches. Best of all, the area is so big that it is not hard to find your own spot away from the more popular spots.

Take care during summer and it is best to wear a stinger suit as the chance of an encounter with various stingers is much higher when the waters are warm. The benefit of having several islands all in the same area is dependent on the wind direction – there is always smooth waters somewhere.

Overnighting is a very popular past time for locals staying in the boat with a few rods set and a squid light is lots of fun and can be rewarding with a few fish and tasty calamari as well. The Palms also have several camping locations that need a permit from the national parks to enjoy.

Hitting the reef over summer, chasing trout and red fish is always on the cards with a good chance of lighter winds early morning before the northerly sea breeze kicks up around midday. For travellers just be aware that no matter how good the weather forecast is, there will nearly always be a harsh northerly blow up inshore every day. This will extend to about 10km past the islands then potentially glass off, so you can be travelling home in perfect glass to be hit with 20 knots of white caps for the last half of your journey. Not that you should mind especially, if a great day swimming was had and an esky full of tasty reef fish is on board.

Cheers to all the readers out there and a Merry Christmas. Bring on 2022 full of more fishy tales.

Topwater jacks in the summer heat.

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