While it’s the giant black marlin that garner a lot of the attention, their presence is the reason for another spectacular fishing option that Cairns offers local and visiting alike anglers being the annual run of the juvenile black marlin.
These fish are the product of the previous year’s giant black marlin season – typically coming onto year-old fish whose only goal in life is to eat, eat and eat some more.
For this reason they are spectacular on the bite and multiple hook ups are common. They are also extremely aerial and acrobatic and are a lot of fun particularly on the light line!
North Queensland offers light tackle anglers some fantastic fishing particularly in the colder months from May to September. Imagine yourself catching these fish all within the inner reefs within 30mins from port!
The fish are drawn to the area by the huge schools of bait as they seek to grow as fast as possible in order to move themselves up the food chain! Early in the season these fish can be as tiny as 8-10 kg, but as voracious feeders they can grown up to and exceeding 20kg before they leave our waters to head further south.
On light tackle they are a lot of fun for anglers of all skill levels and ages!
These fish are typically targeted on day trips from Cairns although live-aboard, anchoring overnights in the inner reefs off Cairns is also an option.The two main fishing areas are the grounds off Fitzroy Island, itself a wonderful anchorage option and the grounds near Oyster Reef. Both are just a short run from the marina in Cairns.
The beauty of this type of fishing in Cairns is that the reefs offer an amount of protection even on those windy days. Typically fishing line classes of between 4 and 10kg, they are great fun and can be caught trolling dead baits and switching live baits off the teaser. Even lures can be a great option particularly moving between and on the hunt for the bait schools!
Your charter
Your private charter is typically a group of between one and six anglers for day trips or up to four anglers for live-aboard.
Trips are fully catered and all tackle is supplied.
On an overnight trip guests can enjoy everything the reef has to offer including a swim or snorkel on the reef before or after the marlin fishing.
By-catch can also include many tasty treats for the table including tuna and Spanish mackerel which is a winter favourite in North Queensland waters!
HISTORY did you know
Both Kelly & Luke grew up fishing the light tackle black marlin grounds of Townsville’s Cape Bowling Green. In fact, both families are a part of Australia’s light tackle black marlin folk law.
Kelly’s father Jim, a charter skipper himself, was instrumental in the development of the light tackle fishery in Townsville and worked to spearhead the tagging program for these fish. Kelly’s mother Anne, was the first woman in the world to catch a black marlin on boat 1kg and 2kg tackle. And Luke himself, fishing with his father John and brother Mat out of a trailer boat, was the first angler ever to catch a black marlin in a tournament in Townsville.
These fish are some of Luke and Kelly’s favourite to target on their time off as well. In fact their best day (four hours actually!) of fishing two-up in their Caribbean was 23 releases!
