The recent month has seen some mixed results on the fishing front with our extended winter and persistent trade winds causing a little frustration for all.

The cold conditions has seen the water inshore get as low as 18c, which has had some effect on the bigger barra in the deeper waters of the channel and adjacent estuaries. Luckily we are due for some good heat to arrive shortly to warm those waters and the fishing will no doubt kick start again.

The best option for barra fishos is to target the shallow drains and pressure points during the cold as the water warms up on the run out tide in these areas. They are mostly school size fish around 50-70cm but are still great fun on shallow diving lures.

Offshore has seen some outstanding fishing for those that have braved the winds or those who got out in the few gaps in the weather. All reef species are going off out wide with some excellent results and that should continue for a few more months to come.

I haven’t heard much on the gamefishing front and I do believe that the bait schools have been slow to arrive. The region’s gamefishing tournaments are just about to start so hopefully we should hear of some good results soon.

The past month has been kind to my clients with giant schools of threadfin salmon moving through. We have had some very entertaining sessions with some of those days yielding up to 10 metre plus fish. They have been a great option while the big barras get over their cold water siesta.

The threadies have been aggressive on both trolled lures and baits with mud herring being their favourite bait and the lively lures assassin being the pick of the lures. I have struck them everywhere in the channel where there is 10m of water over rubble or rock bottom, which is their favourite feeding area. As the water warms they should move much shallower and lure casters should start seeing them up on the flats more often.

With October approaching we will definitely see all our estuary species fire up and I’m looking forward to getting those big barras back on the chew. Anglers should look forward to the barras responding well to live baits with mullet and gar being two of the best baits to use.

Fingermark will return to the rubble holes and bottoms, and I would recommend live greenback herring and mud herring as the best baits to look for. If you are partaking in a bit of night fishing around the islands and headlands then make sure you take a squid light with you as they are a great bait as well.

Another species that should arrive during October is the big oceanic golden grunter. The best places to look are around the rubble beds near Gould island as well as Cape Richards and Missionary bay flats. They do have a preference for waters around 5-8m during the day and at night they will go right up shallow particularly on the making tides. Best baits are squid, greenback herring and even pillys.

This year’s Cardwell Barra Bonanza has been moved to the end of October after the event was cancelled back in February due to cyclone Yasi arriving the day before. The Cardwell sportfishing club has moved the event to late October as it does not coincide with the monsoon and cyclone season. It’s also a great event to wind up the end of the barra fishing season which closes on the November 1.

Stacks of great prizes will be up for grabs and interested anglers can contact the Cardwell sportfishing club on 0429427590 . The briefing starts on Thursday night October 27 and fishing dates are October 28-29. Come and show your support to a region that needs events like this to help kick start tourism.

If you are coming up this way for a fish in the next few months just be aware of the fin-fish closures on the reef species. You can get all the info required from Queensland Fisheries website or from the local tackle shops.

If you would like to come up for a charter give us a call on 0418538170 or --e-mail address hidden--