TOWNSVILLE fishing has been a bit average in the last month or so but fortunately it really looks like heating up this month.

The ‘creek crawlers’ who fish live mullet, herring or prawns in the Bohle, Haughton and Morrissey’s can expect barra and jacks as well as the odd fingermark. There’s also the ever-present estuary cod or bream, both of which are just about guaranteed catches if you’re using live prawns. Fish hard up against the rock bars in the Bohle and Haughton rivers. In Morrissey’s the shale pads and snags tend to be the preferred holding spots.

Other waterways that will start to fire this month include Crocodile, Alligator, Cocoa, Crystal, Cattle and Sandfly creeks.

Small black marlin and sailfish captures have kept game fisherman very happy. This month these fish should start to taper off in the inshore areas, but dedicated anglers who travel wide to the outer reefs and the shelf will still be rewarded with captures this month.

Cobia, Spanish mackerel, the odd wahoo and even a mahi mahi or two will begin to school around the popular Bowling Green Bay marks in October. Closer to home, reds and trevally will still be found around the Maggies Island shoals, and those fishos travelling further out around Keeper and Lodestone Reefs should come up with consistent catches of coral trout, red-throat emperor and school-sized Spaniards.

Cape Cleveland, Salamander Reef and associated rocks should still hold a few Spaniards early in the morning, but the packs of queenfish and trevally will surely make their presence felt.

Land-based anglers may still do all right around Townsville fishing The Strand, Ross River Creek or Pallarenda. However, my tip for catching more fish is to travel, because the further you get out of Townsville the less angling pressure there is on the fish. Buy a road map and check possible hot spots including boat ramps, beach access, bridges or jetties. Please be aware that some roads pass through private property, so get the owner’s permission. Work the incoming tides on the beaches and creek mouths for your best chance of success.

Due to a change in work commitments I’ll be leaving Townsville to work on a ‘fly in fly out’ basis out of Weipa. I’ve taken on a full-time guiding position up there and plan to write a few feature articles for QFM in future. I’ve handed over the column from next month to Dion Foreman. I wish him luck and extend an invitation to all our readers to look me up if you’re coming up to Weipa, and remember the age-old proverb – people in glass boats shouldn’t drop sinkers!

1) Estuary cod are common around Townsville.

2) Threadfin salmon are very seasonal catches around Townsville but dedicated fishos can still catch them.