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Cairns Fishing

Cairns Fishing

Cairns is the destination for many anglers who seek to catch a Black Marlin, and is known as the Black Marlin Capital of the World. With excellent estuaries, Great Barrier Reef, and Continental Shelf just off its shore, Cairns delivers many different options for fishing.

Fishing offshore Cairns for Black Marlin is best between September and December. Yellowfin Tuna are around all year long, and Dogtooth Tuna are thick the last half of the year. December through February are ideal for Blue Marlin and Sailfish, which also corresponds to the Mahi-mahi (Dolphinfish) and Wahoo season.

Reef fishing is excellent all year round with species like Coral Trout, Giant Trevally, Nannygai, Red Emperor, and Tricky Snapper, but the highlight is June through September. Near shore you can expect to catch Spanish and Spotted Mackerel.

The rivers and creeks around Cairns offers Blue Salmon, Flathead, Mangrove Jacks, Estuary Cod, Queenfish, and School Trevally. Barramundi are also found in this area and are most active during the breeding season between October and February.


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Cairns Fishing Forecast

Target Species of Fish

Based on historical data for fishing Cairns, you should target one of the following species for this time of year:

  1. Black Marlin

    2. Black Marlin

    There is a 41.8% catch rate for Black Marlin, based on 51 Black Marlin counted.

    Cairns Black Marlin Counts Chart
    Black

    ENLARGE CAIRNS BLACK MARLIN COUNTS CHART


  2. Coral Trout

    3. Coral Trout

    There is a 18.03% catch rate for Coral Trout, based on 22 Coral Trout counted.

    Cairns Coral Trout Counts Chart
    Coral

    ENLARGE CAIRNS CORAL TROUT COUNTS CHART


  3. Sailfish

    4. Sailfish

    There is a 10.66% catch rate for Sailfish, based on 13 Sailfish counted.

    Cairns Sailfish Counts Chart
    Sailfish

    ENLARGE CAIRNS SAILFISH COUNTS CHART


  4. Fingermark Bream

    5. Fingermark Bream

    There is a 8.2% catch rate for Fingermark Bream, based on 10 Fingermark Bream counted.

    Cairns Fingermark Bream Counts Chart
    Fingermark

    ENLARGE CAIRNS FINGERMARK BREAM COUNTS CHART


  5. Two Spot Red Snapper

    6. Two Spot Red Snapper

    There is a 4.92% catch rate for Two Spot Red Snapper, based on 6 Two Spot Red Snapper counted.

    Cairns Two Spot Red Snapper Counts Chart
    Two

    ENLARGE CAIRNS TWO SPOT RED SNAPPER COUNTS CHART


  6. Barramundi

    7. Barramundi

    There is a 4.1% catch rate for Barramundi, based on 5 Barramundi counted.

    Cairns Barramundi Counts Chart
    Barramundi

    ENLARGE CAIRNS BARRAMUNDI COUNTS CHART


  7. Flounder

    8. Flounder

    There is a 4.1% catch rate for Flounder, based on 5 Flounder counted.

    Cairns Flounder Counts Chart
    Flounder

    ENLARGE CAIRNS FLOUNDER COUNTS CHART


  8. Bluespotted Trevally

    9. Bluespotted Trevally

    There is a 1.64% catch rate for Bluespotted Trevally, based on 2 Bluespotted Trevally counted.

    Cairns Bluespotted Trevally Counts Chart
    Bluespotted

    ENLARGE CAIRNS BLUESPOTTED TREVALLY COUNTS CHART


  9. Crimson Snapper

    10. Crimson Snapper

    There is a 1.64% catch rate for Crimson Snapper, based on 2 Crimson Snapper counted.

    Cairns Crimson Snapper Counts Chart
    Crimson

    ENLARGE CAIRNS CRIMSON SNAPPER COUNTS CHART


  10. Giant Trevally

    11. Giant Trevally

    There is a 1.64% catch rate for Giant Trevally, based on 2 Giant Trevally counted.

    Cairns Giant Trevally Counts Chart
    Giant

    ENLARGE CAIRNS GIANT TREVALLY COUNTS CHART


Recommendations above based on 13 species of fish and 122 fish counted for September around Cairns.

To date, there are 56 species of fish and a total of 1653 fish counted for Cairns and within a 30 mile (48 km) radius since 8/1/1875 (148 years).

Last Update: 9/23/2023 2:52:18 AM

*** PLEASE NOTE ***
Please check local, state/province, and federal laws before fishing for any species found on this site. All data is based on historical data found for this area, and in some cases as far back as the year 1600.

View full Cairns Fishing Forecast to see all species.

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Top Cairns Fishing Spots
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The Top 10 Fishing Spots for Cairns are the following:

  1. Pixie Reef

  2. Batt Reef
    Batt Reef

  3. Vlasoff Reef
    Vlasoff Reef

  4. Arlington Reef

  5. Koala
    Koala

  6. Ellis Beach North

  7. Akaroa
    Akaroa

  8. Oyster Reef

  9. Yule Reef
    Yule Reef

  10. Arlington Reef South

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Bait & Tackle

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Charters & Guides

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Marinas

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Top Cairns Bait & Tackle Stores

  1. Bransfords Discount Tackle Shop
    Located in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, Bransfords Discount Tackle Shop specialise in good service, and will give you honest, no-bull advise on fishing tackle equipment ranging from rods, reels, combos, any type of fishing line, lures, hooks, sinke
  2. Tackle World Cairns
    With over 20 years serving the local fishing community the modern and fully stocked CAIRNS TACKLE WORLD caters for all styles of fishing and species. From the western rivers and coastal sweet water rivers chasing the Sooty Grunter, Jungle Perch,and o

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Top Cairns Fishing Charters & Guides

  1. KEKOA Sports Fishing
    KEKOA is a 56 foot O’Brien Boat custom built for the Cairns Marlin Fishing (Giant Black Marlin) season and integrates luxury, quality and comfort to cater for all your individual charter experiences.
  2. Iona Game Fishing Australia
    Iona Game Fishing Australia offers the optimum in fishing charters in Australia from as far north as Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, following the migrating marlin along the East Coast of Australia to as far south as Port Stephens and Newcastle.
  3. Ross Finlayson Marlin Charters
    Ross Finlayson is one of Australia's leading marlin and sportfishing captains. With more than 23 years professional game fishing experience. Captain Ross provides exclusive marlin and game fishing charters directly from Cairns year round on the G
  4. Cairns Fishing Charters
    Cairns Fishing Charters is a locally owned and operated fishing charter business based at The Marlin Marina, Cairns, in beautiful Far North Queensland. We take pride in giving our passengers an enjoyable, reef and deep sea fishing charter experien
  5. Shikari Expeditions
    Wether your ambition is to target the "Grander" Black Marlin or catch the most remarkable sport fish on the Great Barrier Reef - Big Game can customise an amazing experience.
  6. Fish Tales' Charters

  7. Fishing Cairns
    Whether your goal is to land a "grander" black marlin out from the continental shelf, or Australia's premier light tackle sportfish, the famous barramundi up the creek, or a prime-eating reef dweller from the largest fish attractor on t
  8. Cairns Reef Charter Services

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Top Cairns Marinas

  1. Cairns Marlin Marina
    Australia's premier marina, Cairns Marlin Marina provides first-class facilities and customer service for a diverse fleet including some of the world's most advanced super yachts.
  2. Yorkeys Knob Boating Club
    Yorkeys Knob Boating Club is located at Yorkeys Knob, one of the northern beachside suburbs of Cairns – just 15 minutes from the Cairns CBD and easily accessible by land or sea. The 197 berth marina was constructed in 1994 and is nestled in the pi

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Brown Trout
Wahoo
Cobia
Tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpon

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