Page 77 - BNB Fishing mag | May 2020

Drew Polderman with a nice barra.
WCape crusader’s Cooktown commendations ELL, g’day to you all. Congrat- cod and the occasional flathead.
ulations to Bush ‘n Beach Fish- Also on the southern side, Esk Creek
Cape York
by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON
However, given the number of Indigenous communities here it’s likely to be a stag- gered affair. Whatever happens, the annual post-wet season road repairs will be later than usual, which means the greater Cook- town region will be a prime destination.
With three caravan parks in town as well as motels, you can free camp at the racecourse. About a kilometre downstream from the boat ramp on the southern side of town, the Annan River is fairly shallow and is best navigated on the upper half of the tide.
In good weather and on a high tide, the southern side of Walker Bay is well worth fishing, especially with lures around man- groves and rocks.
Cooktown has to be one of the most
The mouth of the Annan can be fished for barramundi, bream, queenfish, trevally,
Upriver from the bridge, beware a large rock bar around the first bend. Fishing the edge at the aptly named ‘Crocodile Bend’ can be productive on a flood tide because fingermark inhabit the deep hole here.
* continued P78
Well, at the time of writing virus news was fairly positive, and I have a sense things will start opening up sooner than many expected. How things unfold on Cape York remains to be seen.
scenic coastal towns in Australia. It offers abundant river and reef fishing, and fea- tures a host of tempting attractions.
mud crabs, as well as the usual tropical marauders.
ing on their first digital edition. features very fishy-looking country and Great work! can produce quality mangrove jack and
Changing of the seasons on Cap Coast
* from P76
Fresh squid bait and slow-pitch jigs
Having a selection of spots to target fingermark will be an advantage.
in a high-risk category when it comes to coronavirus.
have been doing most of the damage if you’re looking for a few techniques to target them with.
Move to the first spot give it an hour or two wile constantly changing lures and then move on. Slow-pitch jigs work well, as do 150mm Samaki Vibelicious lures.
I know a few of the VMR operations around Queensland have shut down for this reason. Just keep this in mind if you’re thinking about heading out. The rules seem to change daily, so make sure you’re up to date.
Inshore, fingermark have been running well, which is typical for this time of year. Bait fishers have been choosing their structure, whether it be a wreck, rubble patch or headland and setting up for the night.
Another issue that has been raised with the current COVID-19 pandemic is the risk of not being rescued in the event of a breakdown.
Due to the crisis, the Fitzroy Barra Bash competition has been postponed. The new dates are October 7-9. I really hope the worst will be behind us by then because with the calibre of this com- petition at the right time of year, it will surely be a red-hot spectacle.
Arrow squid are attracted to deck lights, and some fishos even run their own dedicated squid light. Fingermark can’t resist a live squid.
You can get the boat in and out of the water no problem without having to talk to anyone or touch anything public, but what about the Volunteer Marine Rescue if you require assistance?
Targeting them on artificial baits will require a lot more time and patience.
Most of the champions who volunteer at the VMR are over 50. This puts them
I’ll keep you up to date with informa- tion as it becomes available.
www.bnb shing.com.au
Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2020 – Page 77