queensland Cracking Cairns Cod

[tugger]

Spent a day out on the reef with a mate from Cairns we got a weather window and my wife and I were the deckies for the day. We started fishing before the sun came up but the sharks were early rises to. We lost good fish either big nannies or red emperor to the tax man.

We moved as soon as the sharks hit our fish but Callum got a good trout. Then he got a double hook up the top hook getting a red emperor and the bottom a coral trout.

I was next on with a good fish but as it battled more the nerves started thinking the tax man could be close. To my surprise a cod surfaced and I landed a top Cattle Dog cod. I have been after one of these beautiful fish for a long time so high fives Allround.

My wife Sheryl was on next and it turned out to be another big trout.

Callum bagged another couple of trout also then we called time on the fishing. We went for a snorkel on the beautiful Opal reef this is the best reef I have ever visited. We jumped in and the fish life was insane we saw moari wrasse, big coral trout everywhere and clown fish in their anemone. There was so many colourful fish it was hard to know where to look. 

THe coral were vibrant even some of the soft corals I have never seen before. There was a giant clam shell with iridescent purple inside on its soft muscle. I didn't want to leave but after a long swim my wife tired so we headed home. I'm definately coming back to FNQ.

[natang]

Sounds like a cracking spot for a snorkel but some bloody amazing fish there! 

[kmcrosby78]

Congrats on the cattle dog cod @tugger and great to see Sheryl getting amongst the trout . Did you leave from Cairns or Port Douglas - either way, how far roughly? Also, out of interest, is it inside a green zone? 

Enjoy the rest of the trip mate, nice time of the year to be up there .

[tugger]

1 hour ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Congrats on the cattle dog cod @tugger and great to see Sheryl getting amongst the trout . Did you leave from Cairns or Port Douglas - either way, how far roughly? Also, out of interest, is it inside a green zone? 

Enjoy the rest of the trip mate, nice time of the year to be up there .

Left from Cairns we did plenty of km looking for fish there is a mix of zones even where we snorkeled there was different zones on Opal reef.

[jon]

Unreal Tugger , what an adventure and that is by far the biggest cattle dog cod I’ve ever seen well done mate

[Ed.]

Congrats Tugger, excellent fish, that will fill up your freezer for a while.

[Old Scaley]

Looks like you are having a top trip up north, Mark. Congrats on the cod, it is a beauty in all senses of the word. Good to see Sheryl getting amongst them.

[tugger]

14 hours ago, jon said:

Unreal Tugger , what an adventure and that is by far the biggest cattle dog cod I’ve ever seen well done mate

Thanks Sef they get big up here

[tugger]

12 hours ago, Ed. said:

Congrats Tugger, excellent fish, that will fill up your freezer for a while.

All gone now just had our second meal of it but had my niece's around tonight for dinner so lasted a week

[tugger]

10 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Looks like you are having a top trip up north, Mark. Congrats on the cod, it is a beauty in all senses of the word. Good to see Sheryl getting amongst them.

Thanks Steve we are have a great trip and Sheryl is turning into a true salty warrior

[kmcrosby78]

On 23/06/2021 at 10:16 PM, tugger said:

Left from Cairns we did plenty of km looking for fish there is a mix of zones even where we snorkeled there was different zones on Opal reef.

Realised I didn't quite manage to type what I intended to, but you appear to have worked out what I was asking thankfully .... . The question was referring to whether where you snorkelled was in a green zone . Going to have to get up that way sometime, looks SENSATIONAL!!!!

[Drop Bear]

So good mate. I saw this  on Facey but couldn't see the water. So perfect. 

Im really glad you are having such a great trip mate. Well done. 

[GregN70]

Never seen that type of cod before, we certainly don't seem to get these around Yeppoon. Might be a deeper water species as its easier to get to deeper water off cairns than it is Yeppoon.

[tugger]

11 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

So good mate. I saw this  on Facey but couldn't see the water. So perfect. 

Im really glad you are having such a great trip mate. Well done. 

It's been full on but loving it we have seen and done so much fishing has taken a back seat but we did squeeze in this trip

[tugger]

8 hours ago, GregN70 said:

Never seen that type of cod before, we certainly don't seem to get these around Yeppoon. Might be a deeper water species as its easier to get to deeper water off cairns than it is Yeppoon.

It was in 50m you get them off 1770 just south of you

[GregN70]

7 hours ago, tugger said:

It was in 50m you get them off 1770 just south of you

I might have to go back & try, I find it very crowded there at 1770.  I stopped going there as it’s very expensive to stay there & it takes 3hrs to launch your boat amongst the crowd.

And we caught stuff all, lol. But what’s new.  

[tugger]

1 hour ago, GregN70 said:

I might have to go back & try, I find it very crowded there at 1770.  I stopped going there as it’s very expensive to stay there & it takes 3hrs to launch your boat amongst the crowd.

And we caught stuff all, lol. But what’s new.  

I've never waited that long to launch at 1770 only minutes every time but we do leave just before dawn and I've been going there for 10 years and haven't noticed a change sure the carpark gets full we just get in early. I normally just stay in a caravan park the night before we set off from the ramp it's cheap enough then stay on our boats out on the reef as we like to just pick weather windows good enough to fish for a couple of days.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi tugger

Sounds like you are living the dream - a huge cod and an awesome trip around Australia! 

I have not yet had much luck fishing this hols, hopefully soon I will, but I just got back from camping, and tomorrow I’m going up to Yeppoon for a couple of days, and then a three night Scout Camp. Yay! 
Cheers Hamish

[benno573]

On 25/06/2021 at 10:51 PM, tugger said:

It was in 50m you get them off 1770 just south of you

Also get them out off Fraser as well - believe they are also known as purple Maori cod? Only ever caught one - nothing like that size though, that is a horse @tugger and boy do they eat well. 

[Drop Bear]

On 27/06/2021 at 7:01 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

and tomorrow I’m going up to Yeppoon for a couple of days, and then a three night Scout Camp. Yay! 

Living the dream. Enjoy mate. 

[tugger]

On 27/06/2021 at 7:01 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi tugger

Sounds like you are living the dream - a huge cod and an awesome trip around Australia! 

I have not yet had much luck fishing this hols, hopefully soon I will, but I just got back from camping, and tomorrow I’m going up to Yeppoon for a couple of days, and then a three night Scout Camp. Yay! 
Cheers Hamish

Just tripping around mighty Queensland Hamish good luck if you get out again

[tugger]

On 07/07/2021 at 12:11 PM, benno573 said:

Also get them out off Fraser as well - believe they are also known as purple Maori cod? Only ever caught one - nothing like that size though, that is a horse @tugger and boy do they eat well. 

Thanks Benno going to be hard to beat now for me