General News
20 August, 2026
Lots of nannygai in estuaries
ESTUARY and freshwater spots still popular, while offshore better due to weather.
Freshwater
FRESHWATER fishing in our local area is firing up due to the warmer weather we have had last week or so.
Plenty of big sooty grunter and jungle perch are being caught mostly on topwater lures, the Jackson R.A. Popper continues to be the standout lure.
Working the lure quickly is seeming to get the best reaction bites.
Now the water is warming up we should start seeing some great surface fishing.
Estuary
BARRAMUNDI fishing has been fantastic this last week.
I was lucky enough to have some time off and chase them.
The barra are schooling up in big numbers now, making them quite easy to find on a good sounder. Most of the barra I have found were on big lay down trees in the deeper water.
Most bites were on smaller prawn Imation lures, such as the Samaki live shrimp and the atomic plazos, just a slow steady wind got the best relations.
Mangrove jacks have been extremely aggressive and plenty are being caught snag-bashing mangrove edges. The Jackall Squirrel 79 did the damage for me.
This time of year the mangrove jack seems to really like a suspending jerk bait.
Flathead are seemingly slowed up possibly due to the warmer water, but a few are still getting around the river mouths and sandbars.
Offshore
WE had a fantastic break in the weather over the last week and plenty of people got out and did very well.
Plenty of big nannygai were caught, along with the occasional red emperor. Coral trout where also out in numbers in the shallower waters on isolated bommies.
Spanish mackerel were reported out in force also, mainly being caught drifting pillies and casting metal slugs.
There have also been heaps of humpback whales being sighted.
It’s a great time of year for whale watching as the whales make their way through during their migration.
Overall, the offshore fishing was fantastic. There’s certainly a lot of happy reef fisherman now. Let’s hope the good weather continues.
Tight lines, be safe and good luck.
– Ryan Sanger, Tackle World Tully
Read More: Cassowary Coast