Larger tides should also see action on the mackerel front which could indicate some good fishing to Townsville's north. Burdekin Rock and Rattlesnake Island should produce some good Spanish Mackerel plus a mixture of other species including golden trevally and cobia. Local estuaries continue to provide anglers with varied winter species with pikey bream amongst most captures. Prawns are accounting for bream to a kilo. Live bait and lure enthusiasts targeting barra are finding most fish falling short of the legal minimum size of 58 cm.
Large flathead are about in numbers and responding to various baits and lures.
Lures such as 'flatz ratz' worked across the bottom slowly will produce results. Most local estuaries are holding fish as are many of the northern beaches - closer to home try Shelly Beach and Bays inside Cape Cleveland , these should be worth a look. Anglers looking for a change of pace can find quality fresh water fishing at numerous locations within accessible distance from town. The Burdekin Dam has been slow in recent months but anglers can expect to find both sooty Grunter and yellow belly in the gauge below the dam and sooty Grunter up stream in the Burdekin, above Lake Dalrymple . A feed of red claw cray fish is always a chance so don't forget the pots.