Far north Queensland reef fishing is at the mercy of swell through May and June, and a recent video from Ocean and Island Fishing Adventures shows what a good inshore Plan B looks like when the outer reef is off the table.
The host launched at Mariah Creek with the proper reef ruled out for the day. "It's actually no wind at all, but a little bit of swell out there," he said. "So we're just going to staying close." The destination was King Reef, the closer reef off Caramine Beach, accessed via Mariah Creek with a cast-net stop for live bait on the way.
The bait session went well. A single throw of the net produced a live well full of herring, plus a handful of mullet for variety. On a small rock close to structure, a live herring on a drifted line produced a solid hookup within minutes. The fish unbuttoned but was estimated at three to four kilos — possibly a red emperor. The host's mate Jay landed a 42cm fingermark for the keeper of the rock session, alongside several missed strikes from bigger fish.
The move back into the creek delivered the highlight. Live herrings in the rod holders, drifted into mangrove edges, produced two mangrove jack in around five minutes. "We got a big jack. Cracky jack," the host called on the first one, netting a 40cm model. Jay was on shortly after. "Two jacks in about what? Five minutes," the host said, panning the camera across.
The useful takeaway for visiting anglers is structural. Cast-net herring on the way out, fish them live around inshore rock and creek edges, and accept that the outer-reef fish will wait. The smaller mixed bag close in is more than enough to justify the day.