Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Cairns (Australia)

The city of Cairns, considered the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is one of the best fishing destinations on earth. Knowing the best times and seasons to fish these insanely rich waters will make a big difference for your success.

The best time to fish near Cairns is May through November for Spanish mackerel, jack trevally, and wahoo. For big black marlin and mahi mahi, the best time is September through January.

Fish Species	Best Seasons to Fish Near Cairns
Black Marlin	The best fishing is available from September through December.
Mahi Mahi	September through January is the best season dolphin near Cairns.
Wahoo	The best fishing season is August through November for big wahoo.
Jack Trevally	June through November is the best fishing time for jack trevally near Cairns.
Spanish Mackerel	The best fishing season is May through November for big wahoo.

Fishing in Cairns can occur at different times or seasons of the year. But the best time to visit the city for your fishing adventure is during the summer and autumn seasons. You should target the months of June through November for your fishing trip in Cairns, as this is the time when you will get the most fish to catch.

Click here to see a complete guide to the best seasons to fish in Australia.

Best Times to Fish Cairns

The fishing season in Cairns runs through the summer months into the end of fall. You should visit the waters of Cairns during these seasons as it is the best time to fish the waters. Target anytime from June through November to enjoy your fishing in Cairns.

One more thing that can hinder the success of your fishing operations is the time of the day you fish Cairns. This can determine your level of success or failure when going about with your fishing activities. You should know the best time of the day to fish Cairns to ensure you make the most of your fishing operations.

The best time of the day to fish Cairns is during the active hours of the fish species in the waters. Fishing during the active times of the fish will give you the best chance against them. This is because fish species are more vulnerable when active and will mostly take the bite when they come across one.

Most fish species are most active during the early morning and late evening hours. Fishing during this time will provide you with the best chance of catching your preferred fish species. You can make your fishing operations an interesting one and your fishing trip a memorable one.

For a complete breakdown of the best seasons to fish in the Great Barrier Reef, check out this guide. For a guide on Sydney fishing each month, check out this article.

Recommended Fishing Charters in Cairns

These Cairns-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.

Recommended Fishing Charters	Type of Fishing Offered
Out N About Sportfishing	Inshore & Offshore
Sublime Sportfishing Adventures	Inshore & Offshore
Gone Fishing Cairns	Inshore & Offshore
All Tackle Sportfishing	Rivers, Wrecks, Flats & Nearshore
Gone Fishing Cairns	River Fishing
Hook Up Fishing Charters	River & Inshore
Port Douglas Sportfishing	Inshore & Offshore
Paradise Sportfishing Adventures	River & Inshore

Cairns Species Breakdown: Best Times

There are several fish species you will find in the waters of Cairns. And you can have them all to yourself by visiting the waters at the right season and the right time of the day. And with your perfect fishing skills and efficient fishing gear, you can enjoy your fishing operations and make them very memorable.

Here are fish species you can find and catch in the waters of Cairns.

Black Marlin

Fishing black marlins are best done during the autumn season and can extend till early winter. You should target September through December to make your fishing operation very successful. You can catch several black marlins during this season when you fish the waters of Cairns.

If you want to get your best chance against black marlins, you should fish during the early hours of the day. You should target the early hours of the morning from dawn till noon to make a tremendous catch. The evening hours do not provide any less success when fishing black marlins in Cairns.

There are several places to fish black marlins in Cairns, but you should visit the Great Barrier Reef if you want the best result. The reef houses several fish species and tons of black marlins. Catching black marlins at the reef can give you a memorable fishing experience.

Spanish Mackerel

Fishing Spanish mackerels can occur at any time of the year, but late spring through autumn can provide the best results. You should visit the waters of Cairns from May through November to make the best catch. You can enjoy and make the most of your fishing trip by catching Spanish mackerels in the waters.

The early mornings and late evenings hold the blessings of successful Spanish mackerel fishing operations. You should target the early hours of the morning from dawn till the sun rises to make a good catch. You can also explore the late evening hours for the best fishing operation in Cairns.

Cape Grafton is one of the near-perfect places for you to catch Spanish mackerels. You can visit Cape Grafton on your fishing trip to Cairns and catch as many Spanish mackerels as you want. You can also catch several other fish species at this fishing location.

Mahi Mahi

Fishing mahi mahi is best done during the autumn and winter months. The autumn and winter provide the best conditions for fishing mahi mahi in the waters of Cairns. You can start fishing mahi mahi from September through January and make a good catch of them.

Fishing mahi mahi in Cairns is best done during the early hours of the morning. You can fish between the tides during the morning hours to catch mahi-mahi. The evening hours also provide cool conditions for you to fish mahi mahi.

One of the places you should visit when fishing mahi mahi in Cairns is Kings Point. You can make your fishing trip in Cairns a memorable one by fishing mahi mahi at Kings Point. You will find several other anglers fishing the waters of Cairns, making your fishing operation full of fun.

Jack Trevally

Fishing trevallies provide the best results during the summer and autumn seasons. You can catch as many trevallies as you like under the perfect conditions the seasons provide, and you should target the months of June through November to make the best catch.

To make the best catch of trevallies, you have to target the early morning hours of the day. You can also fish trevallies during the late hours of the evening to make a good catch. You can give yourself the best fishing adventure by catching trevallies during the right hours.

Fishing trevallies in Cairns are highly promising and productive as more than enough places to catch them. You can visit Fitzroy Island to fish trevallies and several other fish species. You can make your fishing trip a memorable one by fishing the waters of Fitzroy.

Wahoo

You can begin your wahoo fishing from late summer through autumn to make a good catch. You can enjoy your wahoo fishing anytime from August through November in Cairns. You can also catch other fish species alongside the wahoo when fishing.

You should target the first light when fishing the waters of Cairns for wahoo. Fishing during the early morning hours can give you one of the best chances against wahoo in Cairns. You can also decide to fish through the water of Cairns during the evenings to make a perfect catch.

There are several places you can visit to catch wahoo at Cairns. One of the places to visit is the Trinity Inlet, where you can catch as many fish species as you want. You can create the best memories from fishing wahoo at the inlet.

Best Times of the Day to Fish Cairns

Fishing in Cairns is best done during the early morning hours and late hours of the night. You should fish the waters of Cairns anytime from dawn till noon for a good catch. You can also fish Cairns from the late evening till nightfall to enjoy your fishing operations.

Cairns Fishing & Tidal Impacts

The tides are one of the factors you should have on your side when fishing Cairns. The best time to fish Cairns is between the tides, and you should target between the high and low tides to make the best catch of several fish species.

Storms & Cairns Fishing

The storms are one of the factors you have to consider when fishing the waters of Cairns. The storm increases the activeness of many fish species and makes them ready to take a bite. You should fish the waters of Cairns after a storm for the best result.

Is Winter Fishing Good or Bad in Cairns?

Cairns supports winter fishing, which means you can make a tremendous catch of several fish species during winter. You can catch as many fish species as you want during the winter and make your fishing operations at Cairns a memorable one.

Night Fishing in Cairns

Fishing at night will also provide you with one of the best results in Cairns. You can catch several fish species during the night and add them to your fishing trophy list. You should visit the waters of Cairns during the night to enjoy the fun of fishing.

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons

Shore fishing is one of the common fishing practices in Cairns. Anglers and fishing enthusiasts visit the shores of Cairns to make a good catch. You can visit the shores of Cairns to catch several fish species and make your fishing operations super worthwhile.

Top 5 Fishing Spots in Cairns

There are several places you can explore your fishing skills and put them to work in Cairns. You can visit these fishing spots and make your fishing trip a memorable one. Here are some of the fishing spots in Cairns;

• Cape Grafton: The Cape Grafton is a perfect place for you when fishing in Cairns. This fishing location houses varieties of fish species that you can catch. You can visit Cape Grafton and have a memorable fishing adventure.
• Kings Point: You should visit Kings Point when you visit Cairns for your fishing trip. You will find several fish species and perfect scenery at this fishing location. You can create an adventurous fishing operation at this place.
• Great Barrier Reef: The Great Barrier Reef is one of the best fishing locations in Cairns. Many anglers fish the reef, making it suitable for your fishing activities.
• Fitzroy Island: Fitzroy Island is one of the places you shouldn’t fail to visit when fishing Cairns. You can make your fishing adventure a memorable one by fishing the island’s waters and catching as many fish species as you want.
• Trinity Inlet: The Trinity Inlet is also one of the places you should visit when fishing the waters of Cairns. Several anglers and fishing enthusiasts visit the waters of Trinity Inlet to catch different fish species. You can also visit the fishing location to catch several fish species.

Booking Charters in Cairns

Charters are one of the factors you should consider when fishing the waters of Cairns. You need a means of transportation when going on a fishing trip, and the best person to get that from is a charter agency with years of experience with the waters of Cairns. Booking a charter in cairns will enhance your fishing operations and assure high productivity and fishing results.

You will find several charter services in Cairns that you can choose from. You should choose a charter and enhance your fishing operations in Cairns.

Best Season to Go

You have to know the best season to book your charter if you want the best fishing operation in Cairns. Booking charters can enhance your fishing operations but only at an optimal level if you book the charter at the right season. You will be able to experience one of the best fishing trips by booking a charter during the appropriate season in Cairns.

The best season to book a charter is during the fishing season. Since the major reason for your trip to Cairns is fishing, the best time to book your charter is during the fishing season. Doing this will give you the best chance of success when fishing the waters of Cairns.

Book your charters anytime from summer through autumn for the best fishing operations. You should target June through October for your fishing trip in Cairns. With this, you can rest assured of getting the best fishing result you’ve longed for.

The summer and autumn are also some of the busiest seasons in Cairns. This makes fishing during these seasons full of fun and highly memorable. You can enjoy the events in the city and meet different people while going about your fishing operation. This can provide you with one of the best fishing adventures you’ve ever wanted.

Morning vs. Afternoon

You also need to know the best time of the day to book your charters in Cairns. You have to consider that everything you do needs to enhance your fishing operations. Once you take a step that does not enhance your fishing operations, you should know it is not your best option.

The best time to book your charter depends on the fish species you want to catch. You must consider the fish species and their active times when booking your charters. The best time of the day to book your charter is when they are active.

If you do not have any specific fish species to catch in mind, the morning hours are the best time to book your charters. Most fish species are usually active during the cool hours of the morning. So, booking your charters and fishing during this time will provide you with more success.

You can also book your charter in the afternoon as you can record high success also, but not as high as booking in the morning. Several other fish species are usually active in the afternoon, and you will find them in the waters of Cairns. Book your charters during the appropriate time of the day to enjoy your fishing operations in Cairns.