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I will never forget the first time I fished the Daintree River in the late dry season of 1959. We set out early one morning (from near the ferry) in a shallow draft 3.2 metre timber flattie. It leaked so much water we were flat out bailing it out - a task that became even more crucial when a rather large crocodile took a passing interest. The speed of the twin Armstrong outboard was no help either.
Later in the morning I hooked up to the biggest barramundi in the world when it took a Bellbrook Swayback lure - the only lure I had. I lost that barra (and a couple more) before I managed to land one. That fish wasn't that big really but was much larger than any other fish I had ever caught.
I cut my teeth on eeltail catfish, yellowbelly and Dawson River saratoga in the south of the State, and barra where only figments of imagination in my mind till that day in the Daintree.
I later fished the Gulf country in the 1960's and caught more barra than I can possible remember. But that first fishing trip on the Daintree River has stuck with me ever since, and I still get a kick out of the place whenever I fish it.
The river carries enormous schools of batfishes - mullet, hardyheads and herrings - under certain tides and conditions. When this happens, especially in the evening, there is an audible feeding frenzy as barramundi, tarpon, trevally and queenfish rip into the schools.
The fishing in the Daintree River is brilliant, though it is not an easy river to fish. It offers the whole spectrum of tropical species. Near the mouth and in parts of the delta, mackerel, barracuda, fingermark and javelin grunter, black jew and several species of cod, sharks and cobia are in residence.
There's about 27km of water between the Daintree Village and the river mouth, whilst the upper tidal reach extends about 12km beyond the village. During the Dry, the tidal reach upstream pass the village drops quickly, and unwary anglers are often stranded on one of the many sand bars. Small barra, mangrove jack, sooty grunter and jungle perch are present - though the upper river is very shallow during the dry season and is best fished during and just after the Wet when the freshwater flow is higher.
The notable variety of fish species is due to the proximity of both fresh and saltwater, the combination of tropical rainforest and one of the richest mangrove ecosystems in the tropics. The river rises in the Main Coast Range (1,378n) behind the township of Mossman. From here it commences its meandering flow north, before swinging east, than south and east again through the mangrove delta on its final leg into Trinity Bay.
Below Daintree Village, a number of mostly nameless creeks - mere pen scratches on a map - flow into the tidal reach. Some carry good flows of fresh rainforest water whilst others are tidal.
There is beautiful mountain rainforest country beyond the mangrove zone - especially on the relatively undisturbed northern bank. Cane fields extend right to the edge on the south bank of the river from the ferry back to the Daintree Road. There is no bridge across the river and the only natural vehicle crossing (4WD only) is on the CREB Track, 12km north from the village. Downstream, the Cape Tribulation Ferry shuttles traffic north to Cape Tribulation and back. Beyond the ferry the river opens up, splits around several islands, and flows over extensive mud and sand flats, whilst large tidal mangrove creeks discharge into the estuary proper. Its splendid fishing country, coupled to what the first explorer termed - "the most beautiful river in all the colony."
The Wind:
But, as with all fishing, the vagaries of the moon - tides, sun and rain, barometric pressure, temperature, wind direction, time of the year and salinity - play a part in any successful fishing outing on this river.
The Daintree rainforest gets a lot of rain, much of it falling in the Dry. When the south - east trade wind blows, it picks up moisture from the Coral Sea and the coastal mountain ranges act as a trigger for the release: they are the second highest ranges in Australia. When conditions are right - it rains, and may do so for days. In fact, an annual average of 220 rain days are recorded in this Wet Tropics Region.
Rain can be daunting, and during the winter it is cold and wet for those brave enough to face a fishing trip on the river. You also learn to analysis the wind conditions so you are making the most of the good spots from Yule Point through to Cape Kimberley, north from the Daintree River.
But the windy conditions do not affect all systems. Saltwater, Dip and Muddy Creeks and the Mossman and Mowbray Rivers have protected bays. Though smaller in nature, these mangrove-lined waterways offer sheltered fishing when the southeast trades are blowing up a gale. This is something to keep in mind when fishing the region.
In windy winter conditions you want to find shallow sheltered bays that warm quickly. Also those with high shorelines mean better shelter from the strong wind.
While you are at it, I suggest you look for those waters where the freshwater meets the salt. These tend to be very rewarding when you are fishing.
However, I know many locals who won't fish these waters unless the moon phase is just right. That's OK for them, but frankly I fish when I feel like it and still get results whether the moon is in the right orbit or not. I still catch fish - end of story!
Lets face it, the fish get very hungry and it's unlikely they're going to wait for the right moon phases to get their take-away. As far I know fish don't fast!
The Barra:
Barramundi is the fish that most people want to catch. And the places to catch 'em are around the sheltered bays, edges of mud and sandbars, creek mouths, headlands and along the mangrove fringes.
Rapala, Reidy's, Nilsmaster, Killalea, Lurh Jensen, RMG and Mann are the best lures for barra. Many locals also use live herrings, mullet and prawns. Live herrings fished on the edge of the drop-offs and in deeper holes at low tide, are my personal favourite, especially in winter. The best method of securing live bait is with a cast net. But beware of crocodiles that also call these waters home.
Tarpon:
There is some very spectacular runs of this fish in this region - especially the Daintree itself on an incoming morning tides. They can be difficult to approach and stealth is essential to get close enough to cast a lure or fly.
Tiny metal silver slivers and Rapala Rattle-Traps are ideal.
Alternatively small 1/0 flies, with a bright silver or white colour also work very well. White Deceivers, prawn and crab patterns also work fine.
The tarpon are big and stout, and I have caught a personal best of 81cm length. Mangrove jacks are common and big and can be caught on lures, flies and live baits.
The Others:
Fingermark and grunter will take a variety of dead baits, but the best bait is a live herring or prawn. Use a 3/0 to 4/0 wide gap Mustad hook and a 30 kg mono leader. Put a lead ball sinker on the top end of the leader and tie it off with a granny knot to stop it sliding onto the bait. This is a simple and effective rig that works for most fish in the region, including barramundi.
While the flats can be worked for grunter, many of the bigger fish come from deeper pockets along mangrove shorelines during low tide. I use my Eagle 240 Fishfinder to locate fish in the deep holes, however they don't always show up on the sounder since they're hiding under the mangrove roots and cutaways. However these places are worth a try, especially with live, or even dead bait.
Live herrings are wonderful bait for school mackerel and golden trevally at the mouth of the rivers and creeks, especially in the morning - before the wind blows up.
Trevallies are common in the currents flowing off sandbars and flats during the change of tides. High and low periods can be fished by moving up or downstream with the flow - as the tide runs out or in over the flats.
Within sight of the Daintree River mouth is Snapper Island and Cape Kimberley. On calm days it is possible to take a dinghy there, but ensure you have the regulated safety gear on board. Some good fishing can be experienced around the island and some very noted mackerel and jew fish have come from the corals reefs around it.
Along the coast and in the estuary, Spanish mackerel, trevally, queenfish, cobia and barracuda can be caught over many shallow sand bars. On low tides, it's possible to cast to hungry marauders as they ambush baitfish that are washed from the drying sandbars. When you strike conditions like this be prepared for some hot sizzling action.
I have caught trout and fingermark from the reefs at Cape Kimberly, Snapper Island, and those between Cooya Beach and Yule Point; using live herring and mullet collected along the beaches - and on lures.
Black jew, triple-tail cod and other bottom dwelling species can be caught in the deeper holes along the beaches between the Daintree and Mowbray Rivers. Many land-based anglers catch these fish direct from the beaches under the right conditions.
Top Spots:
From Flagstaff Lookout, at Port Douglas, the glorious view of Four Mile Beach to Yule Point, and west to Dickson Inlet to the Daintree River, unfolds with the high mountain backdrop of the Daintree National Park.
Yule Point, with its extensive shallow tidal flats and the fringing Alexandra Reef is a popular fishing spot, while the southern end of Four Mile Beach is a classic tidal fishing flat. The rocks at the north end of the beach shelters bait, and in turn attracts pelagics, which can be caught right around the rocky headlands of Island Point to Dickson Inlet, only a stone throw away from downtown Port Douglas.
Cooyar Beach is a popular bait fishing spot, while between it and Port Douglas, is extensive mud and sand flats which extend into the mangroves delta of Dip and Muddy Creeks and Dickson Inlet. Besides excellent fishing there are some great crabbing moments as well. In fact, all the coastal streams have good mud crabs.
The large mangrove crocodile realms of the combined Dickson Inlet, Muddy and Dip Creek estuaries are fished best on incoming tides, as there is a risk of being stranded at low tide on the mud and sand flats which sweep from the Inlet to Cooya Beach.
Beyond the Mossman River lies Newell Beach; which spans to Saltwater Creek Inlet. Farther north, the Wonga and Pinnacle Villages, give access to some fine beach fishing right to the mouth of the Daintree River. Many of the more recognizable equivalents of southern species like flathead, bream and whiting, are caught alongside the tropical game and food fishes from the beaches. This is magic fishing country as the whole region, between Yule Point and Cape Kimberley to the north, can provide a lifetime of fishing for anyone willing to tackle it.
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