Hinchinbrook

Fine time for fingermark

HINCHINBROOK Ian Moody

info@ianmoodyfishing.com

There have been many signs this year of an early wet season and so far it has shown to be pretty much the case. It’s also a great time of year to be chasing fingermark, aka golden snapper or spotted scale sea the first species to usually vanish further out to sea.

My favourite live baits are the greenback herring or Cooktown herring, the bigger the better too. A mono drawstring castnet used around areas such as the pylons in front of the Marina, the navigational marker for the wreck over near Hecate Point on Hinchinbrook Island or the pylons marking the you throw your net in case you end up with a net of very small size herrings that get stuck very easily in the mesh and die easily. Being quick to get them from the net to a good sized bait tank makes all the difference.

There has been an extra intensity of sharks too this time of year, they are just everywhere and it can be quite difficult if you’re fishing deeper water for species like fingermark. I find it’s best once you lose a fish or two to sharks to just move on somewhere else.

Heading out at night can be more pleasant than being baked during the day. If you do, keep a keen eye out for storms this time of year, which can build up and come out of nowhere whether day or night. You will have to make a fairly quick decision if you have to travel 20 or 30 miles to shelter!

With the incredible heatwaves in between rain periods this time of year, it sends our water temps soaring. One species that loves this is the mangrove jack. Close encounters in timber can be interesting upon hook up. Whether it’s from a retrieved lure or weedless plastic to a live bait, it can be a real challenge to turn them if there is structure nearby. However, in saying that they can be caught even out in areas on mudflats adjacent to areas of timber being left high and dry at low tide.

There has been the occasional thready kicking around but they haven’t been anywhere near as thick as years gone by. Best areas I have found them are usually in junctions where deep holes get scoured out from colliding currents. Usually ones 10m or deeper seem to hold good numbers. Always look on the up current side into the hole or ledge as that is where they will usually hold up. I’m looking forward to trying out the new Berkely Shimma Shrimp soft vibes in the 120mm size on the threadfin salmon during December. I reckon they will

Henry Davison with a typical Hinchinbrook fingermark.

perch. However, up here at Hinchinbrook it’s best to get in and target them when you can before any real deluge of rain arrives as when floodwaters inundate the channel, fingermark are entrance to Number 7 Creek in Missionary Bay, usually hold massive numbers of them. It sometimes pays to have a good set of photochromatic sunnies on you to have a look at what size they are before It’s best to target fingermark before the rains drive them further out to sea.

Marcus was very pleased with his 87cm capture. be a big hit.

I hope you all have an awesome Christmas and Happy New Year and indulge in plenty of fine seafood we have to offer here on our doorstep. See you in the New Year. • If you’re looking to do a charter with us during January or the start of the 2022 open barra season in February, Bookings are filling up quick so now is a good time to get in and get your name down on some good dates. For bookings please email us at info@ ianmoodysportfishing.com or phone myself directly on 0402 339 459.

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