Cardwell township is at the north end of Hinchinbook Channel, which runs for 45km between Hinchinbrook Island and the mainland.

Cardwell is about 200km south of Cairns, about half way between Cairns and Townsville.

The Cardwell region has boat ramps that give boating access to the channel, the Great Barrier Reef and, importantly, to Missionary Bay on the northern end of Hinchinbrook Island.

Goold Island lies 16km from Cardwell. Further out are the Brook Islands, but these are in a green zone.

While the channel and Missionary Bay are arguably the main fishing attractions out of Cardwell, there is offshore fishing 50km out at Kennedy Shoal and a little further at Otter Reef. These are part of the Great Barrier Reef.

The island’s Missionary Bay is a 25km run from Cardwell, but you’ll travel much further exploring the various creeks, so take plenty of fuel.

The shallow creeks and flats produce estuary fish, with sight fishing opportunities for barramundi, queenfish, trevally and more.

The bay should only be visited in calm weather, it is in the lee of south-easters but the 5km channel crossing can be rough.

Much of Hinchinbrook Channel is relatively sheltered, with hundreds of kilometres of mangrove-lined creeks to explore.

Closer to Cardwell, Port Hinchinbrook rock walls produce big barramundi, cod, mangrove jacks, bream and trevally.

As well as great fishing, the channel has superb scenery, with a backdrop of rainforest-covered mountains.

This tropical location has heavy rainfall and high humidity in summer, and cooler dry weather in winter.

The area is sometimes hit by summer cyclones, which bring prolonged heavy rain that is good for fishing on the long term, but a deluge of fresh water can knock the fishing out for a while.

Species caught in the channel and island creeks include barramundi, queenfish, salmon, mangrove jacks, trevally, permit, fingermark, grunter and cod.

Mud crabs and prawns are usually abundant, with seasonal variations.

The channel is a huge area, about 6km across at its widest point, so there are usually places to fish away from other boats.

Prevailing winds at the time may help choose your location.

Casting baits or lures to the mouths of mud drains as the tide flows out is an effective method for catching barramundi during bigger tides.

Trolling quietly up creeks also works well on smaller tides when the water is clear. An electric motor is useful for this.

On a large incoming tide look for baitfish or predator activity along flats edges.

Drifting along creeks with the current and casting lures to snags is a very popular fishing method for catching barramundi, mangrove jacks and cod.

Rocky foreshores and rock walls are always worth fishing.

The water in the channel, depending on prevailing winds, can be quite clear on the flats, allowing for good sight fishing.

Local sardines, herring and small mullet are the ideal livebaits and will almost always produce fish if dropped at a creek mouth or near a decent snag.

Deep grounds yield fingermark and jewfish.

Though Hinchinbrook tides are not huge, with 3m of movement being a big tide within the channel, strong currents flow, so fish deeper areas at the turn of the tide.

Use a sounder to locate bottom fish.

Avoid crossing the channel when wind and tide are opposed, as it may be rough.

The channel really fires after big wet seasons, when the freshwater has subsided.

Dry years bring slower fishing as the bait cycle winds down.

Cyclones produce fallen mangrove timber, and the horizontal logs often hold a barramundi or two, or mangrove jacks.

This area has large crocodiles, so take care when fishing. Crocs can show up on seaward beaches too.

There is no nearby stocked dam in this area, the nearest is Koombooloomba located further north towards Cairns.

Get the best Hinchinbrook fishing spots in the North Australian FISH FINDER book of fishing maps.

Cardwell boat ramps

There are four ramps in this area, at Port Hinchinbrook, Sheridan Street, Fishers Creek and Meunga.

The main boat ramp is Port Hinchinbrook. Its pretty easy to find, follow the signs to Port Hinchinbrook, there are multiple lanes, with floating pontoon, and usually enough parking.

Sheridan Street is an exposed, sealed beach ramp.

Meunga ramp is in Coral Sea Drive, Cardwell.

Fishers Creek ramp is off the Bruce Highway into the top of a tidal creek.

Hinchinbrook coastguard

Ingham Volunteer Coast Guard – VHF Channel 16 or VHF Channel 81

Hinchinbrook accommodation

Local accommodation tends to sell out well ahead of holidays so get in early.

Cardwell tides
Hinchinbrook Island National Park
Great Barrier Reef zone map
Qld dam water levels
Qld stocked dam permits
Queensland fishing regulations

Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Lucinda is at the east end of the impressive Hinchinbrook Channel, which runs inside Hinchinbrook Island.

The island is roughly half way between Cairns and Townsville.

Dungeness boat ramp is Lucinda’s gateway to fishing in the channel and the nearby Great Barrier Reef.

Lucinda is known for its almost 6km-long industrial jetty, the 660 pylons of which hold some big fish.

This is a bulk sugar loading facility, the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere.

The area around the jetty can only be fished by boat.

Adjacent to the sugar jetty is a smaller jetty which can be fished by landbased anglers.

Expect spanish mackerel, trevally, queenfish, tuna, barramundi and fingermark around the jetties.

Lucinda fishing wharf is near Borello Park, in Lucinda, and there are barbecues, picnic shelters, toilets, a playground and walking trails, perfect for family fishos.

Dungeness has a four-lane concrete all-tide boat ramp with large parking area.

For boaters, Hinchinbrook Channel is relatively sheltered with hundreds of kilometres of mangrove-lined creeks and flats.

Being located away from major population centres the channel sees less fishing pressure than metro spots, but nonetheless it is hugely popular.

The channel is a huge area, about 6km across at its widest point, so there are usually places to fish away from other boats.

Prevailing winds may help choose your location.

If it is windy, cross the channel when the tide ebbs, as it will be calmer.

Species caught in the channel and island creeks include barramundi, queenfish, salmon, mangrove jacks, trevally, permit, fingermark, grunter, giant herring and cod.

Mud crabs and prawns are usually abundant, with seasonal variations.

Casting baits or lures to the mouths of mud drains as the tide flows out is an effective method for catching barramundi during bigger tides.

Trolling quietly up creeks also works well on smaller tides when the water is clear. An electric motor is useful for this.

On a large incoming tide look for baitfish or predator activity along flats edges.

Drifting along creeks with the current and casting lures to snags is a very popular fishing method for catching barramundi, mangrove jacks and cod.

Rocky foreshores and rock walls are always worth fishing.

The water in the channel, depending on prevailing winds, can be quite clear on the flats, allowing for good sight fishing.

Local sardines, herring and small mullet are the ideal livebaits and will almost always produce fish if dropped at a creek mouth or near a decent snag.

Deep grounds yield fingermark and jewfish, especially where there is gravel or bottom structure.

Though Hinchinbrook tides are not huge, with 3m of movement being a big tide within the channel, strong currents flow, so fish deeper areas at the turn of the tide.

Use a sounder to locate bottom fish.

Hinchinbrook is a tropical location with heavy summer rainfall and high humidity, with cooler dry weather in winter.

The area is sometimes hit by summer cyclones, which bring prolonged heavy rain that is good for fishing on the long term, but can shut things down on the short term.

The channel really fires after big wet seasons, when the freshwater has subsided.

Successive dry years bring slower fishing as the bait cycle winds down.

Cyclones produce fallen mangrove timber, and the horizontal logs often hold a barramundi or two, or mangrove jacks.

The southern coast inside the island has the Herbert and Seymour River mouths, with mangrove islands and channels.

The upstream freshwater sections have sooty grunter and jungle perch.

Lucinda offshore fishing

From Lucinda it is a 38km run out to the first Great Barrier Reef, which is Bramble Reef.

Most local fishos head the extra few kilometres to the larger and more complex Britomart Reef.

Britomart has an extensive plateau and reasonable shelter for anchoring.

The bommies have trout and tropical lobsters (crays), and deep water around the edges holds red emperor, trout, nannygai, sweetlip and more.

Britomart fishes best on big tides, although some fishermen prefer fishing the deep water between the reefs on small tides where hard bottom can produce fish such as nannygai and red emperor.

Expect mackerel and trevally around the reef edges.

Closer to Dungeness, the Sea Hound trawler wreck is a popular spot, but it can be busy on weekends.

The Sea Hound is about 17km north-east of Lucinda, at approx 18 24.433S 146 25.742E.

This area has large crocodiles, so take care when fishing.

Crocs can show up on seaward beaches too.

While Hinchinbrook is located far from major cities, expect local van parks to be overflowing during holiday periods.

There is no nearby stocked dam in this area, the nearest is Koombooloomba located further north towards Cairns.

Get the best Hinchinbrook fishing spots in the North Australian FISH FINDER book of fishing maps.

Lucinda boat ramp

Lucinda has a four-lane concrete ramp with pontoon, wash-down area, trailer parking, security lighting, toilets. Gateway to Great Barrier Reef and Hinchinbrook Channel.

There is also Mona Landing at Halifax, on the Herbert River – single-lane gravel ramp and small gravel car park. Access to the Herbert River and 15-minute run to Hinchinbrook Channel.

Hinchinbrook coastguard

Ingham Volunteer Coast Guard – VHF Channel 16 or VHF Channel 81

Hinchinbrook accommodation

Lucinda has a caravan park that is usually crowded during holiday periods.

Local accommodation tends to sell out well ahead of holidays so get in early.

Lucinda tides
Hinchinbrook Island National Park
Great Barrier Reef zone map
Qld dam water levels
Qld stocked dam permits
Queensland fishing regulations

Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Corinella Pier is off Peter Street in Corinella, next to a caravan park.

This platform has a handy L-shape and it is next to a deep channel.

There is usually plenty of space to fish, although the jetty is popular during holidays.

Big fish are sometimes caught here, including gummy sharks, elephant fish, snapper and very occasional mulloway.

Also expect KG whiting, salmon, flathead, leatherjackets, yakkas, trevally, coutta, squid and garfish.

Salmon and elephant fish are best in winter, flathead are all year, with snapper in summer.

The tide flows hard in the channel, fishing is better and easier from the jetty at high tide.

Floating weed is sometimes a problem.

Pilchards, bluebait (small pilchards), prawns and squid are good baits.

When the water is clear and free of weed small soft plastic lures work well on snapper and flathead, with chrome slices for salmon and barracouta.

Nearby rocky foreshores produce good snapper.

Tenby Point can be fished at low tide, then go to the jetty at high tide.

There is a rock wall leading to a sandbar channel drop-off at Tenby that fishes well for gummy sharks on a rising tide.

There are toilets and a general store near the pier.

If you have something to add about the jetty, post it in comments below.

Corinella Jetty tides
VIC fishing regulations
VIC marine parks
Return to the VIC fishing map

Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.