If you can catch some live bait it is always the best option. Live Mullet, Sardines, Prawns and Yabbies are all very good for river fishing.
With dead bait you can never go past prawns. Prawns are definitely the best all-round bait for in the rivers.
There are so many fish that I can’t mention them all but I will mention the most common river and coastal fish and what bait to use:
| Fish | Bait |
|---|---|
| Bream | Prawns, Yabbies, Small Mullet, Squid and small lures |
| Whiting | Prawns, Yabbies, Squid. |
| Mangrove Jack | Mullet, Sardine, Prawns, Squid, Pilchards and lures |
| Barramundi | Mullet, Sardine, Prawns, Squid, Pilchards and Lures |
| Grunter | Prawns, Squid, Yabbies, Mullet, Sardine and Pilchards |
| Estuary Cods | Mullet, Sardine, Prawns, Squid, Pilchard and Lures |
| Travelly | Mullet, Sardine, Pilchard, Prawns, Squid and Lures |
| Flathead | Prawns, Squid, Yabbies, Sardine, Pilchard and Lures |
Yes, Cairns and the northern beaches offer great fishing location that are land based. Starting from the mouth of the Barron River heading up along the coast all the way to the Daintree River there is a large number Beaches, Rocky headlands, rivers and even reefs that can be accessed by car and a short walk.
The main types of reels used in the local area are –
Overheads, which you mainly use if you are going to be doing a lot of luring but it can also be used for bait fishing. Spin reels, which you mainly use for bait fishing because it has a faster retrieval rate then most reels and gives the fish less chance of running into the snags. Hand lines, which are for a person that doesn’t want to spend that little bit extra on a rod and reel. Hand lines can still be very affective but only for bait fishing.
The best bait for Barramundi is live Mullet. The next best thing is Lures that look similar to what the Barramundi are feeding on in that area. Any other live bait will work better then any dead bait that you’ll use. If you have no other option but to use dead bait I recommend using mullet and making it look inviting by cutting a fillet down the side but not cutting it off completely and leaving the fillet on to expose the flesh beneath the scales or with burley.
