Cattle Creek Fishing Spots

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Cattle Creek

2.9/5 - (8 votes)
18°51'33.35" S, 146°16'11.07" E

Cattle Creek is probably the largest estuary system between Ingham and Townsville and the most productive. Due to its isolation from the Towns it receives little fishing pressure. Anglers can expect a system with all the features of a larger system, sand flats, mangrove lined banks, deep holes and structure.

Cattle Creek is a very long estuary system and is quite easy to navigate once inside the shallow mouths. Care should be taken entering the mouth of Cattle Creek as it is shallow and onshore winds can make navigation impossible. Cattle Creek has some of the best fishing in the Townsville area as not many anglers dare to make the trip up from Crystal Creek. As such Cattle and Eleanor Creeks do not get the pressure that other easily accessible creeks and rivers receive.

Cattle Creek Lure Fishing

Fishing Cattle Creek anglers should take into consideration all the advice for fishing any Far North Queensland estuary system. Plan the tide, 2hours either side of the turn is best, find the structure, current and bait in one area and then use your sounder to spot the fish.

Barramundi and Mangrove Jacks can be caught here using the lure tactics such as working the snags with soft plastics and hardbody lures. Soft plastic paddle tails rigged up on weedless hooks are the best bet all year round. Sinking rubber vibes down into deep holes and flicking your favourite hard body at snags is also a product way to fish.

At the mouth of Cattle Creek is a trawler wreck that holds good fish all year round. The wreck is visible on low tides. Work the trawler on a neap tide around the turn of tide when the currents slow down to give you lure time to hold in the strike zone.

Up from the trawler a large sand bar is worth fishing. Flathead and salmon are common here as the tide runs out.

The upper reaches are good for trolling and casting at snags for Barramundi, Mangrove Jacks, Cod and Golden Snapper (fingermark).

Bait users should hand around the mouth, where there are plenty of small feeder creeks for live baits along with deeper holes and a sunken trawler that attracts all kinds of estuary species.

Out the front of the river mouth on calmer days is a great place to sight fish for Trevally and Permit.

Where to go fishing near Cattle Creek?

  • Cattle Creek Flats

    Fish the flats here for Flathead and Salmon.

  • Cattle Creek Eddy

    Fish the eddy formed from the out going tide here for Barramundi, Jacks, Flathead and Salmon.

  • Cattle Creek Wreck

    Cattle Creek Trawler wreck holds fish all year round. Fish the wreck on a neap tide...

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Access to Cattle Creek

Access to Cattle and Eleanor Creek is via Insulator Creek boat ramp. Heading from Insulator Creek you must stay out wide (to the east) to avoid the huge sand bar. You must time the tides and weather well as it can be a daunting trip if the winds pick up.

Access is tricky and this is a good thing, as it keeps the fishing pressure off the creek. For those who venture into Cattle and Eleanor Creek you will be rewarded with quality fish.

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Recommended Lures for Cattle Creek

Click here to find the best lures for fishing Cattle Creek. 5 stars mean this lure has been hand picked for Cattle Creek.

Killalure Flatz Ratz 2

Flatz Ratz – Killalure

$12.99
Suited for the Area.
Good for: Barramundi, Black Spotted Rockcod, Mangrove Jack

Roosta Popper 160

$15.99
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Golden Trevally, Trevally
Bream Lure the Strike Pro Pygmy 2

Pygmy 2 – Strike Pro

$12.99
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Bream, Yellowfin Bream

Squidgies Pro Mongrel 115mm

$9.99
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Threadfin Salmon

Zman 9” GrubZ Big Guibz

$10.49
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Barramundi, Black Spotted Rockcod, Cod
Squidgies Pro Range Wriggler - 65mm

Pro Wriggler – 65mm

$8.95
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Bream, Dusky Flathead, Flathead, Yellowfin Bream

Bream Prawn Vibe

$12.95
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Grunter, Yellowfin Bream

Squidgies Pro Lobby

$9.99
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Bream, Yellowfin Bream
Berkley Gulp! Shrimp 2"

Gulp Shrimp 2″

Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Black Spotted Rockcod, Bream, Cod, Dusky Flathead, Flathead, Grunter, Mangrove Jack, Yellowfin Bream

Skippy Surface Lure

$13.49
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Yellowfin Bream
Storm Fishing Jig for Snapper

GOMOKU SLIM JIG

$10.99
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Queenfish, Trevally

Squidgies Pro Critter 55mm

$9.99
Suited for some Fish Species.
Good for: Bream, Yellowfin Bream

Twisty 55g

Suited for some Fish Species.

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