Thomatis Creek is a tributary system to the Barron River, Thomatis has deep holes, lots of structure and the banks are lined with mangroves – with these features you would believe it is a fishing mecca. However due to the proximity to Cairns and the Northern Beach suburbs fishing the Thomatis Creek can be difficult.

Launching from the boat ramp at Holloways Beach heading towards the mouth of the creek you will find a lot of land based people fishing the river mouth from the sand banks. Here you will catch Bream, Flathead, Shark, Stingray and the odd Barramundi, during the winter months the beaches around these all Cairns river mouths can produce good Trevally and even Permit.

Heading upstream you will find sharp bends accompanied by deep holes against the outside banks, for the patience bait fisherman these holes are worth dropping a line into. There are also dumped rubble and sunken snags hidden throughout these deeper holes where the large fish will be waiting. There are a few feeder creeks running into the Thomatis Creek which can make for good fishing on the run out tides.

Lure fishing the Thomatis Creek

Further upstream keep an eye on your sounder as you will encounter lots of underwater structure, marked above is the location of a demolished bridge that has formed deep holes either side around 7m with the bridge rising to around 2m. Before the bridge is a rocky outcrop, before that a series of underwater trees recently washed down during the wet season, all of which hold fish at the right time.

Overall fishing the Thomatis Creek can be tough, if you are unfamiliar fish activities at certain periods of time and tide it can be even harder. We’ve found run out tides the best, early morning looking for surface activity, fishing the mouths of feeder creeks for Flathead and small Barramundi. Later in the day the deeper snags are your best bet along with eddies formed at the bends.

Lures of choice are soft plastics rigged up with weedless 3.0 hooks and 2.0 sinkers, the best plastics we find are white in colour.