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.