Cooktown in the Cape York region of far North Queensland is one of our favourite places to visit, especially for a fish. It offers great land-based fishing that’s safe and accessible from the middle of town. 

There are many great places to visit in and around Cooktown, but after spending a bit of time working and living there in the past, it was the fishing that drew us back. 

A Caravanner’s Return to Cooktown 

The biggest difference was, last time the kids were only one and two years old, needing to be safely strapped into a stroller, holding onto their fishing rods, well away from the wharf’s edge and the croc, shark, and giant Queensland Grouper-infested waters beneath. There are numerous resident two-metres plus Groupers which are very capable of drowning even big kids. 

On our return the kids were six and seven, old enough to understand and avoid going into the water. They have also gained experience and learned a lot about fishing from their grandfather in the years since, proving their ability to handle live bait, put bait on their own hooks and even cast out by themselves. I don’t even bother with using kids fishing rods anymore and they use the same gear as the adults do. 

The Thrills and Spills of Land-Based Fishing 

The fishing action during our stay in Cooktown exceeded our already high expectations and we were catching multiple good fish on every session. We caught Golden Trevally, Giant Trevally, Queenfish, Mackerel, Barracuda just to name a few. 

“We did suffer a few casualties though … we managed to snap one rod”

We did suffer a few casualties though, with all the exciting fishing action we managed to snap one rod trying to save our catch from the Giant Groupers and Jaiden lost another rod when a big fish pulled it into the water while he was busy taking a snap with another catch! 

Thankfully, I only use cheap gear as they get punished with the kids regularly dropping them into sand and water. Amazingly, the day after the rod went into the water, we saw one of the local kids using the very same rod! The kid told us of his lucky tale where he had fished it out after it snagged into his fishing line. We then saw him pull in a big finger mark fish with it, and that made Jaiden incredibly happy, to see his old rod getting the job done for someone else. 

Beyond the Wharf: Exploring Around Town 

We fished twice everyday, going mornings and evenings and escaped the heat of midday by taking a break with a swim at the caravan park or driving around to some of the local hot spots such as the Lions Den Hotel for lunch. Returning to fish in the afternoon and into the evening where we caught some spectacular sunsets and glimpses of wildlife, from dive-bombing Australasian gannets to pods of dolphins cruising by. 

Our Top Tip for Fishing in Cooktown 

If I was to give any advice for fishing the Cooktown Wharf, I would say to use live bait. When the conditions are suitable, there are massive schools of herring around the pontoon and wharfs making it the ideal bait. 

You can use bait jigs, or like us, use a cast net, just be mindful that this is croc country and crocs are regularly seen around the boat ramps, wharf and pontoon here. 

All in all, even with the couple of lost fishing rods, we had an awesome experience fishing in Cooktown and look forward to returning to see what else we can hook up to.  

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Trek Notes: Cooktown

Cooktown Fishing Q&A

Q: Is Cooktown a good destination for a family caravanning and fishing trip?

A: Absolutely. Cooktown offers great, safe, and accessible land-based fishing right from the middle of town, making it perfect for families. The authors also mention taking breaks from fishing to swim at their caravan park, showing it’s a great base for a family stay.

Q: What kind of fish can we expect to catch from the Cooktown wharf?

A: The fishing is exciting! The Adventuring Pals caught Golden Trevally, Giant Trevally, Queenfish, Mackerel, and Barracuda all from the wharf.

Q: What is the best advice for fishing the Cooktown wharf?

A: The number one tip is to use live bait. When conditions are right, you can find massive schools of herring around the pontoon, which you can catch with a bait jig or a cast net.

Q: Are there any safety concerns I should know about before fishing with my kids?

A: Yes. The article stresses that Cooktown is croc country and crocs are seen regularly. The water also has sharks and very large resident Queensland Groupers, so it’s essential to watch kids closely and make sure they understand not to go near the water’s edge.

Q: What’s a good way to spend the middle of the day in Cooktown?

A: To escape the midday heat, the family suggests taking a swim at your caravan park or driving out to local hotspots. They specifically recommend visiting the famous Lions Den Hotel for lunch.