Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat 

4.7/5 (215 reviews)
 1 Pier Point Road, Cairns, QL 4870, Australia
4.7/5 (215 reviews)
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1 Pier Point Road
Cairns, QL, Australia

Cairns Reef Fishing is the longest-established reef fishing company in Cairns and the only charter in the area permitted to fish the local waters all year round. They are friendly and warm to every guest who comes aboard their boat and will make sure you have an unforgettable fishing experience in the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

They have 3 boats: Aqua Cat, The Blue Whaler, and Serranidae. Aqua Cat is a 48-foot-long Randell fibreglass cruiser, which is powered by two 315 HP Cummins engines with a maximum cruising speed of 18 knots. This magnificent boat has a GPS and a fishfinder with over 2000 fishing spots marked on its GPS system, which are sure to deliver. The boat has a full-size toilet onboard, which is essential when taking family trips with children. It also comes equipped with life jackets.

The Cairns Reef Fishing crew is so familiar with the fish species in the area that they will be able to educate you and help you catch some of the best specimens within a 25-mile radius of Cairns. The species caught are various Trevallies, Coral Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Nannygai, and Barracudas, among others. You will be provided with live bait and lures, rods, reels, and tackle, fishing licences, and best of all, you have a buffet lunch of cold meats, bread rolls, salads, and cold drinks. A filleting service is available for a small extra fee. A $10 fee per person of Environmental Management Charge (EMC) needs to be charged at the boat prior to departure.

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Customer reviews

Rating summary

4.7/5
out of 5 stars from 215 reviews
Boat
4.7/5
Crew
4.8/5
Experience
4.6/5

Photos & videos by reviewers (129)

Caught lots of fish
Great day, would recommend
Great day, would recommend
+126

Angler rating

157
54
2
2
0

Anglers claimed

Good experience

94%

Appropriate for children

70%

Friendly captain

98%

Satisfied with the boat

99%

Recommend this charter

97%

Caught fish

79%

Showing 1 - 5 of 215 reviews
Showing: 5 of 215 reviews
Eunjung L.
Eunjung L.
5.0/5

Jul 14, 2025

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared)

Incredible experience — highly recommend!

VERIFIED
NEW

I joined three times and caught plenty of fish every single time. The crew was super friendly and helpful, and the equipment was well-maintained. Whether you’re a first-timer or experienced angler, you’ll have a blast out on the reef.

I joined three times and caught plenty of fish every single time. The crew was super friendly and helpful, and the equipment was...  

Review media 0
Review media 1
Review media 2
Captain replied
 Eunjung L. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
 Eunjung L. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 24, 2025
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback—and for joining us not just once, but three times! We’re so glad to hear you consistently had a great experience and that the crew and gear helped make it enjoyable. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just starting out, it’s always our goal to make each trip a memorable one. Hope to see you back out on the reef again soon! Warm regards, Cairns Reef Fishing

Todd L.
Todd L.
5.0/5

Jul 14, 2025

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared)

Great trip and great crew

VERIFIED
NEW

Took my daughter fishing for her birthday. It was a fantastic time. Crew was first rate and good humored and patient throughout the day. Group size was right for the boat too. Caught: Cobia, Spangled & Red Emperor, Chinaman, and Red Bass.

Took my daughter fishing for her birthday. It was a fantastic time. Crew was first rate and good humored and patient throughout...  

Captain replied
 Todd L. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
 Todd L. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 17, 2025
Hi Todd! Thank you so much for your lovely review — we’re thrilled to hear you and your daughter had a fantastic time celebrating her birthday with us! The crew will be really happy to know their efforts made the day enjoyable — and what an awesome list of fish you landed! Great variety and very impressive! We really appreciate you choosing to spend such a special day with us and hope to see you both back on board again soon. Warm regards, Lisa and the Cairns Reef Fishing team

Matthew V. B.
Matthew V. B.
5.0/5

Jul 15, 2025

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared)

Great day, would recommend

VERIFIED
NEW

The team showed a high level of patience with the young people on board and continued to move locations to ensure everyone on board caught fish. Highly recommended.

The team showed a high level of patience with the young people on board and continued to move locations to ensure everyone on...  

Review media 0
Review media 1
Captain replied
 Matthew V. B. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
 Matthew V. B. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 17, 2025
Thank you so much for the kind words, Matthew! We're really glad to hear you appreciated the crew’s patience and their efforts to find the best fishing spots for everyone – especially for the younger guests on board. It means a lot to know you’d highly recommend us. We hope to welcome you back out on the water again soon!

Hamish D.
Hamish D.
5.0/5

Jul 23, 2025

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared)

Caught lots of fish

VERIFIED
NEW

Caught plenty of fish so much so that we were happy to take a break even while the fish were bitting

Caught plenty of fish so much so that we were happy to take a break even while the fish were bitting  

Review media 0
Captain replied
 Hamish D. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
 Hamish D. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 24, 2025
Now that’s what we love to hear—when the fishing’s so good you need a break! Thanks so much for joining us, and we’re glad you had such a fun and action-packed day out on the reef. Hope to welcome you back for round two sometime soon! Warm regards, Crew - Cairns Reef Fishing

Sharon E.
Sharon E.
5.0/5

Jul 17, 2025

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared)

July fishing trip

VERIFIED
NEW

 

Captain replied
 Sharon E. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
 Sharon E. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 22, 2025
Thanks Sharon, it was great to have you all onboard and we do hope we see you again! Thank you for the review.

Trip availability and prices

Trip Date:
Days:
Group Size:
Select date to see availability
August 2025
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Number of days
1
Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
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Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared)
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
9 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
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US $444 
Shared tour: for 2 people
Full Day – Reef Fishing (Private)
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
9 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
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US $2,871 
Entire boat: up to 14 people
There are 7 people looking at this charter.

Customer reviews

Rating summary

4.7/5
out of 5 stars from 215 reviews
Boat
4.7/5
Crew
4.8/5
Experience
4.6/5

Photos & videos by reviewers (129)

Caught lots of fish
Great day, would recommend
Great day, would recommend
+126

Angler rating

157
54
2
2
0

Anglers claimed

Good experience

94%

Appropriate for children

70%

Friendly captain

98%

Satisfied with the boat

99%

Recommend this charter

97%

Caught fish

79%

Showing 1 - 5 of 215 reviews
Showing: 5 of 215 reviews
Eunjung L.
Eunjung L.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Incredible experience — highly recommend!

VERIFIED
NEW

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared) on July 14, 2025

I joined three times and caught plenty of fish every single time. The crew was super friendly and helpful, and the equipment was well-maintained. Whether you’re a first-timer or experienced angler, you’ll have a blast out on the reef.

I joined three times and caught plenty of fish every single time. The crew was super friendly and helpful, and the equipment was well-maintained. Whether you’re a first-timer or experienced angler, you’ll have a blast out on the reef.  

Review media 0
Review media 1
Review media 2
 Eunjung L. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 24, 2025
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback—and for joining us not just once, but three times! We’re so glad to hear you consistently had a great experience and that the crew and gear helped make it enjoyable. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just starting out, it’s always our goal to make each trip a memorable one. Hope to see you back out on the reef again soon! Warm regards, Cairns Reef Fishing

Todd L.
Todd L.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Great trip and great crew

VERIFIED
NEW

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared) on July 14, 2025

Took my daughter fishing for her birthday. It was a fantastic time. Crew was first rate and good humored and patient throughout the day. Group size was right for the boat too. Caught: Cobia, Spangled & Red Emperor, Chinaman, and Red Bass.

Took my daughter fishing for her birthday. It was a fantastic time. Crew was first rate and good humored and patient throughout the day. Group size was right for the boat too. Caught: Cobia, Spangled & Red Emperor, Chinaman, and Red Bass.  

 Todd L. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 17, 2025
Hi Todd! Thank you so much for your lovely review — we’re thrilled to hear you and your daughter had a fantastic time celebrating her birthday with us! The crew will be really happy to know their efforts made the day enjoyable — and what an awesome list of fish you landed! Great variety and very impressive! We really appreciate you choosing to spend such a special day with us and hope to see you both back on board again soon. Warm regards, Lisa and the Cairns Reef Fishing team

Matthew V. B.
Matthew V. B.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Great day, would recommend

VERIFIED
NEW

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared) on July 15, 2025

The team showed a high level of patience with the young people on board and continued to move locations to ensure everyone on board caught fish. Highly recommended.

The team showed a high level of patience with the young people on board and continued to move locations to ensure everyone on board caught fish. Highly recommended.  

Review media 0
Review media 1
 Matthew V. B. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 17, 2025
Thank you so much for the kind words, Matthew! We're really glad to hear you appreciated the crew’s patience and their efforts to find the best fishing spots for everyone – especially for the younger guests on board. It means a lot to know you’d highly recommend us. We hope to welcome you back out on the water again soon!

Hamish D.
Hamish D.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Caught lots of fish

VERIFIED
NEW

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared) on July 23, 2025

Caught plenty of fish so much so that we were happy to take a break even while the fish were bitting

Caught plenty of fish so much so that we were happy to take a break even while the fish were bitting  

Review media 0
 Hamish D. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 24, 2025
Now that’s what we love to hear—when the fishing’s so good you need a break! Thanks so much for joining us, and we’re glad you had such a fun and action-packed day out on the reef. Hope to welcome you back for round two sometime soon! Warm regards, Crew - Cairns Reef Fishing

Sharon E.
Sharon E.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

July fishing trip

VERIFIED
NEW

Full Day – Reef Fishing (Shared) on July 17, 2025

 

 Sharon E. recommends Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat
undefined (The Captain)
Replied on July 22, 2025
Thanks Sharon, it was great to have you all onboard and we do hope we see you again! Thank you for the review.

FAQs about Cairns Reef Fishing - Aqua Cat

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The fish you can target

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What is the boat like?

Boat Image
Boat category
Yachts
Capacity
14 persons
Boat length
48 ft
Year built
1980
Boat manufacturer
Randell
Boat type
Cruiser

Engine model
Cummins
Powered by
2 x 315HP
Max cruising speed
18 knots
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What’s biting in Cairns right now

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