Cairns Sportfishing 

4.7
(67 reviews)
 Tingira Street, Portsmith, QL 4870, Australia–

Cairns Sportfishing 

Portsmith, QL, Australia
–
20 ft
5
4.7
(67 reviews)

Ready to catch some fish in Cairns? Cairns Sportfishing is here to make it happen! With Captain Gavin at the helm, you're in knowledgeable and experienced hands.

The fish in these waters include Coral Trout, Giant Trevally, Nannygai, Wahoo, Spangled Emperor, Sweetlip Emperor, Barramundi, and more with any luck. You'll target your catch by light tackle fishing, popping, trolling, jigging, bottom fishing, or maybe something more specialized in this area.

Capt. Gavin welcomes children aboard, so the whole family can come and unplug for the day! Be sure to ask if child-sized life vests are available, otherwise you should bring your own. And, you can't go wrong with snacks so that nobody gets cranky on an empty stomach!

You'll be fishing aboard a 20' Eagle Ray center console with a capacity for 5 passengers however if it is a reef adventure we only take 4 pax .we also limit by age to reef to between the ages of 14years and 60 years for safety reasons . It has everything you need for a productive day on the water. There's a toilet on board for your convenience. Rods, reels, and tackle are covered by the charter, as well as lures. Live bait is available, but be sure to ask about it so you know if you'll be catching it yourself.

You might need to purchase a local fishing license before the trip. This information is usually available online, or you can ask the captain. Some species may be off-limits or require a special tag, so make sure you know what to expect.

It's always wise to bring sunscreen (non-spray), and sunglasses. Drinks are included, free of charge. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.

Now, come aboard with Cairns Sportfishing and get hooked!

Ready to catch some fish in Cairns? Cairns Sportfishing is here to make it happen! With Captain Gavin at the helm, you're in knowledgeable and experienced hands.

The fish in these waters include Coral Trout, Giant Trevally, Nannygai, Wahoo, Spangled Emperor, Sweetlip Emperor, Barramundi, and more with any luck. You'll target your catch by light tackle fishing, popping, trolling, jigging, bottom fishing, or maybe something more specialized in this area.

Capt. Gavin welcomes children aboard, so the whole family can come and unplug for the day! Be sure to ask if child-sized life vests are available, otherwise you should bring your own. And, you can't go wrong with snacks so that nobody gets cranky on an empty stomach!

You'll be fishing aboard a 20' Eagle Ray center console with a capacity for 5 passengers however if it is a reef adventure we only take 4 pax .we also limit by age to reef to between the ages of 14years and 60 years for safety reasons . It has everything you need for a productive day on the water. There's a toilet on board for your convenience. Rods, reels, and tackle are covered by the charter, as well as lures. Live bait is available, but be sure to ask about it so you know if you'll be catching it yourself.

You might need to purchase a local fishing license before the trip. This information is usually available online, or you can ask the captain. Some species may be off-limits or require a special tag, so make sure you know what to expect.

It's always wise to bring sunscreen (non-spray), and sunglasses. Drinks are included, free of charge. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.

Now, come aboard with Cairns Sportfishing and get hooked!

Gavin Mcgahan
Captain
Gavin Mcgahan
16 years of experience
responds within an hour

Select date to see availability

Trip date:
Group Size:
November 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
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Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
Change
Almost there...
Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am)
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Barramundi
Bream (Fingermark)
Grunter (Javelin)
Snapper (Mangrove Red)
US $617
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Half day trip -estuary fishing (pm)
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 12:00 PM
Barramundi
Bream (Fingermark)
Grunter (Javelin)
Snapper (Mangrove Red)
US $617
Entire boat: up to 4 people
3/4 day estuary fishing
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
6 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Barramundi
Trevally (Golden)
Flathead
Bream (Fingermark)
+2
US $925
Entire boat: up to 4 people
inshore wonky ,wreck and headland
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
5 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Coral Trout
Spanish Mackerel (Narrow-barred)
Sweetlip Emperor
Nannygai
+1
US $1,094
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Full day estuary fishing
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
8 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Barramundi
Queenfish
Bream (Fingermark)
Grunter (Javelin)
+2
US $1,233
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Full day – Topwater Fishing
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
8 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Trevally (Giant)
Wahoo
Coral Trout
Spanish Mackerel (Narrow-barred)
US $1,345
Entire boat: 2 people
Full Day Trip – Inshore&Reef
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
8 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Trevally (Giant)
Wahoo
Coral Trout
Snapper (Red Emperor)
+3
US $1,345
Entire boat: up to 4 people

Customer reviews

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Rating

4.7
67 reviews
4.7
Boat & equipment
4.8
Captain & crew
4.7
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (61)

What anglers say

88%
Great experience
94%
Family friendly
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Good boat
91%
Recommended
80%
Caught fish

Reviews (67)

  • William Cherry
    William Cherry
    us
    Illinois, US
    Member since 2023
    5.0
    Verified

    Great Barrier Reef-Great fishing!!

    Full Day Trip – Inshore&Reef on January 20, 2026 • 1 adult

    Right from the start Captain Galvin worked hard and it continued to the last minute. The quality and quantity of fish was excellent! We caught about 15 different beautiful species. Nannygai,gold band snapper and mother in law fish were huge and very hard fighting!! Stripeys, honeycomb cod, and tomato cod were some of my favorites and gougeous! It was the trip of a lifetime! Thank You Captain Gavin for the trip of a lifetime! See you again mate…

  • Robert Strickland
    Robert Strickland
    us
    North Carolina, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    a bright light

    Full day – Topwater Fishing on April 5, 2026 • 1 adult

    Conditions and fishing were not ideal. However Gavins vibe, personality, persistence to achieve the best experience for his client shined bright. I truly will remember this experience and hope to fish with Gavin again one day. He is a top notch guide. in the end we achieved the desired result wbd caught a few ifnout target species. i highly recommend him as your choice for a fishing guide

  • Denise Books
    Denise Books
    us
    Wisconsin, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Great day at the estuary

    3/4 day estuary fishing on March 11, 2026 • 2 adults

    Gavin was our captain and we had an amazing time. We netted our live herring for bait and set out to fish. While we did not catch our target fish. Our first catch of the day was a mud crab. We also caught a little grunter and a gold spot cod, a queen fish, a barred grunter and two nice sized blue thread salmon. It was a very successful day on the water.

  • Taylor Byfield
    Taylor Byfield
    au
    Australia
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    A must book!

    Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) on January 2, 2026 • 2 adults

    Gavin was an absolutely amazing captain! Had a struggle in the morning trying to get live bait as the tides were changing but still managed to get us onto a good array of fish and showed us some really cool spots! Amazing bloke and full of knowledge, would recommend him to anyone looking to go fishing in Cairns!

  • Leya Duigu
    Leya Duigu
    au
    Australia
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Great day out on the water

    Full day – Topwater Fishing on September 24, 2025 • 2 adults

    Spent a day fishing in the estuary with Gavin. While this wasn’t our first choice the weather had other plans and we found ourselves fishing throughout the estuary for the day and had a great time doing it. 2 spots had lots of nibbles and kept us busy. Gavin was knowledgeable and professional. Would definitely recommend.

  • John Cassar
    John Cassar
    au
    Australia
    Member since 2024
    5.0
    Verified

    Great day fishing

    Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) on January 2, 2025 • 5 adults • 3 children

    Captain Gavin was amazing. Took time to explain all his tricks to catching target fish. I had the family onboard and Gavin was great with them explaining all the best fishing techniques. And best of all we caught all the target species. Thanks for a great day out, highly recommended. Cheers John

  • Deeezeee Xxx
    Deeezeee Xxx
    au
    Australia
    Member since 2024
    5.0
    Verified

    Good fishing experience

    Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) on January 1, 2025 • 3 adults

    The captain was very nice and provided us with a lot of fishing knowledge. Even though we were three rookie fishermen, the captain was still very patient and helped us solve any difficulties. And they also gave us more fishing time free of charge. Overall, it was a very interesting trip.

  • Bruno Heutz
    Bruno Heutz
    be
    Belgium
    Member since 2026
    3.7
    Verified

    extra money, no fish

    Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) on August 7, 2026 • 3 adults

    the day before we left we got a message that we should pay extra due to high petrol prices (95dollar) and extra 2,5% for paying with a card. in totan more than 900 dollar for a 4 our trip without catching 1 fish…

  • Nick Carver
    Nick Carver
    au
    Australia
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Thanks Gavin

    Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) on September 6, 2025 • 2 adults • 1 child

    Gavin is a great guide and runs a great charter. We caught a range of species and I picked up a few tricks to take with me. Whilemluck wasn’t on our side in the Barra department, I’d still recommend Gavin to anyone after a great value charter. Thanks again.

  • Michael Hewitt
    Michael Hewitt
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Great experience

    Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) on June 22, 2025 • 2 adults • 1 child

    On a very slow day for fish taking the bait we thought we going home empty handed, but captain Gavin tried one last shot at finding the right place and my son caught a beautiful Goldband Snapper!

FAQs about Cairns Sportfishing

Cairns Sportfishing offers the following trips to customers:
  • AU $880 per group, additional AU $220 per person after 4 guests - Half day trip -estuary fishing (pm) (4 hours)
  • AU $880 per group, additional AU $220 per person after 4 guests - Half Day Trip – Estuary Fishing(am) (4 hours)
  • AU $1,320 per group, additional AU $330 per person after 4 guests - 3/4 day estuary fishing (6 hours)
  • AU $1,562 per group - inshore wonky ,wreck and headland (5 hours)
  • AU $1,760 per group, additional AU $440 per person after 4 guests - Full day estuary fishing (8 hours)
  • AU $1,920 per group - Full day – Topwater Fishing (8 hours)
  • AU $1,920 per group - Full Day Trip – Inshore&Reef (8 hours)
When you book a trip with Cairns Sportfishing, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • Toilet
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Snorkeling equipment
  • Live bait well
  • Ice box
Trips booked with Cairns Sportfishing include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Live bait
  • Lures (Each lure used if lost must be purchased)
  • Drinks (We supply water and soft drinks )
Cairns Sportfishing offers the following types of fishing:
  • Inshore fishing
  • Offshore fishing
  • Reef fishing
  • Wreck fishing
  • Flats fishing
Cairns Sportfishing offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light tackle
  • Bottom fishing
  • Trolling
  • Jigging
  • Popping
Top targeted fish species with Cairns Sportfishing include:
  • Barramundi
  • Coral Trout
  • Nannygai
  • Spangled Emperor
  • Sweetlip Emperor
  • Trevally (Giant)
  • Wahoo

Your captain

Gavin Mcgahan
Gavin Mcgahan
Portsmith, Queensland, Australia
143 Customer reviews
Typical response within an hour
Member since December 2023
I have grown up around boating and fishing, am very passionate about fishing, and love to show people of all levels and experiences in fishing and boating an absolutely awesome adventure.
Gavin Mcgahan
Gavin Mcgahan
143
reviews
2023
member since
~1h
response
I have grown up around boating and fishing, am very passionate about fishing, and love to show people of all levels and experiences in fishing and boating an absolutely awesome adventure.

The fish you can target

Barramundi
Barramundi
Coral Trout
Coral Trout
Nannygai
Nannygai
Spangled Emperor
Spangled Emperor
Sweetlip Emperor
Sweetlip Emperor
Giant Trevally
Giant Trevally
Wahoo
Wahoo
Barramundi
Barramundi
Coral Trout
Coral Trout
Nannygai
Nannygai
Spangled Emperor
Spangled Emperor
Sweetlip Emperor
Sweetlip Emperor

Real catches by this captain

  • Adult angler holding a large red snapper aboard a boat in open ocean waters.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Red Emperor Snapper
    Samantha S.
    Samantha S.
    Was a great trip fishing. Gavin was extremely knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Would highly recommend booking with these legends
  • Small baitfish stored in a white cooler on the wet deck of a fishing boat.
    Bruno H.
    Bruno H.
    the day before we left we got a message that we should pay extra due to high petrol prices (95dollar) and extra 2,5% for paying with a card. in totan more than 900 dollar for a 4 our trip without catching 1 fish…
  • Angler proudly displaying a Silver Trevally caught while fishing in a scenic mangrove area.
    Fish 1
    Jack Crevalle
    Robert S.
    Robert S.
    Conditions and fishing were not ideal. However Gavins vibe, personality, persistence to achieve the best experience for his client shined bright. I truly will remember this experience and hope to fish with Gavin again one day. He is a top notch guide. in the end we achieved the desired result wbd caught a few ifnout target species. i highly recommend him as your choice for a fishing guide
  • An angler proudly displaying a large fish while fishing on a calm river, surrounded by lush greenery.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Common Bream
    Denise B.
    Denise B.
    Gavin was our captain and we had an amazing time. We netted our live herring for bait and set out to fish. While we did not catch our target fish. Our first catch of the day was a mud crab. We also caught a little grunter and a gold spot cod, a queen fish, a barred grunter and two nice sized blue thread salmon. It was a very successful day on the water.
  • Angler proudly displaying a large Red Snapper while fishing offshore, showcasing the vibrant colors of the fish against the ocean backdrop.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +3
    Red Snapper
    William C.
    William C.
    Right from the start Captain Galvin worked hard and it continued to the last minute. The quality and quantity of fish was excellent! We caught about 15 different beautiful species. Nannygai,gold band snapper and mother in law fish were huge and very hard fighting!! Stripeys, honeycomb cod, and tomato cod were some of my favorites and gougeous! It was the trip of a lifetime! Thank You Captain Gavin for the trip of a lifetime! See you again mate…
  • Angler proudly displaying a vibrant Red Snapper while fishing on a sunny day.
    Fish 1
    Red Snapper
    Taylor B.
    Taylor B.
    Gavin was an absolutely amazing captain! Had a struggle in the morning trying to get live bait as the tides were changing but still managed to get us onto a good array of fish and showed us some really cool spots! Amazing bloke and full of knowledge, would recommend him to anyone looking to go fishing in Cairns!
  • An angler proudly displaying a large Spotted Grunter while fishing in a scenic coastal environment.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Mullet Snapper
    Leya D.
    Leya D.
    Spent a day fishing in the estuary with Gavin. While this wasn’t our first choice the weather had other plans and we found ourselves fishing throughout the estuary for the day and had a great time doing it. 2 spots had lots of nibbles and kept us busy. Gavin was knowledgeable and professional. Would definitely recommend.
  • Angler holding a Snapper while fishing on a scenic waterway, showcasing a successful catch during a relaxing day on the boat.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Javelin Grunter
    Nick C.
    Nick C.
    Gavin is a great guide and runs a great charter. We caught a range of species and I picked up a few tricks to take with me. Whilemluck wasn’t on our side in the Barra department, I’d still recommend Gavin to anyone after a great value charter. Thanks again.
  • Angler holding a Snapper while fishing in a mangrove area, showcasing a successful catch on a sunny day.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Mangrove Snapper
    Stanley N.
    Stanley N.
    Friendly and experienced Captain. Nice and clean 22ft boat. Had a wonderful time. Thank you very much.
  • A young angler proudly displaying a large Mangrove Snapper while fishing on a boat in a scenic coastal environment.
    Fish 1
    Papuan Black Snapper
    Michael H.
    Michael H.
    On a very slow day for fish taking the bait we thought we going home empty handed, but captain Gavin tried one last shot at finding the right place and my son caught a beautiful Goldband Snapper!

What is the boat like?

Boat image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
5 persons
Boat length
20 ft
Year built
2003
Restored in
2023
Boat manufacturer
Eagle Ray
Boat type
Center console
Engine model
Suzuki
Powered by
1 x 150HP
Max cruising speed
20 knots

What kind of fishing will you do?

Inshore Fishing
Offshore Fishing
Reef Fishing
Wreck Fishing
Flats Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Light Tackle
Bottom Fishing
Trolling
Jigging
Popping

Which amenities are available onboard

Toilet
GPS
Fishfinder
Snorkeling equipment
Live bait well
Ice box
What's included in the trip price
Rods, reels & tackle
Live bait
Lures
Each lure used if lost must be purchased
Drinks
We supply water and soft drinks

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 7 days prior to trip
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 7 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.
More details

What the listing policies are

Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child friendly
You keep catch

How you can pay

Book with 10% deposit, pay rest to captain
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 10% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
 Cash
 Visa
 Mastercard
When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 2.5% charge will apply.

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