Fishing the Shallow Coral Reef Flats

One of our favourite types of fishing that we do on every charter in every location we visit is drifting the shallow reef flats in 3ft-10ft of water and casting with 50-60lb spin gear for a huge variety of species. It is one of the most enjoyable types of fishing you can do, and seeing a big trout, red bass or wrasse come screaming across the flats to destroy your lure is seriously exciting.

Out of the lures below our top picks by species would be:-

Coral Trout - Madscad 115, Riptide 155, maverick 140 and Chug Norris 120mm
Red Bass - Madscad 115, Riptide 125 and 155
Maori Wrasse - Madscad 150, riptide 155 and chug 120mm
Long Nose & Yellow Lip Emperor - madscad 95, riptide 125, madscad 115
Bluefin trevally - fast retrieved madscad 95 or madscad 115
Titan Triggerfish - maverick 140

There are over 30 different species that we encounter drifting the reef flats of the outer Barrier Reef, and choosing the perfect lure to cast at a bommie is all part of the fun. Whatever you choose, make sure you hold on tight and go hard at the fish when you hookup, because fishing in 4ft of coral covered reef is not for the faint hearted.