Just north of Cairns lies the almighty Barron River and its side branch, Thomatis Creek. This estuary is best accessed at Stratford, next to the Captain Cook Highway Bridge. This ramp has ample parking, is well-lit and has a pontoon for ease of access. When starting your Barron River Fishing Trail, launch your boat and head towards the mouth of the creek. Along the way you will see many mangrove-lined riverbanks, which hold good numbers of mangrove jack. However, it is the deeper holes mostly found on the bends of the rivers – especially the last bend of the river before nearing the mouth and the mouths of smaller feeder creeks – which are worth fishing. Fishing this deeper water on the slack of the tide, preferably the bottom of the tide, with live prawns and mullet, or vibe-style lures, will see some excellent fishing. Threadfin salmon and large barramundi are found in the Barron River, especially when fishing at night. The mouth of the Barron River is also excellent and this is best fished on the outgoing tide. The best bait to use here are herring, mullet and prawn and these can all be caught using a cast net.