How long were the school holidays?! Thankfully we were blessed with the most glorious weather in Cooktown so the kids could get outside and expend their endless energy.
Numerous wharfies indicated that the entire population of Cooktown was out on the water which triggered an impressive ‘let’s go fishing’ campaign from my sons. It didn’t really take much to loosen my resolve so I finally caved in and agreed to a fishing trip. Great concept hampered by completely useless knowledge of the sport.
Enter Mollo of Cooktown Dinghy Hire who kindly offered to take us out on one of his family friendly fishing and glass bottom boat trips. Having two energetic boys of his own, Mollo not only knows where to find the fish but also can judge the attention span of the kids so we moved around the harbour whenever attention spans waned stopping at different spots.
Whilst the adults kept a steady flow of baited hooks coming the boys leapt around the boat looking for the perfect spot and ended up pulling in a healthy collection of queenies, garfish, marks, pufferfish, mangrove jack and an excellent cod. Shame about the one that got away – whatever snapped Mollo’s line was probably best not to be on the end of one of the kids lines!
Happy with our catch (all of which was released) we then motored off around the headland to Cherry Tree Bay and Finch Bay and the kids glued their faces to the glass bottom pointing out the corals, fish and even a turtle.
Satisfying the children on holiday is no easy task so if you want a family friendly fishing trip under expert local guidance this is really pretty hard to beat for a morning’s entertainment.
