Lizard Island, located at the Great Barrier Reef, is home to over 1,500 species of fish. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fisher, you will find tremendous satisfaction fishing in one of the best fishing spots in the world.
Among the most interesting species, you’ll catch fishing around Lizard Island are Queenfish, Trevally, and Mackerel. You’ll also find every known species that thrive in the pelagic zone of the ocean.
If you’re lucky, you might even have a chance of catching a Black Marlin. Your fishing skills, including your expertise in spooling a spinning reel, will be tested and used to its limits.
How to Get There
Lizard Island is only accessible in Cairns via Scenic Flight. You can fly to Cairns from any Australian Capital city through Virgin and Qantas. If you don’t fancy flying over to Cairns, you can opt for Tilt Trains or Sun Landers from Brisbane.
Both the Tilt Trains and Sun Landers are operated by the Queensland Rail. The travel from Brisbane to Cairns takes 24 hours. Both trains are great. However, user reviews favor the Tilt Train since it provides a smoother ride of the two.
Getting on a plane is the fastest way to travel to Cairns. However, during certain months of the year, particularly during holidays, planes are booked to full. You can take a bus, but the train offers a smooth and comfortable ride that will make 24 hours of travel more of leisure than a burden.
Cairns to Lizard Island
From Cairns, you’ll have to fly over a 200-kilometer expanse of sea. There is no other way to get to the Island than a flight by Scenic Flight. The travel takes around an hour. A round-trip ticket costs around $700 per guest.
On the way, you’ll see the entirety of the Great Barrier Reef—a sight you should not miss. For your first time getting to the Lizard Island, you’ll find that the beauty, visual diversity and the scale of the reef will mesmerize you.
If you are traveling to Lizard Island via Cairns on a connecting flight from any city in Australia, you must allow at least an hour and a half before your departure time to the Lizard Island.
If you are traveling to Lizard Island via Cairns on an international flight, allow at least two and a half hours from the time you arrive to the time of your flight to the Island.
Flights to the Lizard Island from Cairns depart from 11 am to 2 pm. Flights from the Lizard Island to Cairns depart from 12:25 pm to 3:25 pm. Use this information in arranging your activities and booking flights to and from the Island.
From Cairns to Lizard Island (and back), a passenger is only allowed 25 kg of luggage. This includes hand luggage.
Where to Stay in Lizard Island
The only place you can stay in Lizard Island is the Lizard Island Resort. It’s a great place to stay. You can book a room for $1,600 per night. The resort offers some services including outer reef dive to the Great Barrier Reef.
The outer reef dive also takes you to the islands surrounding the Lizard Island. You can also enjoy an hour-long spa treatment at the resort and a tour to the Lizard Island Research Station that aims to protect the Reef.
Fishing in Lizard Island
A 15-minute travel by boat around the Lizard Island will provide you access to fishing spots you’ll never find anywhere else in the world. If you want to explore more and catch rare fish species, you can travel for an additional 35 minutes to the outer reef.
Some packages allow you to do just that. You can avail those before your trip or from the Lizard Island Resort.
Aside from a boat, you (or your friends, if you are fishing in a group) will be accompanied by a crew an Executive Chef. The crew will bring you to great fishing spots, and the Chef will prepare a meal out of your catch.
Black Marlin
If you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to catch the rare Black Marlin. They can only be caught from September to December. During which, the fish returns to the waters around the Island.
Enthusiasts arrange and participate in a 7-day fishing event every 21st to 28th of October where game fishers around the world gather on Anchor Bay to get a chance to catch this majestic fish.
If you plan on participating, you’ll need to book in advance. Also, the Island keeps a strict policy about the only areas where enthusiasts can fish. This is to ensure that these giant fish are protected and well monitored.
Inner and Outer Reef Fishing
A 15-minute boat ride will bring you to the inner reef. You can catch Mackerel, Trevally, and Queenfish in the reef. You can also catch all pelagic species of fish in the area.
If you want to explore more, a 50-minute ride to the outer reef (35 minutes from the inner reef) will give you the chance to catch Tuna, Mackerel, Mahi-mahi, Sailfish and Trevally. You’ll also catch Black Marlin from September to December in the area.
Conclusion
If you are an enthusiast and if you love fishing so much, there is no reason for you to forgo the chance of fishing at the Lizard Island. The beauty of the place and the chance to be connected with nature is an additional bonus experience.
The wealth of the fish species that you can catch in the area will delight and fascinate your senses. It will give you satisfaction beyond what you can imagine. There is no place in the world like the Great Barrier Reef—like the Lizard Island.
There is no denying it—Lizard Island is one of, if not, the best fishing spots in the world. If you love fishing, Lizard Island is a paradise beyond belief.
(Guest post)