Bait Reef
Reef·Queensland·Australia·
Field notes
Outer Whitsunday reef on the edge of the continental shelf. The southern end has open zones holding coral trout, red emperor and big sweetlip; pelagic trolling on the edges turns up mackerel and wahoo. Large parts are green zone — verify before fishing.
Current conditions
Wind
26.6 kt SE
Gusts 34.6 kt
Waves
2.2 m
Period 5.8 s
Swell
0.1 m
Period 5.7 s
Sea temp
22.2°C
Air 21.8°C
Next 12 hours
10:00
26.6 SE
2.2m
11:00
25.9 SE
2.1m
12:00
25.9 SE
2.1m
13:00
26.6 SE
2m
14:00
24.9 SE
2m
15:00
24.9 SE
2m
16:00
24.7 SE
1.9m
17:00
25.4 SE
2m
18:00
25.3 SE
2m
19:00
25.7 SE
2m
20:00
25.6 SE
2m
21:00
25.5 SE
2m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Kennedy Reef ↗ (32.7 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Townsville CoastIssued at 3:00 pm EST on Tuesday 21 July 2026
Situation. A firm ridge of high pressure extends over the northern Queensland waters from a high [1031 hPa] centred over the Tasman Sea. The ridge will slowly relax over coming days as the high slowly weakens, before strengthening again from Friday as a new high moves east across southern Australia.
Tuesday 21 July until midnight. Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly clear.
Wednesday 22 July. Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Thursday 23 July. Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Friday 24 July. Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.
Sun & moon
Today
Sun↑ 06:38↓ 17:43
Moon↑ 11:10↓ 00:15
PhaseFirst quarter 49%
Best windows
- Dawn06:14 – 07:38
- Dusk16:43 – 18:07
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 06:38↓ 17:44
Moon↑ 11:46↓ 01:09
PhaseFirst quarter 59%
Best windows
- Dawn06:14 – 07:38
- Dusk16:44 – 18:07
Best windows combine civil twilight with the hour either side of sun transit — the universal low-light feeding window most species respond to. Moon phase influence is folkloric; full and new moons coincide with the strongest tide swings.
What's biting
Recent reports from the community. Sign in to log your own catches.
Access & logistics
Spot type
Reef
Region
Queensland, Australia
Fishing style
offshore and bluewater fishing
Structure
Typically holds bommies and drop-offs — work the structure for holding fish.
Licence
Recreational fishing licence may apply — check the Queensland fisheries regulator before fishing.
Closures
Always confirm current marine park / closure status and seasonal bag limits.
Saved.
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