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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
8.2 kt SSW
Gusts 11.1 kt
Waves
0.1 m
Period 4.6 s
Swell
0.1 m
Period 2.2 s
Sea temp
25.5°C
Air 24.5°C
Next 12 hours
13:00
8.2 SSW
0.1m
14:00
4 SW
0.1m
15:00
1.6 SW
0.1m
16:00
1.2 N
0.1m
17:00
2.3 NNE
0.1m
18:00
2.6 NNE
0.1m
19:00
0.8 WNW
0.1m
20:00
2.1 SSW
0.1m
21:00
3.5 S
0.1m
22:00
5.6 S
0.1m
23:00
6.6 S
0.2m
00:00
14.3 SSE
0.3m
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 9:00 pm EST on Tuesday 19 May 2026
Situation. A firm ridge will extend across northern Queensland from Wednesday and persist for the next few days, as a new high [1027 hPa] moves east across southern Australia.
Tuesday 19 May until midnight. Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore east of Cape York. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.
Wednesday 20 May. Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Thursday 21 May. Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the morning, then increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres around midday. Swell: Southeast to southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers.
Friday 22 May. Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres 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↑ 06:27↓ 17:35
Moon↑ 09:49↓ 19:49
PhaseWaxing crescent 10%
Best windows
- Dawn06:03 – 07:27
- Dusk16:35 – 17:59
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 06:27↓ 17:35
Moon↑ —↓ 20:57
PhaseWaxing crescent 18%
Best windows
- Dawn06:04 – 07:27
- Dusk16:35 – 17:58
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.
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