Michaelmas Cay
Reef·Queensland·Australia·
Field notes
Outer reef coral cay north-east of Cairns. The cay itself is a no-anchor seabird sanctuary, but surrounding open zones hold red emperor, coral trout and large-mouth nannygai. Pelagic trolling for spanish mackerel and wahoo on the edges.
Current conditions
Wind
14.3 kt ESE
Gusts 18.8 kt
Waves
0.9 m
Period 5.3 s
Swell
0.7 m
Period 5.9 s
Sea temp
25.7°C
Air 25.1°C
Next 12 hours
01:00
14.3 ESE
0.9m
02:00
14.4 ESE
0.9m
03:00
13.7 ESE
0.9m
04:00
15.5 E
0.9m
05:00
16.2 E
0.9m
06:00
16 E
0.9m
07:00
15 ESE
0.9m
08:00
14.5 ESE
0.9m
09:00
13.6 ESE
0.9m
10:00
12.3 ESE
0.9m
11:00
11.4 ESE
0.9m
12:00
10.6 ESE
0.9m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Michaelmas Cay ↗ (7.1 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Cairns CoastIssued at 3:00 am EST on Wednesday 21 October 2026
Situation. A ridge of high pressure extends over the northern Queensland waters from a high [1035 hPa] centred over the southern Tasman Sea. This pattern will persist over coming days as the high slowly weakens.
Wednesday 21 October until midnight. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.
Thursday 22 October. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Friday 23 October. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville
Wednesday 21 October until midnight. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.
Sun & moon
Today
Sun↑ 05:45↓ 18:17
Moon↑ 13:53↓ 02:45
PhaseWaxing gibbous 73%
Best windows
- Dawn05:23 – 06:45
- Dusk17:17 – 18:39
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 05:44↓ 18:18
Moon↑ 14:44↓ 03:20
PhaseWaxing gibbous 81%
Best windows
- Dawn05:22 – 06:44
- Dusk17:18 – 18:40
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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