Duration:
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A private charter on Aqua Cat is a great way to enjoy a full day of reef fishing on the Great Barrier Reef with exclusive use of the vessel. It’s an ideal option for groups wanting a private experience, whether that’s a group of mates, families, corporate outings or Christmas parties looking for something a little different.
The charter operates as a full-day private experience, departing from Cairns Marlin Marina, and comfortably accommodates 1–14 passengers. Optional snorkeling (+ $250) can be added for groups that would like to include time in the water during the day.
Where snorkeling is selected as an optional add-on, snorkeling is conducted at Michaelmas Cay. We generally recommend snorkeling earlier in the day, followed by fishing, to make the most of conditions and the overall experience.
Important note: If this charter shows as unavailable online, please contact us directly. Availability can change, and for larger groups we’re happy to discuss alternative or additional vessel options.
Inclusions
- Buffet lunch, afternoon tropical fruit and grazing platter
- Fishing equipment, tackle and bait
- Bottled water
- Esky and ice onboard for fish and BYO alcohol (cans only – no glass)
- Skipper and crew
- Catches cleaned and bagged
- Reef tax and fuel levy
Optional add-on
Snorkeling ($250 per charter. Location: Michaelmas Cay)
Fishing locations and activities are selected on the day to suit conditions and provide the best possible experience.
Check In: Shop G10, Pier Shopping Centre, 1 Pier Point Road, Cairns.
Private Charter Booking Confirmation
Thank you for booking with Cairns Reef Fishing!
A 50% deposit is required to secure all private charter bookings. The balance is due 7 days prior to your charter date.
Check-In Details
Check-in commences at 6:00 AM at The Pier Café, located inside The Pier Shopping Centre, 1 Pier Point Road, Cairns City. Our crew will greet you at the counter of The Pier Café and escort you to the vessel. For your safety and comfort, please avoid gathering at the marina before check-in, as weather conditions may not be ideal.
Breakfast Options:
- The café serves barista-made coffee and a variety of breakfast snacks which are available for purchase.
- Want something ready to go? You can pre-order a breakfast combo—just give one of our friendly team a call today to pre-purchase in advance.
The Pier Shopping Centre – Simply type “The Pier Shopping Centre” into Google Maps or Apple Maps for directions.
Return Time:
We will return to Marlin Marina between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM.
Waiver:
On the morning of the charter, all guests are required to sign our waiver prior to departure (1 waiver per guest). Children under the age of 18 must have a guardian or parent sign for them.
Car Parking Options
– The council lagoon car park at the front of the pier complex is $20 per day.
– Underneath the Shangri-La hotel, the car park is $20 per day (height limit: 1.9 meters).
– The car park at Hemingway’s Brewery is $10 per day, but it is approximately a 10-minute walk to the boat.
– Opposite Hemingway’s Brewery is a $3 all-day carpark, approximately a 15-minute walk to the boat.
Inclusions
Your charter includes a buffet-style lunch with fresh deli meats, salad, bread rolls, condiments, a fresh fruit platter, and prawns for afternoon tea. Bottled water will be provided, along with fish bags to carry your catch home.
Soft drinks, mid-strength beer, and merchandise are available for purchase (cash only). You are welcome to bring your own drinks (light or mid-strength, cans only – glass is prohibited). We provide a large esky and plenty of ice.
Responsible Consumption & Conduct
We also ask that all guests drink responsibly while on board and follow crew directions at all times. Please note that all customer behaviour and alcohol use is subject to Cairns Reef Fishing’s Terms & Conditions. These can be found on our website.
– Seafood Platter: $34 per person (Prawns and Bugs)
– Deluxe Seafood Platter: $40 per person (Oysters, Prawns, Bugs, and Salmon)
Snorkeling Add-On
If you’ve arranged snorkeling, all snorkeling gear will be provided. Please note that all guests must have a 0% BAC to participate in snorkeling activities. Please bring swimmers and towel if snorkeling.
What to Bring:
– Hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
– Swimming gear and towels (if the snorkelling option is selected)
– Happy vibes!
If you have any questions or need further assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out:
Phone: 0427 400 027
Email: info@cairnsreeffishing.com.au
We’re excited to have you on board and look forward to a great day out on the water!
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Andrew and Connor were great !! We went fishing with Captain Andrew and deckie Connor . They did everything they could to give myself , my girlfriend and her son , the best day fishing out on the water . Connor couldn’t have been more helpful helping my girlfriend bait up her line ( 2nd fishing charter ever !) and trying to help her son , hook his first ever Spaniard ! . Despite the sharks getting many of the boats fish , and the bite being a bit lean at times , we enjoyed a great day out with these great crew !! Thanks Connor and AndrewWhole baked sweetlip for dinner this end. Thanks guys
Best day out on the water Brilliant day!!! Would not hesitate going again. The Skipper Andrew and Decky DV worked their butts off to make sure we were on the fish and lines in the water. Top guys, couldn’t fault the entire service from booking to walking away with fish. Really nice people on the charter too - everyone excited when the fish were being wheeled in.Whole baked sweetlip for dinner this end. Thanks guys
Such a fun experience ! Amazing experience!! Had a blast , the crew Cohen and Devon were incredible, they made us laugh and were so helpful ! 10/10 would recommend !
Fab day out. Wat a cracka of a day, Cohen and Devine treated us to a fab day. Awesome fishing and we smashed the Nannygai along with a couple of other species. Thanx heaps and looking forward to our next trip.
Fishing with a couple of legends Great team, great day, great experience. Callun and his deck hand devon ( sorry if I spelt your names wrong champions) were very knowledgeable, personable and just alround great hosts. He knew how to find the fish and when it was time to leave. They Got everyone involved and chatting and enjoying the day effortlessly. No one went home without a good feed of fish and that was the cherry on top of the cake . Will be back again and would highly recommend a day on the reef with this great local company and fine representative of the FNQ lifestyle. Cheers legends
Unforgettable Day onboard Aqua Cat with Cairns Reef Fishing! We had an absolutely amazing fishing trip on board Aqua Cat last Sunday! From start to finish, the Cohen and Devon made the entire experience unforgettable. They were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do.The boat itself was clean, comfortable, and well-equipped — you can tell everything is maintained with care. We were lucky enough to catch some great fish, and the crew made sure everyone, no matter their experience level, had a chance to reel something in. Their enthusiasm and helpful tips made the day so much fun.
The scenery was stunning, the atmosphere relaxed, and the laughs non-stop. It was one of those perfect days on the water that you never want to end.
Highly recommend Aqua Cat to anyone looking for a professional yet personal fishing adventure — can’t wait to come back for another trip soon!
Perfect Charter today!! Awesome fishing trip today.. We caught heaps of nice fish most of the day. I was very impressed with our Charter. The lads Cohen and Connor put us onto some mad fishing and had us laughing the whole way.Perfect days fishing, Cheers Lads.
Best day out What an amazing experience we had, Thanks to the very professional crew we never had any concerns regarding safety out on the reef.The crew were very helpful and we had them running around the boat,
Crazy the amount of fish people were bringing over the side.
A day my son and I will remember always.
Supplied lunch was fresh as and plentiful.
Will definitely be back on board next trip to Cairns.
Fishing The trip on the boat was so amazing everyone was so nice the water is so beautiful and blue and there’s so many fish to catchPaco was so helpful too standing there with his shirt off, (I would purposely get a snag just for him to be next to me) definitely best part of the trip, I would do this trip over and over if paco was on it, if you like OuterBanks than honestly you’d love paco everything he did reminded me of JJ Maybank, the way he came rushing when I struggled reeling in my rod. If I could I’d go on a holiday to cairns just for him.🙈
And there’s also a comedian on board cohen, he never failed to make everyone laugh honestly he was such a joy 10/10 I honestly would do this again with the duo and how hard they worked together it was amazing.
Everyone on the boat was so fun it was honestly like a classic Aussie day😂 it was 10/10 something I would recommend for families visiting Cairns, Thank you Paco & Cohen for such a wonderful experience, I had such a fun time.
Rly good charter Went on full day reef fishing . Impressed with this charter. Skipper and deckie done fantastic job with fish coming on all sides of boat.really big nanny's and trout . Thanks for the great day fishing. One to rememberLisa, the booking agent, is absolutely wonderful to deal with and makes everything so easy.
The meeting point at the Pier Cafe is perfect to grab a relaxed breakfast, and if you're like me - an extra snack for the ride out!
The crew are very skilled and look after you well, ensuring your line is always ready to go and your fish are processed, marked, and stored on ice. Everyone was catching so many fish, they were so busy!
They also serve a beautiful fresh lunch halfway through the day, then prawns and fruit for afternoon tea.
Excellent vibes all day, music playing, beers on ice, and so many laughs with the crew. Massive thank you to the Skipper Andrew and the Deckhand Connor for a fantastic day.
Awesome day catching reef fish The best experience in Cairns! Absolutely awesome day, with a very skilled and good looking crew that definitely know their stuff. Great vibe, with the whole boat catching so many fish the crew never stopped running. Plus a beautiful fresh lunch and afternoon tea of fresh fruit and prawns. Unreal. Shout out to Andrew and Connor for a great day!We were to celebrate my sons birthday and it was a day to remeneber. We will definately be back. Thanks for an unforgettable experience!!!
Reef Fishing!! Awesome time out at the reef and caught plenty of fish despite it not being the best weather and conditions. Shoutout to skipper Cohen and his crew Brody and Connor for making it an unreal experience. They are very knowledgeable and love good banter. Highly recommend to anyone visting or living in Cairns!!
10/10, Best part of our trip to Cairns. The team made our day an experience we will never forget. This was an amazing experience. Every staff member was amazing, they all went above and beyond for my partner and I. The management team was fantastic and made our day a magical experience that we will never forget. Communication from the beginning was 10/10 with Leesa being a delight to organise with and she went out of her way to make sure it was a special day for us. On the day Cory was great to meet and introduced us to our amazing crew that made the day what it was.
Cohan and Conner were amazing. Within minutes it felt I was back home fishing with my mates. They were absolute legends. My partner and I were looked after and made to feel welcome and given the best advice and tips. They were genuinely as excited as we were when we bought fish in especially when my partner pulled in a big nannygai.
There was more than enough food catered and it was all amazing and so fresh.
Cohan and Conner helped organise a restaurant to cook our catch and these were the little touches that made an absolutely amazing day. Thanks fellas!
Cory was at the dock when we arrived and made sure we had a great day and was also as excited as us for the massive fish my partner had pulled in.
Once again thank you to all the team and we will be back again.
Cheers!
Best fishing day ever. This was the second time I fished with CRF and it did not disappoint.I went with my nephew and his mate, for them it was their first charter.
From the get go it was clear that the crew knew their stuff.
We sighted a humpbacked whale on the way to the reef and caught sight of a sea snake, a great start.
The fishing was consistently good with a lot of large fish being taken, I caught the first fish, a decent sized coral trout, I later caught a Frying pan bream and an 85 cm shark mackerel, a beast, other fish were taken.
The crew could not have been more helpful and genial, they helped us land our bigger fish and engaged in pleasant banter.
The buffet was tasty and varied and the fruit and prawns were very welcome.
We saw some whoppers being caught, a lot of people went home with a lot of fish.
On the way back we saw four or five more Humpbacks, which really made our day.
Highly recommend.
Magic Day!!! This is hands down the most worthwhile fishing trip the incredible team skippered by Cohen, hosted the most eventful day n bb DV made it all so easy!! Plenty n I mean PLENTY of fish caught - whales passing n the most insane weather.. booking with Lisa was seamless n it’s definitely a trip to remember!!Without hesitation 5star n 1000% would go again n recommend to all
Thx team it was magic!!!
Very good If you're looking for an unforgettable fishing experience, Cairns Reef Fishing absolutely delivers. I joined one of their full-day charters out to the Great Barrier Reef, and let me tell you—it was a non-stop thrill from start to finish.Booking was super easy through speaking with Lisa.
Went out earlier on in the week with Andrew and Connor. Had such a great time i had to squeeze another trip in.
Plenty of banter, food, drinks and of course fish!!
Super helpful & friendly crew.
Thanks again to Andrew, Cohen and Connor for an unforgettable few days.
I'll be back
All day fun Awesome day on the water, crew were super happy and helpful. Got on to some great spots and caught a variety of reef fish. Snacks provided were fresh and healthy and were enjoyed by all. Top day all round
Absolutely amazing team highly recommend Thank you so much for an absolutely amazing day out the crew Ryan Logan and Connor could not do enough for everyone on the trip thanks heaps guys highly recommend cairns reef fishing.I live in SA and this was my 4th trip with CRF and I’ve never missed taking home a good feed. Highly recommended 10/10
5 Star My buddy Peter and I went fishing with Cairns Fishing Charters in mid December and we had the greatest time. The deckhands Connor and Ryan were top notch deckhands making sure our rods were functional and baited at all times. The captain, Andrew, knew exactly where the fish were and got the boat on some nice fish. Unfortunately regardless of all the efforts on the boat, Peter and I weren’t able to land any fish that day (maybe they don’t like us Americans? LOL JK ). We did learn a lot about the Australian lingo though. Ryan and Connor kindly caught us how to fit in with the locals!Later on, after we got off the boat, I got a message from Ryan (one of the deckhands) that he would talk with the owner any see if they had room for us to some fishing in a few days. Turns out they had us come out a few days later free of charge and we caught some nice reef fish. Overall we had a great experience fishing with these guys and would definitely recommend if you want to catch fish and have a fun time while doing it. (P.S. Turns out “Grouper”isn’t a type of fish in Australia)
Thanks boys
Awesome fishing trip Great day out, caught some great fish and the crew were awesome. They couldn’t do more to help and nothing was a bother. Thanks guys for a fun day on the water.
Great day with Andrew and Taco. Andrew and Taco really know what they are doing. Had a great time and also caught plenty of good fish. Thanks guys I really appreciate it.
Cracking day out ! Awesome day out on the new boats first trip with skipper Logan. Connor and D running the decks. We couldn’t have asked for a better reef fishing experience with plenty of different species coming in over the side. The crew did not stop all day to accommodate everyone’s needs and make sure everyone was safe and comfortable.Special mention to young deckie D, amazing work ethic and has a big future in the industry.
Nick TAS.
Loved it - I’ll be back Smashed it today - super happy with Shane and Logan Thanks gents - this is my second time with this company , will definitely be back again
Fantastic experience - highly recommend My husband and I had an amazing day reef fishing. The crew were awesome and put us in the fish straight away (we had landed 2 awesome nannygai within the first 10 minutes)! Everyone caught some amazing fish, the lunch was great and I’d highly recommend to anyone thinking of fishing in Cairns. A great day on the water, big comfortable boat. We will book again next time we’re in FNQ! Myra & Ben :)
The Best Had an awesome time. Fish weren’t technically on the bite, but our family of 5 got 3 fish that gave us a very good feed for the night. The crew on AquaCat were very entertaining with a couple of mild antics that made the day. Would highly recommend. Couldn’t fault their efforts. All the best with future trips. ❤️🎣
Charter fishing Great day out fishing with Logan and Cohen on the Aquacat. They were very helpful and had plenty of local knowledge to share with 1st time fishers to the reef. They got us on the fish and made a fun day out of it. Top experience!
Highly recommend & awesome crew Awesome time and great crew on the boat today. Deck hand and captain were great with customers and help everyone out. The wind was 15-20 knots so a lot of smaller boats couldn’t go out but this boat handled it well. Side curtains on the back of the boat to keep customers dry on the way to the fishing grounds. Great service and experience for the price.Kept one fish for eating (yellow long nosed) that we took back and made a mango salsa, rice, and lemon butter & garlic sauce. Thanks for the experience- Brett and Megan
Catch fish every time! It was my seventh time going out with this company and I have never had a "bad" experience. Each time I go I take at least 1-2 friends and we always come back with plenty of fish. I can tell you whole heartedly that the new ownership has also come with a very obvious renewed enthusiasm for the business along with many additional newly added improvements! These include, nicely labelling bags of fish with customer names on arrival, courtesy phone calls from the lovely Lisa (who works in admin with Beck) to advise of trip forecast and if things are on track, nice tunes to listen to, great personalities, VIP program for repeat customers and more! Logan and CJ (skipper and deck hands) were bang on, attentive, and have people skills that can't be faked!. It helps that they are also fisherman freaks and just as keen to get out and catch a fish as their customers.Such a pleasure to get out again and WOW, is the new management ever a slice of heaven! Thanks for a brilliant day! I'll be back with the month!
In addition to todays trip, I added a few additional photos of past trips with this same company and on the same boat and a few prize large mouth nannygai:).
Amazing fishing charter and experienced crew Took my mate out for his first fishing experience and thought I’ll check the reviews to see which charter would be the best, we decided on Cairns Reef Charters and let me tell you, we had an amazing experience. We initially booked for Thursday but due to a weather system forming of the coast they called us up and asked if we would like to change to another day, they gave us options and told us Tuesday was great weather and they had slots, we decided to change and lucky we did cause the weather was photogenic, crystal blue water and not a cloud in site, ok maybe a few clouds but you get the picture. So the booking teams was 5/5 perfect.
The crew we had was Logan and Cohen who was absolute legends, plenty of banter and jokes. They kept us well informed and provided everyone with plenty of assistance when needed.
They even provided us with restaurant we would get our catch cooked and prepared. We choose the orchre which was close by, a modern take on Aussie cuisine. They did an amazing job cooking our catch for $45pp.
I would like to thank the team at cairns reef charters for giving us an amazing experience
Great day! We had such a great day! The crew was AMAZING, food was good and we fished lots of different fishes. 100% recommend!Thanks to Logan and Nicky!
May not get out We enjoyed the charter even though we caught nothing, but be weary, if they don't have enough people they cancel on you and you can find yourself quite disappointed with not many other options.
Great day out Staff were very helpful and friendly, food was good , caught some good fish and the young deckie(female) gutted and filleted the fish for whoever wanted it done ????
Best fishing experience ever We were so welcomed as soon as we arrived, Paul and Cohen and Tom were the most amazing and friendly people. They had so much patience for all of us and baited our hooks especially for us first time fisherman. So many laughs all day and we tool some amazing photos. The food was amazing and plenty of. I would recommend this trip to everyone and will definitely do it again
Amazing day out! Amazing day out on the water! Went out on the Avenger fishing boat, great boat, great crew, perfect lunch. Will be recommending to more friends and taking them out again when they visit me up north! Oh and some awesome fish!!!! ???? ????Great value trip when you compare to all the other things to do around the area.
Would definitely do this again.
Logan our Skipper was relaxed, highly knowledgable and conistently had us dropping our bait directly onto big schools of fish. Between the 10 of us we would have caught upwards of 20 fish, 10 or so of which were very good eating size Coral Trout & other species. Clyde, our deck hand, was very skillful with fishing techniques and kept us very comfortable with all sorts of help throughout the day.
The food and gear provided were also excellent, with high quality rods and plenty to eat for both breakfast and lunch. Highly recommended!





















































