Fishing trip North QLd

[cobiaman]

Hey guys, me and a few mates are keen for a fishing trip up north sumwhere.
we currently fish moreton bay, but want to go on say a 3 day holiday or something up north somewhere.
Criteria are not too expensive0 under 1000
not around christmas time, prob end november, or late jan. Atleast 4-5 people.
Probably lookin at catchin pelagics and reef fish. Possibly barra. If there is somewhere where we could chase barra and pelagics in the same areas? id say not.
let me noe who has some ideas, thanks and websites

[BobbyJ123]

G'day mate, how about Mackay??
http://www.mackayfishing.com.au/
Seaforth, 48 km NW of the city has barra, pelagics, reefies, islands, mangroves, creeks, rocky headlands etc. etc.
Big barra at Teemburra and Kinchant, also at Peter Faust dam
Cabins at Cape Hillsborough resort.
www.capehillsboroughresort.com.au

Units in Seaforth ph 07 49590867

Newry Islands: 8 of them, about 4-8 km off shore

[levinge]

Mate if you interested in targeting Barra, you plan is right smack in the closure time, so you are only limited to the freshwater impoundments. Lake Awoonga and Peter Faust Dam are about the 2 best in QLD for Big Barra....

As for Saltwater, I'd have to agree with Bobbyj123, if your budget is $1000 I would say Mackay, as coming to NQ would cost you a little more than your budget...

If you are looking at both, then I would suggest looking at Barra out of Peter Faust Dam, staying at the camp cabins at Kamp Kanga (2kms from the dam) and then if you want to chase Pelagics and reefies move to Airlie Beach (30kms from Peter Faust (Proserpie). Website for the Camp is www.kampkanga.com.au

It really all depends on whether you are fly in, fly out or are you driving, towing the boat, camping or self sufficient......

[Local_Guy]

Stanage bay would be a good option. The place really isn't fished out and you should have no trouble at all chasing bottom dwellers and pelagics.

Then you have the creeks for barra and some of the biggest mud crabs you've never seen.

[3rd degree]

Cobiaman,

Just go to Hinchinbrook.

You have Barra, Jacks, and Fingermark up the creeks incase the weather is bad, and when the weather is good head to the reefs.

You've got everything there, only drama is its a very solid days drive from Brisbane (1500km), but worth every Km.

Cheers

Jim

[JRJR]

Cobiaman,

Just go to Hinchinbrook.

You have Barra, Jacks, and Fingermark up the creeks incase the weather is bad, and when the weather is good head to the reefs.

You've got everything there, only drama is its a very solid days drive from Brisbane (1500km), but worth every Km.

Cheers

Jim

I just got back from Lucinda and the Hinchinbrook area has not been fishing that well of late. In fact the locals have said that this has been their worst year. Having said that, there are some good fish to be had if you are willing to put some major hours in.
The Barra have just started to run in reasonable numbers and the big grunter have just started to arrive also.
Everything has been late this year. No Spaniards off the end of the belt at all this September unlike last year. October looks to be the month of choice for sure.

[Walker]

I just got back from Lucinda and the Hinchinbrook area has not been fishing that well of late. In fact the locals have said that this has been their worst year. Having said that, there are some good fish to be had if you are willing to put some major hours in.
The Barra have just started to run in reasonable numbers and the big grunter have just started to arrive also.
Everything has been late this year. No Spaniards off the end of the belt at all this September unlike last year. October looks to be the month of choice for sure.
As the in-laws are locals and I fish the Hinchinbrook on average once a fortnightly and doing well atm, this is defintely the prime spot in the north unless you can get further north of Cairns on that budget. Midday on 7th Oct is close season for Barra apart from the impoundments. Tinaroo Dam in the Tablelands is another good one for that but further north... As JRJR mentioned, you have the choice of the channel or reefs depending on the weather and there are plenty of other inlets and rivers in the region also.

Paul

[goddy100]

Not quite right there on the barra closures, so from the DPI website:

Throughout the Queensland east coast a closed season applies to barramundi from midday 1 November to midday 1 February, except in and from waterways upstream of Awoonga, Burdekin Falls, Callide, Eungella, Fairbairn, Fred Haigh (Lake Monduran), Kinchant, Koombooloomba, Lenthalls, Peter Faust, Teemburra, Tinaroo and Wuruma dams.
The Gulf of Carpentaria closed season for barramundi in 2008 is:

midday 7 October 2008 to midday 2 February 2009.These closures do not apply in East Leichhardt Dam and Belmore, Corella, Julius and Moondarra lakes, and to waterways upstream of these impoundments.
A take and possession limit of one barramundi applies during the closed season in all of the 18 lakes and dams mentioned above. The barramundi may be greater than 120 cm. Recreational fishers may continue to fish in the 18 dams and lakes once they have reached their limit of one barramundi.
Outside of the closed season, in the 18 dams and lakes mentioned above, a take and possession limit of five applies to barramundi that may include one barramundi greater than 120 cm.

So try to get up here before the closure if you want some barra or organise some freshwater impoundment fishing as previously suggested, because the closure is not just keeping the fish, but targetting them as well.

Goddy

[Custaro]

Are you looking at flying or driving/towing boat?

If driving and bringing your boat, Burrum Heads and 1770 would be a good option. I don't know Burrum Heads well, but I do know you can get what you are after. I have stayed at 1770 camping grounds and have met plenty of blokes who come up from Brisbane chasing spanish and reefies for a few days. I don't think three days would be enough to throw in a Barra fish..but Awoonga Dam isn't far, and Captain Ck has a few.

[cobiaman]

we were looking at towing the boat up and were trying to come up with some ideas. thanks guys

[Walker]

Not quite right there on the barra closures, so from the DPI website:

Throughout the Queensland east coast a closed season applies to barramundi from midday 1 November to midday 1 February, except in and from waterways upstream of Awoonga, Burdekin Falls, Callide, Eungella, Fairbairn, Fred Haigh (Lake Monduran), Kinchant, Koombooloomba, Lenthalls, Peter Faust, Teemburra, Tinaroo and Wuruma dams.
The Gulf of Carpentaria closed season for barramundi in 2008 is:

midday 7 October 2008 to midday 2 February 2009.These closures do not apply in East Leichhardt Dam and Belmore, Corella, Julius and Moondarra lakes, and to waterways upstream of these impoundments.
A take and possession limit of one barramundi applies during the closed season in all of the 18 lakes and dams mentioned above. The barramundi may be greater than 120 cm. Recreational fishers may continue to fish in the 18 dams and lakes once they have reached their limit of one barramundi.
Outside of the closed season, in the 18 dams and lakes mentioned above, a take and possession limit of five applies to barramundi that may include one barramundi greater than 120 cm.

So try to get up here before the closure if you want some barra or organise some freshwater impoundment fishing as previously suggested, because the closure is not just keeping the fish, but targetting them as well.

Goddy
Thanks for that correction Goddy. That is good news but I should have known the father-in-law was right!

[jtpython]

Even Tannum Sands Boyne Island
Awonga is 15 mins away and fish for Barra all year round and when your sick of the freashwater throw the boat in At Boyne Islandor Gladstone and hit the reefs Beautiful area and some great Ausfishers there to boot to add a helping local knowledge
http://www.boynetannumhookup.com.au/index.php
it of a interesting site to look at the area mate
JT

[Flex]

Just got Back from Hinchinbrook. Fishing wasn't sensational but it was damn good.Theres heaps of Barra atm. Try using smaller lures as the bait atm seems to be very small. incoming tide on any creek mount and you will hear em feeding.believe it or not but we caught Barramundi on small metal slugs:) as they seemed to match the bait more closley

Nailed plenty of mackerel(though not huge) on slugs out at the loader aswell as queen fish.
and I managedto get to Pelorus Island 2 days and theres plenty of Tuna there atm,aswell as your bottom stuff.

You wont get up anywhere past cooktown during the wetseason. So your restricted to cooktown south.

[cbruh1]

You could head up towards the Whitsundays. Its a beautiful area with a heap of reefies and peleagics around the reefs and islands, also with Prosipine river just around the corner, there is great river fishing with barra/salmon/muddies.

But before you go to where ever you decide. Look up for fish and area closures as "goddy100" said.

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/key_issues/fisheries

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/management/zoning

have a look at the zoning maps for all the green zones at the area you maybe visiting.

Also get yourself a good map/chart of the area you going to, that way you can study the area your going to, looking for reefs, drop offs, holes structure etc...

Good luck with your search and have a great time...

[rockyfish]

Hi there,
Proserpine is a great spot for fishing NQ, hubby and I got back last night after 3 days fishing up there. Fished out near the islands and caught some nice nannigui, red emporer and cod, barra season is closed but we were hoping to go to the dam after some redclaw, sadly ran out of time. three days is definately not enough time. We have had a few trips up there now and will go back again and again lol Have fished the rivers for bream whiting and flathead, the dam for barra and redclaw and the islands and bays for sweetlip, nannigui, cod etc. Next trip I want to go out to the reef.

Enjoy your trip :)