Sea Fishing Vacation Australia

[Sass]

Hello Y'all! I'm a yank working for the US Army in Baghdad, Iraq and was contemplating taking my vacation in your country if you'll have me. I want to include at least 3 or 4 Deep Sea trips with my stay in your country and am asking you gents for your opinions on where the best place for me to go for such an outting.....Brisbane?, Sydney?, Perth? or any other suggestions y'all may have. Afterwards where's the best place to have a beer or two near the dock and what are the best local beers on the Market? Thanks in advance for your reply. Sassssssssssss

[straddie]

G'day Sass, if you give an idea of when (the month) you are likely to arrive, what you are hoping to catch and a rough budget you will get a few targeted replies.

Best beers? well I won't comment on that seeing as I am a rum drinker but seeing as this is a primarily Queensland site the word XXXX may come up pretty often.

Before you get here though may pay to learn a little Australian first, eg
gents? = blokes
a bar = a pub
drunk = pissed (not angry)
buy a round of drinks = your shout

The usual visitor policies will apply,
must have a sense of humour
never catch more or bigger fish than your host
and finally it's your shout ;D

[Sass]

Thanks, Straddie, for your reply. Your right I should have been a little more specific. I hope to be there sometime in late May or early June if I don't catch a Mortar or rocket first. All the fish I catch will be given away even if it's bigger then my hosts catch and will buy a round as soon as we get back to shore. As for the sense of humour....is there any other way to be?

Hoping to catch any type fish. Fishing is a great way to relax. We fish at one of Saddams Palaces but we're afraid to touch them because the may be toxic so we throw them back.

Looking for a great hotel near a beach and or dock, excellant charter services, and some great pubs to toss down a few. Over here in Iraq we can't get any type booze so I got alot of catching up to do. Sassssssssss

[straddie]

May and June is into our winter here, so Brisbane would be a good choice of base. Cool nights and nice warm clear days mostly.

Great beaches within an hours drive north, south with plenty of eye candy, and with a little help from a barge if going east. There's access to some good fishing close by, and excellent fishing just a few hours further on that will stretch your arms.

Good pubs nearby will be easy to find, and if you keep in contact and post your ETA some of the guys from here might be able to hook up and show you some of the sites. You should be pretty mellow by the time your holiday is over :D

Till then keep your head down.

[Sass]

Funny you should say Brisbane. I ran into an Australian Air Force Sgt here for a couple of seconds and he said Brisbane too! He also said he was returning to Aus sometime around then I will keep in contact. Eye Candy? I recon I can deal with Eye Candy. That's a good thing. I guess now I'll look for accomendations in the Brisbane area. Any suggested charter boat in this particular area? What is the name of the Port/Dock area Please? Straddie I owe you, thanks for the tips. Sasssssss
Sasssssss

[krazyfisher]

i would say cairns as there is more of a tourist market, more charters and you get to see the reef. but if you only want to fish I would like to fish western australia some day. another place would be airlie beach and the whitsundays lots to look at and some good charters

[dynamicspot]

Come to the sunshine coast plenty of charter boats pubs clubs and beautifull beaches fish till your arms fall off

Greg

[Jeremy]

yeah, I'd have to say Mooloolaba. Plenty of options for accomodation from palaces to backpackers. Plenty of charter boats and some great fishing. May-June is snapper time (a little early). Plenty of pubs and fantastic beaches with accociated eye candy....

You should be able to find some info on the web if you look up Mooloolaba. Actually, if you try www.browniescoastwatch.com and look under fishing reports, you will find some links I think.

Jeremy

[Kiktz]

If you want your arms to fall off due to the Fishing Got to WA/ Perth.
But for good people, Eye Candy (Got to love it), Fishing and last but not least some of the best drinking habits you can find Nothing better than Brissy/ QLD.

Stay safe and Have a great trip out here is Aus.

[roz]

I would have to agree with Kiktz, fishing over in W.A. is great, so much to choose from over there, I can speak from experience.

On the other hand, fishing destinations off the east coat, such as Lord Howe Island then all the way up to Lizard Island (you would need two life times) I have been to Lizard, well my dad shouted me the trip as we both fish, its very expensive but fishing wise absolutely magic, you will see some of the best the great barrier reef has to offer.

Fishing off the Gold Coast north to the Sunshine Coast have other benefits besides fishing!!!
Good luck
Roz

[agnes_jack]

Hey Sass
Just so you don,t get led astray mate...Real aussies drink VB.
It's the only one that really hits the spot. ;)

Regards, Tony ;D ;D ;D

[Sass]

Thanks Again, Y'all are an outstanding group of people. Looks like I need to spend 7 days on the East Coast and 7 on the west. All of your inputs are valuable to me....travel agencies don't have a clue, do they. Other suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated. Fisherman were always down to earth folks, great people. Talley Ho! (an expression I've been using since my days in the USAF) I'll keep in contact with Y'all if you don't mind. Sassssssssss

[iank]

Dont forget to have a look at Darwin, average temps at that time of the year are- 82-86f days and 59-68f nights ( took ages to find a conversion table). The fishing is great and if it is to windy to go fishing there are plenty of things to keep you interested.
Cheers Ian
ps if you do come to Darwin I will be able to take you for a fish as I am a retired military person (army) and can fish any time I please (typed this quietly so she who must be obeyed can't hear lol)

[dasher]

Sass memorise this site then destroy it mate.

http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html

Once you have the hang of it rock up to Hervey Bay and let no one in the U.S. of A. know mate. We can only handle a few of you at a time. ;D Be warned you may decide not to return. ::) If you decide to take this mission, post here and we will contact you with a view to raising hell and catching fish. :-X If not well what the hell, ya can get stuffed. ;D ;D ;D

Await your decision. ???

;D ;D ;D

[Sass]

Thanks again Y'all (Sorry, I'm from Atlanta, Georgia stateside. So if you see too many Y'alls from me I recon (guess for yankees north of the mason-dixie) you'll have to understand. Us southerners pretty much hosed up the Queens English) I'm going over all your replies be back shortly or as work load permits.....yeh, I gotta earn my keep.

[dasher]

OK Y'all better answer these questions to make sure we want ya. ::) ???

You Might Be A Redneck If . . .

. . . you were acquitted for murdering your first wife after she threw out your Elvis 45’s.

. . . you think watching professional wrestling is foreplay.

. . . your front porch collapses and four dogs get killed.

. . . you no longer drink wine ever since the screw cap got caught up your nose.

. . . you think that Dom Perignon is a Mafia leader.

. . . that billboard that says, “Say No To Crack” reminds you to pull up your jeans.

. . . your wife’s hairdo was ever ruined by a ceiling fan.

. . . you go to your family reunions looking for a date.

. . . you think a Volvo is part of a woman’s anatomy.

. . . your Junior/Senior Prom had a Daycare.

. . . you’ve got more than three cousins named “Bubba”.

. . . you have an Elvis Jell-O mold.

. . . taking your wife on a cruise means circling the Dairy Queen.

. . . you’ve got more than one other named “Darryl”.

. . . you ever won first prize in a tobacco spittin’ contest.

. . . on Thanksgiving Day you have to decide which pet to eat.

. . . you’ve ever come home and found crime scene tape across your front porch.

. . . your favorite entree is Spam barbecued on the grill.

. . . your child’s first words were, “Attention K-Mart shoppers!”.

. . . your idea of high-quality entertainment is a six-pack and a bug-zapper.

. . . your whole family is Democrats except little Mary. She got to readin’.

. . . you think the last words to The Star Spangled Banner are “Gentlemen, start your engines.”

. . . you kissed your own wife at midnight at the New Year’s Eve party.

. . . you’ve ever taken reading material into an airplane restroom.

. . . you’ve ever gotten an official letter of recognition from a tobacco or beer company.

. . . you vacuum the sheets instead of washing them.

. . . you’ve ever valet parked a snow plow.

. . . you’ve ever stood in line to have your picture made with a freak of nature.

. . . you break wind in public and blame it on your kid.

. . . you’ve ever had to siphon gas from your lawn mower to put into your truck.

. . . you’ve ever paid for a six-pack of beer with pennies.

. . . there are hubcap wind chimes anywhere on your block.

. . . you have a Bud Light pool-table light hanging over your dining room table.

. . . the strongest smell in your house is butane.

. . . you think paprika is a Third World country.

. . . you ask the preacher, “How’s it hanging?”

. . . you go to a stock car race and don’t need a program.

. . . you have a bumper sticker that says, “My mother’s an honor student” at the local junior high.

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. . . the velvet paintings in your house were bought from an art dealer on the side of the highway.

. . . you have no hubcaps on your car because you’re using them to feed your hunting dogs.

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. . . you honest-to-God think women are turned on by animal noises and seductive tongue gestures.

. . . anyone in your family has ever purchased peroxide in a gallon container.

. . . you don’t think baseball players spit and scratch too much.

. . . you’ve ever been to a wedding reception at the Waffle House.

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. . . you’ve ever caught bugs just so you could throw them in the bug zapper.

. . . you have a Hefty Bag for a passenger-side window.

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. . . you’ve ever barbecued Spam on the grill.

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. . . your new job promotion means that the company foots the bill to have your name sewn on your shirts.

. . . the fountain at your wedding spewed beer instead of champagne.

. . . your favorite restaurant has the word “eats” anywhere in the name.

. . . there’s graffiti on the bathroom wall in your own house.

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. . . your idea of a romantic evening is sharing the same spit cup with your girlfriend at a tractor pull.

. . . the most common phrase you hear at your family reunion is “What the hell are you lookin’ at Diphead?”

. . . your best coon hound gets a birthday present and your wife doesn’t.

. . . your mother has more chest hair than your father.

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. . . you’ve ever gotten into a fist fight over a bowling score.

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. . . you’ve ever been hunting on a tractor.

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Hehe will have to keep going but, bloody hell it's unending

[Sass]

Dasher, That's just too much. That's a good kick in the shorts..funny, makes me homesick too. If ever we tagged up I owe you a drink, hoss!

[Tony_N]

Sass -

The US has some of the worst and best beers in the world - all have people that will fight to the death to defend them. If you are a Bud/Coors man, then the closest thing we have to that is Queenslands XXXX (that's right pronounced fourex - and even though i have tried, I can't resist saying that it is labelled in this way because Queenslanders can't spell beer ::)

My favourite american bottled beer is Sierra Nevada and the nearest thing to that in Oz is Coopers green label. Coopers red is not a bad drop either. But as an all-round beer readily available either bottled or draught throughout at least the East of the country, I have to agree with Agnes Jack that VB is the recommended drop. As for the fishing, have a close look at Roz's post again

Tony

[Maria]

Geez what is it with being named Tony and having bad taste in beer!!!? Tony N....I do believe we've had this (XXXX) discussion before mate ;D. Tony (Agnes)....shame, shame, shame (Derryn Hinch style) - central QLD'er....VB....what's going on? ;D

All jokes aside Sass we got some awesome beers down here, which you'll undoubtedly be beligerently drunk on, in true military form. If you're after good advice on what to see and where to go, especially in terms of the outdoors, I'd say hands down that you'll get better information on here than from any travel agents you'll go to. This site's full of blokes and gals from all over Aust. who are regularly out there amongst it all - so there's going to be at least someone who can give you the know on a particular region. Just ask.

Can you knock off one of Saddam's toilet roll holders for me? Or something else of novelty value? ;D

Best of luck to ya.

Ben

[Sass]

Ben, Tony, Roz, Ian and all others I am seriously looking into all your suggestions. You guys are a great lot! I work as a contractor here providing Telephone Communications and Technical Assistance for the US Army working 12 hour shifts 5x a week or over time pay if past 60 hours. So, if I can't respond immediately please understand.

Ben, as for a toilet roll dispenser, I think the US Army dudes already got them but I'll take a look again. We're at Camp Victory near the Baghdad Airport. I still don't know what the floggin' name of this Palace is here but Saddam probably didn't know either. He had nearly 80 or so of them didn't he?

Ian, I served 20.5 years in the USAF but never got a retirement. Long story but the politicians stateside love to give the screws to us Vets and kiss an illegal alien rump for votes. I'll finish my AF tour after this stint here in Iraq but then again maybe not. The pay for this job is quite good. Of coarse you have to put up with real life and death issues if you got the stomach for it. My prior service helps in my fortitude on such matters. By the way thanks for the extra effort on Celsius to Fahranheit. I find I'm in the ball park by this simple conversion= Celsius x2 + 30. It certainly helps us out-of-towners to know our environment in advance and I thank Y'all for it. By the way... I was reading in National Geographic on your country within the past 6 months and it talked about the "Wets". When does this period begin? I forgot but I think I remember around November or so. Do I need to consider this aspect as well?

I always drank Michelob in the states. Buttwiper is just too much like water and you're probably right I'll drink myself stupid if I had the chance.

I'm looking forward to fishing Australia. I've been deep sea fishing the Atlantic off Atlantic City N.J. most of my teens. Done the Gulf coast (Eglin AFB) for Redfish, Groupers, etc and Okinawa (Kadena AB) Japan. In Japan went for Sailfish, Tuna, and Mahi-Mahi.

ROZ; please, what's the Catch like on the West coast and if, when fishing the surf, do y'all have flounder?

If anyone is interested you can also reach me at JJSASS23@Yahoo.com

Sorry but I got to go get training on some Tactical Phone equipment the Army wants me to maintain but I'll be back.

Talley HO! Sasssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

PS. What time is it in Australia? We're 0900 as I write this.

[devocean]

Im with Kitz I would go to to perth or WA. Friends of mine lived over there for years before moving back to NQ. They are selling their boat because the fishing is to boring for them in NQ and they catch some awesome fish. Makes you wonder what they caught in WA

[Sass]

Devocean, I'm picking up strong vibes here concerning the west. I'm doing some research in this area. Please inform me on what's happening there. What's the catch.. the differance between fishes on the west coast and East.

Sasssssssssssssssss

[jeffo]

sass if you decide to have a holoday in mooloolaba check out www.outsideedge.com.au for a charter.

[Barraholic]

Sass,

Check your PM's.

If you have the dollars and want to experience the west at its best, I would recommend the Rowley Shoals - only available as a live-aboard charter option, but if you're into sportfishing or diving you won't forget it.

Check the following out:

http://www.bluewatermag.com.au/feb04feature1.asp
http://www.fishingwa.com/php/db.php?id=35
http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/wa/kimberleyarea/directory/fishing

(anything from Coral Bay northwards is going to provide excellent fishing)

Barraholic