What charter for extended trip!?!?

[therapy]

Gedday all,
I need to spend $550 in flight vouchers received as gifts from my recent wedding and the missus has told me to spend it on myself and go fishing!! (still haven't seen my engagemant sounder!!) Woohoo!! The next question is where to bloody go?! W.A is a tad too expensive flight wise( my first thought was Broome/ Kimberley) so that leaves NT, Cairns, Townsville. Not really interested in going south or OS. I'm reckoning on a daily rate of $4-500 for a 2-3 day charter. I just want to fly there, get on a boat and go fishing. Any suggestion's, thoughts, suggestions??

Cheers.....Terry.....

[Apollo]

Terry

This is her test for you. Don't fall for it. Tell her to spend it on herself as she deserves it. Bit of ground work early will pay off for years in many ways.

Steve

[Marlin_Mike]

I am confused. You have flight vouchers so the cost of the flight is covered with the cheap flights at the moment being off season. You should get up north with your vouchers easy

The charter is the cost that wont be that cheap for 2-3 days


Mike

[therapy]

Terry

This is her test for you. Don't fall for it. Tell her to spend it on herself as she deserves it. Bit of ground work early will pay off for years in many ways.

Steve

Sage advice no doubt Steve. I actually suggested long ago that I would take care of the spending of the voucher's and I still remember the look I got!! But since then, the cat is slowly dying and the dog's been diagnosed with cancer so she won't leave them at all so fishing I go!!

Mike,
I spoke to flight centre (where the vouchers must be spent) and return to Darwin is about right. Any left over monies will be put aside for us to use at a later date.There are some barra camp's that are in the ball park but I am hoping to tag along with a group on a live aboard maybe or failing that, save up a bit of coin and do something next year. I just figured that doing day charters and paying for a hotel would end up about the same but I just want to fish...

Cheers...Terry....

[Apollo]

Sage advice no doubt Steve. I actually suggested long ago that I would take care of the spending of the voucher's and I still remember the look I got!! But since then, the cat is slowly dying and the dog's been diagnosed with cancer so she won't leave them at all so fishing I go!!

Cheers...Terry....

So, this just gets better - imagine yourself sitting at the dining table in a few years time with house full of guests and someone ask what you did with the travel voucher you got for the wedding. You and the missus have had a disagreement before the guests arrived, so with this still in mine (they never forget), she answers the question about how you selfishly used her wedding gift to go fishing whilst forcing her to stay at home to deal with the trauma of a dying cat and the serious illness of her much loved puppy.

You have been warned

Cheers
Steve

[therapy]

So, this just gets better - imagine yourself sitting at the dining table in a few years time with house full of guests and someone ask what you did with the travel voucher you got for the wedding. You and the missus have had a disagreement before the guests arrived, so with this still in mine (they never forget), she answers the question about how you selfishly used her wedding gift to go fishing whilst forcing her to stay at home to deal with the trauma of a dying cat and the serious illness of her much loved puppy.

You have been warned

Cheers
Steve

Your not helping Steve!!LOL. The dog appears to be stable after surgery and the cat is happily living the last of it's life in drug induced stuper (to stop the fits). My wonderful wife has reasoned that the majority of the wedding day was what she wanted (I wanted to sign some forms in the city) and with all the special things I do for her on a day to day basis and the long shift work hours I do, I deserve it. ( though you are making me wonder if I do !?!?!)

[Bear001]

Take it and run before she changes her mind I reckon

I eloped (not a white dress/wedding kind of girl ) and came home after day 2 and hubby (workaholic) went back to work, and I went fishing for the next week with my dad........lmao........

Dont regret a thing - but be warned.....about 6yrs later I decided I wanted a PROPER honeymoon seeing as I missed out on wedding expenses etc - so payback was a BITCH....lmao.....(not really, spent 3weeks on the road from Darwin to Broome - bloody magic! But I made him fork out for the most expensive resort at Cable Beach Broome..... ha ha)

Skip Cairns, go for Darwin is my vote.

Cindy

[therapy]

That's classic Cindy!! We already had the honeymoon at Sea Temple Port Douglas and then 10 day's in a holidya house at Noosaville with our staffy cross and I only went on 1 1/2 day charter up north and 1 full day charter at Noosa. We have an agreement, I fish and she shop's so it all works out!! It will not be something I will do often and having never been to Darwin I am leaning that way. Just have to research some charter's whether it is a couple of days on a live aboard or daily charters for a couple of days. Marlin Mike is right, the cost for the live aboard might be too much for my budget but you never know if you don't look and ask..

Cheers....Terry.....

[whiteman]

Townsville ... try these guys .... http://www.nccharters.com.au/

[therapy]

Thanks Whiteman,
I actually sent them an e-mail yesterday so waiting to hear back. They look pretty good to me and while I haven't been to Darwin I haven't fished Townsville either. Willl wait and see what their reply is.

Cheers.....Terry......

p.s. Thanks for not having a go at the circumstance's of this trip (lol)... Steve, you've managed paint a pretty ordinary scenerio. You know it's my Wife's job to mess with my head, not yours!! (lol!!!)

[whiteman]

Therapy, I recommend them, not because I've been on their boats, but a couple of my mates who are good fishos were given vouchers as presents and they came back with big smiles and heaps of fish. I think it's around $300 for a full day of fishing. If they get back to you, ask them at what point the wind/seas stop them (refund?) as we regualrly get full-on conditions like we are experiencing at the moment.

[Apollo]

Only hassling Terry. Go, enjoy - let the marriage counsellor sort the rest out later!

Steve

[nickstock]

When are you looking at coming mate?

If you can wait for some better weather (blowing 30 knots for the last week), why dont you fly up here to sunny Cooktown and come fishing with us?

The bottom fishing is as good as anywhere else in the tropics and you only have to pitch in for fuel and return the favour if I ever go down your neck of the woods.

Cheers,
Nick Stock

[therapy]

Gedday Nick,
That is a very generous offer and one I didn't expect. I have seen some of your reports and you guys certainly go alright. I am looking at late September early October. Pretty flexible really. I will pm you my home number and if you want to do the same I will give you a call. As for returning the favour, more than happy to. Have you ever heard of the sub tropical trophy fish called the Grinner, much sought after and prized. I once trolled one up when chasing macks at Hervey Bay, must have been nearly 80cm's!!!Well I know where they all live so can put you onto to plenty of them!! Big buggers too!!! Speak to you soon..

Cheers....Terry.......

[nickstock]

Therapy,

I spent seven years targeting Grinners when I lived in Noosa. They are the supreme sportfish of QLD. Unfortunately I am yet to catch one up here in the waters of Cooktown however I will try and get a few hot Grinner marks for you.

The problem up here is that there is just so much reef surrounding Cooktown and we all know Grinners like sand patches. I will not promise Grinners however I should be able to get you onto plenty on Nannygai, Spaniards and Trout like in the pics below

















Cheers,
Nick Stock