Port Hinchinbrook livebait

[Rhetly]

Collective Brains......

Heading to Missionary Bay for the first time in 4 weeks, staying a night at Port Hinchinbrook before heading over and wanted to know if there was anywhere to collect live bait around the Marina.

Google Earth tells me of a few creeks about 7km south and one north. Are these my only options?

Have a 4.1 Polycraft to get around in but would prefer to be able to hunt a bit closer to the Marina to pick these up before heading across.

Are there any particular creeks that could produce better for fish, crabs and livebait once we get over to Missionary?

Is running a bait net off the beach at Macushla a viable option, being aware of the wildlife of course.......

And is anyone able to confirm that trolling around Goold island could produce a mack at that time of the year?

Thanks in advance for any advice and tips.

Cheers, Rhet

[odes20]

You can get livies out of creek 1 in Miisionary Bay and any little tributary in it. Also the landing Pontoon at the resort at Cape Richards. Creek 3 and the deep holes out the front of no.2 are good fishing. Yes you should be able to find a mac or two around Gould.

I woukl be really careful runnin a bait net anywhere in that area You shouldnt need to do so anyway
Cheers
JOhn

[Cardy Wahoo]

There is often heaps of bait inside the marina close to the ramp around the private jetties (especially the unused ones). Little shallow wreck near Hecate Point (marked) often has bait on rising tide - the birds on the marker will let you know if there is bait. Care needed not to land net on the wreck itself. Eastern deeper side of Goold where current runs you could be a chance for spaniards. Regarding Macushla there is heaps of bait - no need to risk running a bait net.

[goanna1]

Do not get in the water at Machusla there is a large croc!!!! Cast Net is a must and do it from the Boat not in the water. Herring are easy to get in anty of the creeks getting the tide right is very important. the hardest thing to catch is mullet
Good luck

[whiteman]

Try the mud flat on the right just as you come out of the throat of the Port's channel as well as any of the above.

[goanna1]

Also if you go to cape Richards jetty take care it was in a state of disrepair in march ( also there was not bait but there was a lot of fresh around at the time.)

Hope you get good weather

[Rhetly]

Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it.

Can anyone inform me of the most accurate tide times to go off for Missionary Bay?

You mention getting the tides right goanna1, what period of the tides would give me the best chance of netting a few fish?

Once again, cheers.

[goanna1]

Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it.

Can anyone inform me of the most accurate tide times to go off for Missionary Bay?

You mention getting the tides right goanna1, what period of the tides would give me the best chance of netting a few fish?

Once again, cheers.

You need to be there on the making tides 2m+ Before the new moon or full moon.

Best bet for bait is the run in tide before the bait gets up in the mangroves.

no run no fun ( you will need run for the mackrel any way) Don't be fritghented to go right up the creek some of the best jack are up the top of the creeks in not much water. We lke to chase the tide up the creek catch a couple then move to a new gutter

P.S only cost me a few grand and several trips to work all this out.


There are some trout over at gould and it is not unusual to see big schools of golden trevally


Are you camping on the Island???

[goanna1]

Oh whoops we wrok on lucinda off shore tides

[goanna1]

Attachment 60642

last year

[goanna1]

Attachment 60643

just a glimpse

[Rhetly]

Staying on a houseboat, but using it as a recce to stay at macushla on subsequent visits as I wasn't sure as to what the camping was like. However, from your image, it looks damn lovely!
I am working towards the few grand and hoping to add more trips in the future!

Period of tides for a mackerel around Gould?

[goanna1]

I haven't chased mackerel at gould not to say they arn't there but in central queenslad we go for the big tides with lots of run in the tide. the camping at machusla is is good there is a shelter shed shit house and free gas bbq ( you need to book with national parks but its cheap as chips. also rain water tank with do not drink label on it. I hope your with good mates house boat can be a little confined. When are you going I will be there on the 5 th of sept . The only trouble with camping is you must take every thing you need and be prepared to take it back. Are you taking your own boat? the weather can make missionary bay a little nasty at times it is also a fair run across to gould.

[goanna1]

the house boat gets you a few grand straight up . don't get to excited about the crabs its a werid place to crab you can get 4 bucks in one pot and none I mean none of any sex in the other 7 pots. it gets a hammmering from the pros and don't forget it will be sept. while we can catch crabs from oct till july in this part of the world . sept and august suck

[goanna1]

you are driving past mackerel to get to hinchinbrook