karumba in a weeks time? fishing options?

[burleygu]

hey guys scored a job up at karumba which is only going to take me 2 days to do so im heading up from brisbane with my boat in tow 4.75 bluefin viking. im wondering if the fishing this time of year will be any good i mean is it worth me towing my boat up there? ill be doing the job and staying for up to a week at my leisure. never been there before just dont know what to expect on the fishing front this time of year? will probably be camping at karumba caravn park either one of them. so any locations or info would be greatly apreciated...
Tim

[Moffy]

Barra season is closed - so you won't be able to "target" them -

that said - unless there's a whole lot of rain dumped in the Norman river catchment making it unfishable - i'd have thought it'd be worth taking the boat. Lots of other fish to chase and you will more than likely score a few barra as bycatch - just make sure you release them asap.

If you have a week to spend there - you'll be kicking yourself if you are stuck sitting on the bank. (watch the swamp geckos - this time of year you won't see them sunning themselves on the bank - but they are there - plenty of them....)

Check out the northern fish finder magazines - maps of the river - if only to give you a few pointers of where the rock bars are - to save your prop.........

Moffy.

[burleygu]

Hey moffy thanks for the prompt reply. It is closed barra season yes but are you still allowed to cathch them? I mean if I wanted to cast lures for barra am I legally allowed to aslong as I release every fish. Or is the whole idea of it to not try and target or catch barramundi. I could do everything the same as I would for barra but have the goal to catch a big threadie or cod. ???

I have no intentions of keeping any fish I catch just wana fish for the fun of it as I will be travelling as light as possible. Fishing gear and work stuff on top of the list cooking stuff etc down quite low. Lol. Do you know if you can buy that north qld book at bcf or the like?

[Moffy]

BurleyGU,

Can't target barra - if you do catch them you are required to release unharmed as quickly as possible.

That said - its amazing how often a barra climbs onto your lure when you throw it in a snag chasing mangrove jacks, threadfin etc............

Fish Finder book should be in most newsagents and probably BCF as well.

Moffy

Anyhoo - better go catch my plane to weipa (9 days fishing ahead!!!)

[mangrove rat]

its pretty good fishing at karumba year round.
if your thinking about barra (tageting them or not), visit the barra centre at karumba itself (not karumba pt) and do a tour, you'll see how much pressure is on these fish during the year and you'll end up not wanting to catch one just to give the guys a break! its an excellent tour, takes about an hour, and you get to hand feed a barra around 130cm. with a mouth like a bucket you shit yourself when your only holding a pillie!
we went this time last year and just hired a tinny for a few hours (and that was enough, we filled an esky and it just gets too hot),we got jew, queenies, big grunter, cod, salmon, there is plenty to catch that give you a run for your money.
my cousin who fishes ther regualry, made reference to my "southerners whiting gear" when i pulled out my 10kg gear and some fish stratched that!
hope that helps,
cheers, andrew

[Captain Seaweed]

when are you going and for how long?

[burleygu]

probly going not next monday but the monday after 15 mtrs of trench and 2 pits to do at the karumba school. then as soon as thats done the boat wil be in the water will probably stay at karumba and normanton for 4 to 5 days then head home via mackay baffle etc turn the phone off of coarse

[Fish_gutz]

You could get some squid and follow the rest of the boats on the edge of the channel north of the mouth and help yourself to some solid grunter or gather livies and launch them land based from the front of the sunset Tavern for some threadies. just keep a good eye out for the leather gecko`s . It`s a top place and I hope you hook up to something fishy!!Cheers Andrew

[burleygu]

thanks for your input andrew ive read alot on the main ledges in the chanel and it seems you can get some consistant catches from there. im pretty sure im going to take my boat i know ill regret it if i dont. just put a new 4 stroke on the back so will probably do alot of exploring right down the river. will mainly just concentrate on chucking or trolling lures.. so hopefully i can make something of it

[adamleah]

you can hire 455 polys up there with 30's on the back for less then $200 for the day when I was up there last........ we took em out the front and got some mackerel next to the charter boats....... maybe worth checking what its worth to hire boats if your only up there a short time as it is a long drive up,,,,, the roads are a bit ratty heading up there tooo.... especially the run back to the east...

[burleygu]

thanks adam id like to take my boat that way im unrestricted with what i do quality sounders long range with underfloor tank etc. but within saying that i think on the wkend i will have a look at the weather and if it looks reasonable ill take my boat if not she might have to stay home. i have no real intentions of heading out into the gulf just wana fish the river with lures and placcys maybe some livies. just hope theres some fish biting in early december.

[rooboy98]

G'day,

I stopped off for a few days in Kurumba back in June-July while travelling around up in the Gulf area.

I decided not to tow my boat up, as this trip was more of a family camping holiday rather than a full on fishing mission.

I hired one of the Polycrafts. Motor was 40HP two stroke. Cost was $140 a day, which included fuel, ice and a small bag of bait. They also launch and retrieve the boat for ya.

I fished the channel and river. My wife picked up some nice bream out in the channel on bait in the morning.

By mid morning it was getting too hot for the kids out in the boat so I dropped them and the wife off and went out to throw some lures by myself.

Despite being told that it was too cold to catch barra at the moment, I managed to boat 4 or 5 on plastics.

Also saw a couple of lizards within 1 km of the beach/ramp where everyone stands and fishes, so take care as they are that close.

A beer at the Sunset Tavern in the arvo is a great end to the day!

Cheers,
Roo.