Swains Trailer Boat Trash Trip

[mustang5]

Wow!!!

That looks like Paradise!!

Base Camp everyone???

Probably wouldnt want to leave the beach looking at those pics :p :p :p

[Horse]

Mustang5 - The Middle Percy would be the pick as a base camp. As you said, it is only 60km to the Swains. There is a popular anchorage called 'West Bay' which is where the caretaker lives, and has a shack on the beach, with phone, that can be used (i think). This is a beautiful spot that is used for yachties / cruisers passing through looking for a suitable anchorage. As the name suggests it's located on the western side of Middle Percy.

If you want a little more remoteness about your trip, my preference is Whites Bay which is protected by Whites Bay Rock. This is also on Middle Percy, but located on the south eastern side. There's nothing there but a protected beach. It's protected from all directions even SE's. You can either sleep on the boat under anchor, or swag it on the beach, with your boat under two anchors (front & back), ass in. You'll have to be comfortable with boat sitting on the sand as the big tides come in and out. The times we have stayed there, we get a fire going, get on the ink, and cook up up some of your catch under the stars...awesome.

Thirdly, if you want a bit of comfort, a house on Marble would be the go. The two houses for rent are both 2 bed + 2 bath, with full kitchen and running water. Again, very protected anchorage here, and you'll be looked after by the Island Manager, Peter. Your biggest consideration here is that this will add 35km to your trip when heading out to Swains (in staright line).

Cheers

Welcome aboard Ausfish Andrew
The Percys are a great spot and a few days fishing around there would be a great consolation prize. I have been past the A frame but never visited. How did you find the fishing around the Percys?

Cheers

neil

[No Fear]

Well I specifically bought a big white cat to do this trip one day- hopefully I can finish off the final bits and pieces and get it up there to join this little venture....
Just got to find someone to fabricate my fuel tanks up and put my rebuilt engine in and I am good to go....surely 600 litres of diesel will get me there and back!!!

Will keep my eye on this thread and see how I go....

[Horse]

Well I specifically bought a big white cat to do this trip one day- hopefully I can finish off the final bits and pieces and get it up there to join this little venture....
Just got to find someone to fabricate my fuel tanks up and put my rebuilt engine in and I am good to go....surely 600 litres of diesel will get me there and back!!!

Will keep my eye on this thread and see how I go....

Plenty of time to get it all together.

[Pimp A Shrimp]

Welcome aboard Ausfish Andrew
The Percys are a great spot and a few days fishing around there would be a great consolation prize. I have been past the A frame but never visited. How did you find the fishing around the Percys?

Cheers

neil

Neil

Most of the fishing we have done up there is around Hexham and Otterbourne, but I can say the hottest Trout bite I have ever experienced is around an exposed rock on the eastern side of North East Percy. Also we have some success in the body of water between North East Percy and Middle Percy. The water isn't quite deep enough for Big Reds at around 35-40m, but we have seen good keepers of Nannygai and Red Throat.

What I would like to find is some good live bait grounds up there to target some of those bigger ooglies.

Cheers
Andrew

[Horse]

Its great country. I have only fished out of Stanage twice and only got as far as the Dukes and the shoals to the South due to weather and the limitations of a 5m boat. I'm heading back at the end of April so hopefully I will get a chance to run a bit wider. I could not find any livies even though the shows looked like bait schools at times. Perhaps Fusaliers might be a better option

[bugman]

Welcome aboard Andrew.

I could do a house on Marble - now we're talking :-)

[bugman]

Anyone heard of deep water fish coming from the ground near the edge of the reef. Would it be worth bringing the electric reels. Some of the ground looks 200m ish.

[Lucky_Phill]

I could do a house on Marble - now we're talking :-)

What....... ? getting too old to camp ?

Actually, I am liking that idea myself..... makes better sense to an old fart like moi !!

Thanks P a S..

OK Neil, the 10 ball , is in your court.


LP

[cobiaman]

What....... ? getting too old to camp ?

Actually, I am liking that idea myself..... makes better sense to an old fart like moi !!

Thanks P a S..

OK Neil, the 10 ball , is in your court.


LP

Are we going to see rebait up there phill?

[Lucky_Phill]

Well, even though Stanage is a trip I wanted to do for a long time, I still have reservations.

Making camp ( house ) out in amongst the islands is preferable and doable, for me.

I will not commit just yet. Have to get some H/D work commitments out of the way first.

LP

[Humdinger]

I'm in wife and boss not an issue ( as long as I don't take Facebook )
Will need a deckie if anyone is interested send me your résumé

[Pimp A Shrimp]

The houses on Marble rent for about $400/night, so not cheap, but its all relevant for what you get. It's suitable for 4 adults, and there would be option to pitch a tent/swag for 2 or so extras. Again two houses, so 12 people could be catered for. The benefit being, hot showers, kitchen, bed etc...full house facilities. Based on six adults your share would be around $60ea / night.

There's 4 bed, 2 bath houses at Stanage that rent for $150/night so much cheaper, but more suited to folk looking to crab and target Jew etc.

Both options are for the comfort concious people...

Way up the fuel / time component and Marble is the better option compared to Stanage, even if you plan for the last two or three nights of the trip to stay there for good body scrub and rid the 'salty sea dog' from your system. Island itself is impressive with plently of land based options, including hunting deer if thats your thing!!!

Tough choice if your planning for 5 day or less. The 'Lord of Flies' option under the stars on the beach at Percy is hard to beat if your prepared to rough it...few decesions here.

The road in and out of Stanage is Fair to Good. 100kms of corrugated dirt road can test your patience. Allow 3ish hours one way when towing. Have never had any dramas except for when heading home (back to Bris) and trying to take this road too quickly...ended up losing Jockey Wheel, shook all pot rivets from trailer guards and a few stone chips. Again when driving steady you won't get these issues. Definately cater for some form of tralier guard or shade cloth tied from tralier to boat to protect from flying stones.

The army regularly grade the road druring their training excercises, so you may get lucky.

One more consideration is reef closure dates which are in Oct.

Here's a taste from some of our most recent trips....enjoy.

[Horse]

Anyone heard of deep water fish coming from the ground near the edge of the reef. Would it be worth bringing the electric reels. Some of the ground looks 200m ish.

Brett. The area we are heading to doesnt get much over 80m. The chart shots I posted are in feet. You need to go another 60NM to hit the shelf. Save that for next years Breaksea Spit M&G. Its only a few miles from where we were catching Billieas in 15m

[Qlder1]

Found some old pics of a couple of trips to Swains on the Genisis (charter boat). The Sail and smaller( 25kg) wahoo and spanos were caught out of my 19ft boat just before a big storm came through.. funnily enough the Spanos and wahoo were caught trolling bibless lures, and the Sail was on a floated ribbon fish..


average sized fish from around the bombies.



Wahoo I got on 10kg gear off the big boat on the way home from a trip. No idea what it weighed but it was BIG..



We kept it as the fishing club I was in at the time wanted to get it mounted. Looking back I wish we had let it go..



Awesome bait for reefies.... never thought of eating em back then...



sharks like the Chinaman fish apparently.



It is amazing out there, if you can think of a tropical fish species you have a chance of catching one.

Maybe these pics will help get you guys motivated