Fishing Spots Hinchinbrook Island/Reefs

[PaulS]

Hi!,

Has anybody got some recommended fishing spots (and GPS locations if you are feeling particularly generous) around Hinchinbrook Island and surrounding reefs. A few friends and myself (from Canberra, Sydney and Rockhampton) are planning a fishing trip for about 7 days in late September and we have not fished the Hinchinbrook area at all. Basically we are hiring a house boat from Cardwell as a base of operations - probably stick around the north side of Hinchinbrook.

We are looking to duck out to Bramble and Britomart reefs, weather permitting, and stick closer around the island if the weather turns bad. Also appreciate any advice on safe anchorages in the reefs if possible.

Any other advice would also be greatly appreciated.

Regards

[Wild_Side]

Hi PaulS, I might be able to help out. I cut my teeth in hinchinbrook. I Don't know if those house boats can get out to the reefs, but there is plenty fishing to be had around the island. The rocky headlands hold some nice fish, that will readly take surface poppers."Makes a good days fishing." The bay on the island is the normal spot that most people head too, but if the weather is find head around to eva island. You could get anything there. Are you Bringing another boat? If so let me know and I might give you some hot spot GPS points.



Wild Side

[PaulS]

Thanks Wild Side,

Yes I should've mentioned that we are bringing up our own boats as well (a 22 footer for the reef) - not sure how the house boat would go trying to get out there .

Paul

[Wild_Side]

I've seen some crazy things done in those houseboats, so nothing would surprise me. I'll go through my GPS and find some points for you and email them to you "don't want everybody out there". Good time of year for it, haven't had a look at the moon but first quarter is the go for reds at night. I would have liked to taken you out but I'll be on charter in the Territory.

Wild Side

[megafish71]

Hey Wild Side, Wouldn't mind a few marks for the reefs out that way myself. As you know the N Q Meet & Greet is on at Cardwell late this month. Currently don't have any marks for out there as I haven't fished around there since I was a kid. Any help would be great.
Cheers Ron

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Fished Britomart a couple of years back and all we could manage was dirty old coral trout Have the mark in my GPS - will PM you in a day or so. Will also PM with some other spots in the channel.

[Dave@qld]

Paul,
You won't be able to take the houseboat to the reef,
once your anchored at Missionary Bay it's not a long run.
You'll find there are other reefs alot closer to the Northern end, it generally blows SE so you'd be heading straight into it going to Bramble etc.
Check the green zones carefully before heading anywhere, you don't need GPS marks if you have a resonable sounder.

Good luck,
Dave Bradley

[Reefmaster]

Well i hope this helps guys.This trip was late August last year and i had a ball. This is the report which i posted last year.

It finally came time to organise the trip my father and I have always wanted to do. This place was Hinchinbrook Is. The plan was to fish the reefs out from this beautiful Island and fish the channel and creeks if the weather turned nasty. We left Brisbane and headed for Lucinda just near Ingham at the southern end of Hinchinbrook Is. This trip would take 18 hours (approx-1500km) towing a 5.6m plate boat and without any troubles. We stayed at Wanderers Holiday Village at Lucinda, which was a great spot. Facilities at Lucinda were great with corner stores, fuel, bait, tackle and a good ramp with wash bay to wash down the boat and flush the motor. Now lets talk fishing. DAY 1. Saw us heading out to Otter reef a good 36 miles NNE from Lucinda in dead glass conditions. I would advise people if they were coming to the reefs to use a GPS fitted with CMAP or BLUEMAP as these reef areas are huge and sometimes like a maze. We fished the outer edge of the reef, which was very quiet, and with no shows on the sounder. We decided to fish on top of the reef in 10m of water on a big bombie. First drop saw me get busted of in no time and on several other occasions. We sighted these fish, which were very big Chinaman fish. Minute’s later big schools of Trevally came through and kept us entertained along with Trout, Hussar and Spotty Mackerel. The water was very clear and it was a thrill to see the fish smashing our baits on the bottom. We then headed SE to Brittamart reef, upon arriving we found some good ground with a great show of fish in 25m. It was all action from the word go, with some big red throat emperor, coral trout, long nose emperor. We bagged out on red throat in no time and threw an easy 100 big ones back. As we fished into the dark we were catching some nice yellow sweetlip, cod, red throat and barracuda. I then started using barracuda for bait, which caught me a big mangrove jack to 7kg and another smaller one at 3kg. I was in heaven and could not believe I finally caught one of these big reef jacks that many people talk about catching. DAY 2. In the morning we headed for some new ground, which we found in 38m of water and 2 miles from the nightspot. Fishing was great with coral trout,redthroat,longnose emperor, small mouth nannigai, and an endless supply of trevally. We headed back to base in the afternoon to refuel, rebait and hear a weather report. The report was for 10-15 knots E-NE for the next 2 days. DAY 3. We headed for Trunk reef, which was 32 miles (approx) east of Lucinda. Wind was a good 15 knots and a choppy sea, which made going a little slow. We fished on the top of the reef and caught coral trout and sharks. We decided to head back to Brittamart reef and do some trolling on the way. We had a big hit, which did not result in a hook up, and destroying a skirted lure. Once at Brittamart reef we fished in 38m of water and the action was hot with an all day supply of sweetlip, big trevally, Chinaman, trout and some nice small mouth nannigai. The nighttime saw us anchoring in very shallow water on reef to hide from the wind and chop with little fishing going on and a chance to get some sleep. DAY 4. The usual fish species were caught but we still had no good Red emperor. These fish hang of the reef edge and in deeper water. We sounded around for about half a day trying to find bottom away from the reef and in deeper water. Finally we found a nice bit of bottom in about 55m of water. Much to our disappointment we only caught small Red emperor and cod. We headed back to camp. DAY 5. Forecast was for 15-20 NE. We headed up the Hinchinbrook channel to fish one of the creeks on the Island for half a day. We used live bait but no takers. On the way out of the creek I decided to try the prawn star lure, which got smashed on the first cast by a nice Diamond trevally. I then caught several cod around fallen trees and structures and a Queen fish, which I lost at boat. DAY 6. Forecast was for 15-20 knots NE. We headed for Zoe bay which is located on the eastern side of Hinchinbrook Is for some sight seeing. This bay was beautiful with a creek at both ends of the beach. The southern creek is very small and only accessible on high tide. This creek has a waterfall flowing into it, which you can see with a short walk. The northern creek is a much bigger creek and runs a long way into the Island. The fishing in these creeks can be poor due to the clean water. On the way back we decided to fish the 5.6km sugar jetty at Lucinda.
I decided to throw a prawn star lure around the pylons and I picked up few little cod and a coral trout. Before long I lost 3-prawn star lures too much bigger fish around the pylons.
DAY 7. Forecast was for 10-15 knots E-NE. We headed back out to Brittamart reef to our usual spot caught some nice Trout around bombies and drop offs. I decided to put a floater out with a live hussar, which did not last long being smashed by a nice sized Spanish mackerel. I did the same trick again only to see a good 2.5-3mtr Sail fish smash the bait and jump and peel a good 400-500 m of line before we pulled the anchor up and started chasing. Half hour later the wire trace broke and I got a chance to have a break. Back to bottom fishing it was and soon big fish was hitting us. Nice big Green Job Fish to 13kg in dead glass conditions. We found some nice ledges, which ranged from a rise of 35m to 18m. You could be certain that nice Trout would come aboard in these areas and they did. We had bagged out on nice fish and it was time to head back to camp to pack up and head home. The trip was a great success and thrilling experience with weather and fishing a dream come true. I would advise anyone to go and fish this beautiful area as it’s worth the drive. The distances traveled in the boat were extremely large so work out your boats fuel economy and the distance you tend to travel. We cranked up 586km in the boat over a weeks fishing but found 140ltr fuel tank to be more than efficient to get out to the reef, run around and back to camp safely based on the 115 fuel injected two-stroke we used. The trip wasn’t kind on our gear ether with more than 150 hooks and sinkers lost on the rough reef.

Buy for now
Reefmaster

[Reefmaster]

guys ignore the "COMPANY NAME AUTO REMOVED BY FILTER" with words including ######### which the reef i was referring too will be deleted.(long story i beleive)

heres a few more piccys

[Reefmaster]

a ripper green jobby

[Reefmaster]

a few tastys

[baldyhead]

Hi PaulS, here are a few GPS marks that are definitely worth a drop or two if you are in the areas. You may have to sound around a bit to find the hard stuff but I look for the bait on the sounder first anyway. Remember the weather has to be kind also.
Bramble area.
Rubble 18 21.063S 146 43.141E
Rubble 18 22.721S 146 42.983E
Rubble 18 26.992S 146 44.855E

Kennedy Shoal.
Rubble 18 03.837S 146 27.664E

Isolated Bommie. 11m drops off to 45m
Coral 18 09.886S 146 44.579E

Gould Island.
Mack spot 18 11.271S 146 10.489E

I have fished these spots over the years and use the GPS marks as a guide only. The real test comes using your sounder to find structure /bait etc. Before the GPS we used to use line ups and the sounder. Rarely came home without a feed at least. Always have a floater for a mack, guaranteed feed lol
Why did I post these marks in the open forum?
Cause I don't believe in hiding or not sharing fishing spots.
& I'm not a miserable bast@rd.
Hopefully they may be some help.
cheers Baldy

[megafish71]

Hey Baldy, Thanks for the marks mate. Might try a couple of these at the meet & greet. Have you given any thought to coming along? Be great to see ya there.
Cheers Ron

[baldyhead]

Hi Ron, don't think that I can make it as will proberly be pig hunting in the Normanton region, will have to check closer to the time.Depends on da crew.
The Datum for the GPS marks is WGS 84, I forgot to mention that sorry.
Cheers, Baldy

[goanna1]

try Kennedy shoals and Otter reef