Cape York trip
Hi guys: Just got back from our annual pilgrimage to Cape York, this time having fished as far south as the Jackson River...a pretty remote area that's as close to Weipa as it is to the tip of the cape. There's a couple of motherships that fish this area, but instead we camped by the mouth of the McDonnell River, a three-hour boat run from Seisia.
Brilliant fishing, the best I've had in 10 years of trips to the cape. One the first day alone, which was largely devoted to travelling and setting up camp, we boated about 50 longtails (northern bluefin), as well as losing a heap to the big whalers that shadowed our boat. The tuna ate whatever we threw at them...slugs, soft plastics, poppers and fizzers (it's hard to beat the sight of a couple tuna greyhounding out of the water after a fizzer).
There were plenty of tuna for the rest of the week too, but the standout species was probably the big queenfish...never seen so many big ones; we probably got half a dozen in the 20lb class, which is a big slab of queenie. Dozens up to 15lb also. The trip culminated in a mad session at an island off the Jardine River, where literally every cast was getting smashed by a big critter (unstoppable GTs and the previosuly mentioned Queeniesauruses), we caught heaps, but lost lots too in 15ft of coral-filled water.
All up, a belter of a trip...barra, jacks, fingermarks in the snags, as well as goldens and giant herring on the flats. Big thanks to Tim and Lesley of Cape York Custom Sportfishing (07 40693301). Pix to follow.
Ian
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15641
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Awesome
Certainly does sound like a magic trip! If you put the photo's up Ian, I will put them into the thread for you. Looking foward to seeing a few pics of these stoinking queenies, gawd I love them.
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deefa
Posts: 642
Date Joined: 09/09/05
Oh how i dream of a fishing
Oh how i dream of a fishing trip like that.....
Great report & pics, thanks for sharing.
You're bloody on the button with ya Queeniesaurus's, huuuuuuuge fish, woulda given some curry eh ;-)
ian.young
Posts: 69
Date Joined: 18/05/07
Yeah, they certainly fill up
Yeah, they certainly fill up a landing net. The big ones seem to jump and carry on out of the water even more than the medium-sized ones we normally see up there. It's quite something to see such a big queenie smashing a popper at close range then getting airborne 5 seconds later 50 metres from the boat
Ian
deefa
Posts: 642
Date Joined: 09/09/05
Niiiiiiiiiiiiice, sounds
Niiiiiiiiiiiiice, sounds like awesome fun........*bastard* :-D
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Tackle
What type of spinning tackle were you using Ian?
John
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SPESS
Posts: 3356
Date Joined: 29/12/06
Great write up mate, as well
Great write up mate! Sounds like it was a hell trip! yeah what gear wear u using?
Keep it tight, reeeeeeel tight!
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Great Report Ian!!
it sounds like there were plenty more fish caught besides these ones. I want to go to Cape York too!!!
Awesome trip, one you'll remember for a long time for sure.
Cheers
Andy Mac
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
ian.young
Posts: 69
Date Joined: 18/05/07
For spinning and poppering I
starlo stix and kix 3000
For spinning and poppering I used a Shimano Twinpower 8000PG, on a Shimano Trevala rod (i don't think either of these are on sale in Oz yet)...great outfit, beautiful to use with PE4. Very impressed with the Twinpower...super smooth drag even though it copped an absolute soaking all week. For soft plastics I used a Freams Kix 3000 with 14lb fireline on a Shakespeare heartland 10-14lb rod...also tried it out on my bro's Starlo Stix med-hvy spin rod. Knocked over a couple 20lb longtails no problem. Very powerful little reel with heaps of drag...see pic
Nealez
Posts: 1220
Date Joined: 08/05/06
shakespeare heartland??
shakespeare heartland?? daiwa possibly?
Tackle Dangler
sherbert
Posts: 4717
Date Joined: 10/09/06
Great report
Some great fish
steve
Born to fish forced to work
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mitch
Posts: 1285
Date Joined: 14/08/05
sounds like a magic trip.
sounds like a magic trip. great write up to.not much beats a trip when all the planning comes together to gell into a fish fest .bet ya cant wait for next year
always in it just the depth that varies
ian.young
Posts: 69
Date Joined: 18/05/07
Oops, Daiwa heartland is
Oops, Daiwa heartland is what I meant. I must admit I spend about six months of every year fantasising about the last Cape trip and six months planning the next one.
Ian
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15641
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Boats
What sort of boats do they run you around in Ian? Do you have to travel far to get to each spot?
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ian.young
Posts: 69
Date Joined: 18/05/07
Tim and Lesley