First time in Exmouth
After months of reading every landbased thread for Exmouth we finally made the trip up in the last week of August for 5 days, I had unrealistic hopes of targetting queenies and gt's along with some decent fish for a feed during the day and multiple sharks at night.
Unfortunately not many photos were taken of anything but the sharks so don't have others to include here. With the exception of the yellow fin bream the fishing was tough, with hide tide being around 2pm and 2am each day we were there and fairly strong southerlys the majority of the time.
An excess of yellowfin bream were caught but only a handfull of legals, luckily for them we didn't know how good they tasted untill after we left so the majority were released. The only other notable captures were a 40cm goldspot and queenie at Bundegi along with a small diamond/pennant trevally at the marina where there was a few decent sized parrotfish crusing along the rocks.
Came close to being spooled a few times only to be busted or bitten off, really regretted not bringing heavier wire with me especially after all the other crap I bought for the trip which didn't get touched.
Went out on the glass bottom boat on our last day and was told by the skipper that it was extremely rare to get such a calm day, was definitely worth the money getting to see countless barracuda resting in the deeper water around the coral formations, a 1m+ cod cruising around and few spanglies, baldchin and lone coral trout hanging around under a large coral.
While it wasn't everything I (unrealistically) expected it was definitely worth the drive and my best trip north so far, already planning our trip back next year
Thanks for reading
First night landed this little black tip then came close to being spooled on my spheros 18K only to busted off after it stopped
Little lemon landed while the federal police came down for a look during their patrol
Some of the missus catches
- Brett
EL SYD
Posts: 599
Date Joined: 16/08/10
you did well on the
you did well on the sharks,
As for exmouth landbased I personally take three week trips as a minimum due to the wind. My July trip was hard work also with bad weather, some nice fish landed and some honkers lost,
but that trip was the most fish seen with strikes and follows, just could not get them to hook up.
Diesel80
Posts: 196
Date Joined: 29/08/13
Some nice bities
Drifta,
couple of nice sharks there mate!
Did you make it round the west side down into the park for a fish? Pilgramunna is worth a look (if you walk about 1km south to the point from the camp ground). Lots of good water, deep holes / gutters etc. Strong currents here so they can waft your bait about nicely.
A snorkle out the front of the camp ground is worth a look to restock the tackle box. You would be amazed how many lures are in the reef there.
Further south again near Yardi creek end of the park is a small spot called "Bobs Spot" I could probably work it out from google but I would know it in the car driving there (might need to take me along lol), good fish to be had here on a rising tide. You have to be a little brave though, walking out about 200m into thigh deep water. Once the water level rises up to about ball height it is time to start moving back in. Plenty of dark shadows swimming by as the sun starts to set....
Tantabiddi is good fun for a night fish if you have a boat (a tinny will do unless you are using wire trace, then you might need a bigger boat). Head off from the boat ramp, 200-300m out and south about 600m to 1km. Sand bottom, 2-4m deep only. Anchor up and lay a light burley trail with pollard. Fish and unweighted pillie and wait. Lots of big spanglies to be had. Pack it in with the bities turn up unless you like getting toed about by tigers / whalers etc.
I can't wait to get up there again.
Cheers,
D80
Member of the Offshore Angling Club of WA
www.beachfishingwa.org.au
joel231
Posts: 107
Date Joined: 18/09/12
nice write up, shame your not
nice write up, shame your not up there now, the gulf is like a mill pond atm.
Cheers Joel
drifta
Posts: 106
Date Joined: 15/01/12
Yeah definitely lesson learnt
Yeah definitely lesson learnt will be staying for a lot longer next time, saw someone with a boat staying near us only get out twice that week
Thanks D80 will save that info for next time, checked out a few spots on the west side but didn't try fish any the wind was just to much and the missus got fed up quite quickly. Really wanted to try the beach near the lighthouse water looked real fishy, imagine there'd be a fair few sharks round there at night also
Thanks Joel, please don't tell me that this perth weather is depressing
- Brett
cell
Posts: 215
Date Joined: 06/07/13
nice fish mate spewing
nice fish mate spewing didn't get no big ens apart from sharks. Still would love to get up there and hit up some sharks used to work on a shark boat so recon most of them sharks that hang around after dark ar good on the chew. What r lemons like on the chew bitter lol or not never tried it.
What the accommodation like is it expensive at all. what is the prices like caravan park or not. Can you give me any advice in case I hessad up that way
GIVE ME A FISHING ROD.....WELL THE REST IS HISTORY
joel231
Posts: 107
Date Joined: 18/09/12
i know, i just got back from
i know, i just got back from exy on monday after being up there for 3 weeks and we had pretty good weather the whole time! but yes this perth weather sucks !
Cheers Joel
Doooma
Posts: 791
Date Joined: 05/12/09
Nice whiting in there mate
Nice whiting in there mate
drifta
Posts: 106
Date Joined: 15/01/12
Haha cell yeah they might be
Haha cell yeah they might be a bit bitter I wouldn't know
Can't comment on accommodation to much since it was my first trip and the missus booked everything but I will say unless your planning on camping avoid the lighthouse caravan park. I was keen to stay in the cabins/bungalows there untill we found you can get a much nicer house in town for the equivalent price or less, I also heard from a few people that it's quite run down now and bug infested which was important to me since the missus was there. We stayed in one of the Ray White holiday homes which was quite deceiving from the outside but absolute luxury on the inside, big flat screen, big flash fridge clean braai with full gas bottle. My only complaint would be the mattress but thats only because of some old back injuries which are a problem no matter what. I wouldn't say its expensive considering the location and everything costs a little bit more up there anyway, the $2/L for fuel is what really hurt! Here's where we stayed http://www.stayz.com.au/accommodation/wa/gascoyne/exmouth/105119?&numNights=1&minPrice=&maxPrice=&numGuests=1&searchRef-specialOffers=false&searchRef-lastMinDeals=false&acceptsOnlinePayment=false&locationLevel=3&rating=0
How'd you go while you were there Joel? Saw a few good bags at the bundegi filleting bench but most guys said they struggled and only saw one small macky the whole time
Cheers Doooma was certainly happy to get one that size, also helped convert the missus to circle hooks which was a plus
- Brett
joel231
Posts: 107
Date Joined: 18/09/12
yeh mate, didnt do to much
yeh mate, didnt do to much fishing while there, just mainly there to visit the oldies, also went out to the monties for a week to. got some decent spangos, bluebone and a few trout as well.
Cheers Joel
Versus
Posts: 918
Date Joined: 06/03/09
Heey nice one Brett, Exmouth
Heey nice one Brett, Exmouth landbased definitely isn't easy hey
Rusty Balls
Posts: 122
Date Joined: 19/09/13
Hey Drifta, all I can say is
Hey Drifta,
all I can say is better luck next time ,I know how you feel,I took a group of friends and the other halves for a trip and the fish were nowhere to be seen..its all in the weather..had some great trips and some blow outs but always an experience eh ?
Rusty
p.s. gotta love the Lemons ..always save the day !
Born A Fish
Forced To Walk