Fortescue River Boat Ramp Condition for Montes Trip. (Report with Pics)
Hi All
On our way north I called into the Fortescue River mouth to have a look and see if it would be suitable to launch an 8 mtr boat..
Myself and a mate are looking at launching there in October for a trip across to the Montes and thought it best to check it out while going past..
There used to be a cement ramp there, but not any more.. See below pic
It is quite steep and loose stone, ok for launching but would suggest that retrieval would want to be carried out on or near high tide and or have a second tow Vehicle to get you up the bank.
The one thing I did learn very quickly was that the old Grey Nomads that camp there every year don't like it when the ramp gets chewed up... ;-) Bit of a sore point.. LOL
Hope this post helps anyone out that may be looking at a Montes trip and launching from this ramp..
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted.. 
pale ale
Posts: 1755
Date Joined: 02/01/10
And there are usually
And there are usually millions of sandflies
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
These photos were taken about 10 days
ago, So after all the rain it is anyone's guess to the condition... LOL
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
petermac
Posts: 2946
Date Joined: 03/03/10
closest
its your closest launching point to for a rec boat to the montes just take it slow on the way out and try to do it on a medium to high tide once you are clear of the main land its full blast to the montes if you are spending a week at the montes make sure you have some one from K town take your tow vehicle and trailer back to K town lots of young shit heads get down there on the weekend , just saying I wouldn't leave my stuff there for a week unsecured
Rob H
Posts: 5793
Date Joined: 18/01/12
thanks for chucking that up
thanks for chucking that up there, its a trip Ive been thinking about for a while.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
oz74
Posts: 276
Date Joined: 14/05/12
distance
Does anyone know what the difference in distance is to the Montes from Karratha, Onslow and the Fortescue river?
cheers
brett
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
i did a trip from Dampier the
i did a trip from Dampier the north end area of Hermite island at the montes (Called Champagne bay i think) it was 68 mile.
On google maps its saying about 48 mile from Fortesque river mouth, so say 20 mile different by the looks of it.
Mason85
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 21/04/13
So has anyone
So has anyone actually had any experience launching an 8m boat there??
Devo1965
Posts: 120
Date Joined: 29/09/13
Looks steep.
Looks like not much traction on the gravel and looks like even 2 4X4 would struggle at that angle, would it turn to slippery mud in the wet if you were unlucky on return. Looking at it Id have to have 2 4X4, maybe one with a winch and some recovery gear.
Got me interested though.
Devo1965
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
We did end up Launching from this ramp
October last year, we had a 7.6 mtr ally Stagg and a 8 mtr Ally Stagg.
We launched at high tide without any issues.
10 days later we retrieved both boats at low tide and were quite surprised how easy it was to get them out..
Yes we did use a second 4x4 as a helper.
The hardest part was getting the boat back on the trailer with the incoming tide.
If I were ever to go again, I would definitely launch from Fortescue..
The only thing you need to be aware of is the river crossing before you get to the ramp.. Easy to get across (Nice hard Bottom) But is subject to tidal movement..(Especially Spring Tides)
Need to cross at near low tide..
Hear is a link to our Trip report..
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/back-montes-pic-heavy
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Mason85
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 21/04/13
Cheers mate! Cant wait to get
Cheers mate! Cant wait to get over there, just hoping that the ramp will accomodate our 8m Sailfish.....
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
You will be right mate..
Are you going with another boat??
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Devo1965
Posts: 120
Date Joined: 29/09/13
Google Earth
Just looked on Google earth and if I have it right the ramp is about 1/2 mile from river mouth, shows another possible launch 1 mile from river mouth a few meters up the first river fork, on my view there is a boat estimate 5m on the plain leaving the river fork into the main river.
Edit:
Just had another look and it looks shallow and probably very tidal.
Devo1965
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
Hi Devo, Yeah possible launch spot up first fork,
But only for smaller boats, between first fork and main boat ramp is a lot shallower than main ramp to mouth..
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Mason85
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 21/04/13
Trying to find someone else
Trying to find someone else with a boat to join but so far no
luck.
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Ill be keen when the new boat
Ill be keen when the new boat comes !
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
When are you looking at going???
When are you looking at going???
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Mason85
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 21/04/13
At this stage prob around
At this stage prob around late June....
VaSSagO
Posts: 126
Date Joined: 09/12/09
Are there any trees that
Are there any trees that could be used to connect the winch to (via a tree trunk protector)?
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
No mate, no trees
But would be easy to retreive at high tide.
But could mean a night spent there until low tide to get back across the other river crossing.. All depends on timing.
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
pale ale
Posts: 1755
Date Joined: 02/01/10
There is a concrete block
There is a concrete block buried into the ground 20 metres above the ramp. This has a winch point in it.
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
Thanks Mate
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Mason85
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 21/04/13
outdoinit, you guys keen to
outdoinit, you guys keen to go again??
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
If you firm up some dates and let me know
will see what happens..
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Mason85
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 21/04/13
At this stage were looking
At this stage were looking around the 9-14 july...