June 2021 - Coral Bay

 Hey all. 

Long time lurker, first time poster! Thanks for everyone's valuable content this far!

I've got a family trip to Coral bay planned for June this year (fingers crossed) and I'm going to tow our Quintrex 475 up. I plan on doing some bottom bashing for whatever we can find and some trolling along the back of the reef.

My question is to everyone, if you could take 4 rod+reel combos, what would you take? Also what tackle do you think I should be looking at?

We'll be up there for a week so hoping for a few beautiful days on the water. 
 

Cheers!!


crano's picture

Posts: 694

Date Joined: 04/11/09

Heavy

Tue, 2021-02-02 17:11

 I would just keep in mind if you muck around getting the fish in the sharks will flog you.

black gen's picture

Posts: 762

Date Joined: 13/04/11

 100lb leader 130lb snelled

Tue, 2021-02-02 19:23

 100lb leader 

130lb snelled 8/0-9/0 hooks

big reels skull drag anything up quick 

 

 

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 As above, we use 200lb and

Tue, 2021-02-02 22:03

 As above, we use 200lb and still get smashed. But nothing less than 30LB braid if using spinning gear. My main rod has around 50Lb braid. 

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Faulkner Family's picture

Posts: 17835

Date Joined: 11/03/08

 As mentioned go heavy .

Wed, 2021-02-03 06:21

 As mentioned go heavy . Can't afford to mess around. We use 50lb braid and 80lb leader. 

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

Posts: 1084

Date Joined: 21/05/12

 inside the reef u be ok from

Wed, 2021-02-03 09:24

 inside the reef u be ok from sharks - mauds landing and north from there- but u r limited what u can catch

i agree with heavy gear as other posters

watch the passages - south passage can be interesting in a  bit of  swell, lot easier now with the markers in the dunes- but look back  on your way out so u can see the markers - what they look like

Lefty 44's picture

Posts: 144

Date Joined: 04/12/17

Small Boat

Wed, 2021-02-03 10:15

 Having a 475 tub you will be using the North Passage unless you get a proper glass off or very low swell.

This will have you fishing in the 30s mostly 

10-15kg spin or over head wil stop anything you hook.

You will be catching Red throats and Spanglies from 1-5kg.

You will be in an area where tuna shown up so a 5-10kg casting rod that can throw 30g twisties 

Trolling wise you may aswell throw all your lures overboard and save yourself some time.

Shark will smash you as soon as you hook up close to town. You need to go very North or Very south to troll without sharks taking every fish.

Don't be shy to fish inside the reef. On the edges of sanctuary zones produce nice Spanglies and other odds and sods.

Light gear for fun but still enough butt to stop getting reefed. 5-8kg spin.

Big squid inside the reef for another option.

backlash's picture

Posts: 335

Date Joined: 12/10/10

Great advice

Thu, 2021-02-04 13:16

Agree with lefty and the others on here.

I've got a 5m cc we tow up.   I have done south passage a few times now, but very much respect it. Last July there were some big swells as well making south passage a challenge.

I only take heavy gear and maybe two whiting rigs for the squid, which I have yet to crack, even though I do good in the sound.

I have two saltiga 4500 I mainly use and will be buying a couple of saragosa for the kids to use.   you also need a heavy rod for lifting the buggers out as quick as you can. No Sportfishing here if you're after table fish.

I also make sure I pre buy a heap of terminal tackle such as hooks, swivels as snap swivels, as well as having a lot of heavy rigs premade.

it's not unusual to lose up to 12 bottom rigs in a day, or at least have them so chaffed up by the sharks teeth they're unusable.

I also split out the muellies into three bags, so I do not waste an entire packet in the sun.

I don't bother with wire if trolling, but I run min 100lb leader.

twisties are cheap to lose unlike the bigger Halcos, YoZuri and any skirted lures.

We're booked for July school holidays again. Looking forward to heading back. I love the place. Hopefully we get through this latest COVID scare and can move on.

Simo_'s picture

Posts: 1843

Date Joined: 13/11/06

Sharks are a problem at Coral

Wed, 2021-02-03 12:08

Sharks are a problem at Coral Bay now, as said above I would be using scull dragging gear. If you get 3 drifts on a spot before sharks turn up you will be lucky.  

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Bring on April

Posts: 276

Date Joined: 03/08/19

Worth a floater for macks

Wed, 2021-02-03 13:53

 Probabaly still get sharked, but sometimes just drifting in 30-40m with a couple of floating baits or livies works well for macks. Maybe one unweighted and one half the water depth. At least if the taxman comes it'll be cheaper than lures

Posts: 3

Date Joined: 01/02/21

 Good replies all!I did go up

Wed, 2021-02-03 13:56

 Good replies all!

I did go up a few years back in the same boat, but was virtually totally clueless and winged it! Yes we only ever went through the north passage and think we'd probably only do the same again. 

I've got a couple overheads and a couple spin combos - think i'll set up everything with 50lb braid mainline and built from there.

Best bait for up there? Im thinking squid for durability..

Cheers all

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Squid to get you started,

Wed, 2021-02-03 15:23

 Squid to get you started, but anything fresh is best.

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Paj man's picture

Posts: 359

Date Joined: 16/09/12

Gear wise

Wed, 2021-02-03 15:55

Same as everyone else - heavy and up quick. Once you're sharked move on and move far - they'll follow if it's only a short distance. Last time I was up was a few years ago but we got mauled when trying to retrieve fish trolling.

 

I catch squid up there for bait then try and get a couple of tuna for bait to last the day. As Seakem said - fresh is best. 

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aka Nick

davewillo's picture

Posts: 2223

Date Joined: 08/09/16

 I've live-baited plenty of

Wed, 2021-02-03 15:55

 I've live-baited plenty of macks up there. Spanish flag were the best but small (legal size) emperors work too. We also trolled gardies with success and they make great floaters too. All way cheaper than a Laserpro or Rapala! 

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 PGFC member and lure tragic

Posts: 276

Date Joined: 03/08/19

Bait options

Thu, 2021-02-04 14:52

 In the past I've had success up that way with fusiliers, as livies or cut bait. If you are fishing near a bommie, maybe up around north passage etc, you may find a school there and they are easy to catch on bait rigs or using a small hook and  piece of bait.  If they are a decent size, like a big herring, they are also good to eat if all else fails

Curndog's picture

Posts: 441

Date Joined: 21/11/16

Sharkbanz

Thu, 2021-02-04 15:31

Anyone tried sharkbanz up there on bottom of rig? I'm heading up end of may and was thinking of buying a couple to see if they help. Will soon get expensive if they don't though lol my guess would be help land a couple fish before they get curious enough or just don't care and take it

Posts: 18

Date Joined: 29/09/15

 I've just had some arrive

Thu, 2021-02-04 15:51

 I've just had some arrive that i got on pre-order. Im going to give them a go in exmouth in a few weeks. Theres a few spots near the murions where you cant get anything passed them normally, will soon know if they work or not! 

Curndog's picture

Posts: 441

Date Joined: 21/11/16

 Sweet mate that would be

Thu, 2021-02-04 16:36

 Sweet mate that would be good. I'm sure there's a few ppl on here who would appreciate that feedback. Just had a look online before and there $99 a pop. I'm sure when I looked at them a few months they were $75. Maybe I'm mistaken though

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Do have a link for them

Thu, 2021-02-04 17:59

 Do have a link for them Curndog? 

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Love the West!

Curndog's picture

Posts: 441

Date Joined: 21/11/16

Here ya go

Thu, 2021-02-04 18:10

 https://www.sharkbanz.com.au/products/sharkbanz-fishing-zeppelin

hope this works seakem had to type in manually because wouldn't let me copy/paste

 https://www.sharkbanz.com.au/products/sharkbanz-fishing-zeppelin 

figured it out haha

 

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Cheers mate, seems almost

Thu, 2021-02-04 21:33

 Cheers mate, seems almost too good to be true. Definitley keen to hear some feedback on these.

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Love the West!

Lefty 44's picture

Posts: 144

Date Joined: 04/12/17

Floater

Fri, 2021-02-05 08:49

 Floater is a good idea as cobia can be about 

Squid if they are big are worth a go.

Small lunds will be gone in seconds.

Filleted bycatch works well.

Caza's picture

Posts: 206

Date Joined: 05/01/11

 I was up there September

Fri, 2021-02-05 15:34

 I was up there September last year and as said before go heavy sharks are a pain so you want to skull drag we did alright on the macks without sharks but bottom bashing they will be all over you 

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My names mark and i'm addicted to fishing