Ningaloo 2016
Just back from the annual trip. The whole northwest has beenplagued by shitty weather this year, and we copped it as well. We arrived 24th June, and a regular who had been there since Anzac day said he's had maybe 6 good days in that time? Another had been there since May, and not caught a single mackeral. Shit weather, no fish , and not even any squid? So we put the boat in, went out looking for the unobtainable squid, and caught 16. The weather would look to be improving, then go crap again, rain, wind, or just wind. Sails we very thin--we actually didn't boat one for the whole trip, which was a first. Mackeral were hard to come by, there were a few wahoo, sharks were at least as bad as usual. We caught some good fish, but had to work hard for them. Best mackerel was released alongside, (well into the 20's ), best wahoo maybe 15kg. We had one red-hot session on big Spangleds, hard to remember one better--must have tallied 30 big fish to 67cm, released all but one, fell to floating baits. Jigging was a non-event, hooked a couple of mackerel on one set of lumps but the sharks got both. Got pretty good at catching gar off the beach.
Oh, and the Marlin, shown in another post.
But it's always a good trip, and you make the best of it, enjoy the good days when they come.
big john
Posts: 8756
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Good stuff
Some good fish there ranmar. The stars certainly aligned for your marlin.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
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ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yes, it really made the trip
Weather and unco-operative fish aside, it was still a good trip. Nothing broke on the road in and out, nothing malfunctioned at sea, and the worst thing that happened was chafing an anchor off in a big swell, strong tide and fresh wind. "jeez, that tide shifted suddenly-oh, bugger"
But it was an old , old sliding ring danforth with 6 metres of chain, a real sacrificial model that just kept coming back up. 12mm silver rope chafed right above the thimble, so I didn't even really lose any rope.
kirky79
Posts: 1354
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Nice
Been waiting for this report. Did the hoo take a skirt? Want to tick one of them off the list this Christmas. Still some nice fish for a challenging trip.
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
We were at southlefroy just
We were at southlefroy just before holidays, the day we left it rained hard... also the tide came up and flooded a few camp sites that had just set up the day before.
last few trips I've done north in June July have been overcast and a bit of rain.
fuzzy79
Posts: 125
Date Joined: 31/07/10
How was South Lefroy - we
How was South Lefroy - we are booked to stay there the fist week of September. I think we are booked for sites 28 & 29, do you recall what they were like?
Were many people launching boats from there, we are planning on taking up a 5.2m genesis.
Any my other hints you can pass on?
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
Yeah. Was great, I was at
Yeah. Was great, I was at camp 3 we were on the beach it sort of tucks behind the dunes it was pretty sheltered I don't know what the other end is like but seems a few of the camps are behind dunes.
The only boats I have seen launched were dingies and quinnie over 5 m, but did see boats up to 7m traversing past us, I hear there's a rock boat ramp up past lefroy but not 100% sure.
But you should be ok if you pick your spot..the sand was hard enough, but a few soft spots around water
If you got max trax and a winch I doubt you will get stuck the water is pretty calm too
Was 1st time I've been up there, other guys may have more experience and point you in right direction
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yes, they were building levees at Winderabandi
We arrived a week before the holidays, and I remember that day. A couple of camps were literally sandbagging, using maxtrax, bits of board, water containers, shadecloth, everything they could to break up the surge. They got by, luckily there was no-one right out at the point or they would have been inundated. Last two years have been bad for weather up there, never really settles into a good easterly then glass-off pattern.
Yes, Kirky, both the wahoo took a skirt. Richter Soft Grassys, and they ( and everything else) seem to like the lumo blue/green colour. I've used that same colour on Pakula Cockroaches for sails, wahoo, tuna and mahi. In fact, they liked them so much they eventually took both of them. Last one was lost just after the smaller wahoo in the pics was taken. They like their food fast, can be a real PITA with skipping gar and they either chop them in half or chop the lot clean off. Biggest mackerel over 20kg was taken on a deep floated gar, as were most of them.
kirky79
Posts: 1354
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Cheers
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
some great fish amongst the
some great fish amongst the bad weather. wahoo has to be one of the best looking fish in the sea
Stevo81
Posts: 1278
Date Joined: 16/04/12
Nice Rankins and Splanglies
Nice Rankins and Splanglies mate. Camping on the beach when its raining definately isn't much fun. Are you still going to go at the same time next year? Im about to book Coral Bay for next year and im thinking end of July start of August.
•••••••• Electrical Contractor NOR ••••••••
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yeah, same time, same place
it's usually pretty good at that time of year, just lucked out this year. A very unusual autumn/winter in the north.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
South Lefroy is mostly dinghy fishermen, as you can't launch
But there is a rough rock ramp at Point Billie, just north. I don't know if it is tide or swell affected. There were more big boats in the area this year than I have ever seen before, at that time. Mine is launched at Winderbandi, which is fine at low tide, and moored in front of the camp.
Boydy
Posts: 623
Date Joined: 26/09/12
Some top fish and pictures
Some top fish and pictures there mate.
That tub of squid looks bloody great, especially considering there was none around, apparently....
Good stuff.