So,you'll be headin out from Denahm eh? Ive only been that way once as passenger. from memory its a fair old treck out thru the shallows toward dirk harthog and steep point,but by krikey thats some good fishing ground. From steep point n/eastish toward dirk harthog there is a faultline between the two. awsom for baldies with the correct tecnique. theres also Black rock on the southern end of the western wall/cliff face. Just bear in mind there are sanctuarys around so best to be awary of this. Heaps of good spots that look fishy,but imo not all that good inside unless your keepin out the weather,OR you like to site cast to big yellowfin bream.

Allways remember though,It aint called shark bay for nuthin! one day in a meter of water on the inside of the island I was chasin bream out of a tinny (alone) and had two 10 foot sharks hanging around unnerving me a tad,then a flamin great hammerhead at least 14 foot long swam rite under the boat. I crapped myself,an bolted back too camp at the point, LoL, recon thats about as nervous as Ive evr been 

Its obviously gonna be better gettin out if weather permits. Is decent LB fishing a real option with a 2wd? Yep we're staying at Denham. What about shore based shark fishing? I know its shallow for a long way out from denham so I would think shore fishing would be very limited.

Shore based is pretty limited for 2WD. Mostly beach fishing for smaller species (whiting, bream, squid, tailor) but with the chance of pink snapper (check current regulations for the area), mulloway, bluebone, sharks.  The jetty at Denham can fish well, but I imagine it will be crowded over Easter.  Boat options are fantastic, but best fishing is either out through South Passage (Steep Point area) or head north to Turtle Bay and beyond.  It's 1 - 1 1/2 hrs to get to Steep Point by boat, and around 3 hrs to Turtle Bay.  I have fished these two areas quite a bit and have always done well, but have much less experience fishing inside the Island (between Dirk Hartog and Denham).  I have fished from a boat up towards the tip of the Peron Peninsula (when trying to get shelter from either strong easterlies or strong westerlies), on both the east and west sides, but not done well.  I know the shallows can fish well for mulloway and pink snapper, and even mackerel, but I think you have to have local knowledge to consistently do well in the shallows. 

The wind at Shark Bay can be a bastard.  I have been shore bound for days at a time by screaming easterlies, and been caught over at Dirk Hartog by these same winds.  We had to spend one night sheltering in Withnell Bay, getting the crap beaten out of us and the boats by the steep chop that is generated by these winds.

I would question the worth in towing a big boat to Shark Bay for two days fishing, especially if conditions are suspect and you don't know the area, but if that is all the time available to you, and you don't mind outlaying the petrol, then go for it.  You have got to be in it to win it!

Peter

you need a boat in shark bay for sure land base fishing from denham is crap from my experience heaps of squid from the local jetty but the sand bank goes out for miles everywhere .out in the boat that place is snapper heavn as soon as it hits the bottom its on .

Reports at this stage not looking good.  Have postponedc our trip to Gnarloo due to 30 knot winds and 3 meter swells at the moment.  Was meant to leave two hours ago..

Reports at this stage not looking good.  Have postponedc our trip to Gnarloo due to 30 knot winds and 3 meter swells at the moment.  Was meant to leave two hours ago..

I took my missus up there for our honeymoon and we spent our first couple of nights at Nanga.  We got there a bit early and couldn't check in so I got a small flick rod out and threw some baits around the shallows.  Had alot of fun with plenty of whiting and flathead about.  I was letting them all go but I remember one flathead I caught was about 500mm long.  So there is some fun to be had from the shore.  

It was a bit run down and that was back in 2005 but there is a nice pool and spa there if the weather is no good for fishing.

Don't think I'd bother dragging the boat up there for 2 days.  Probably cheaper and a whole lot easier to just go out on a charter if you can???

and I reckon it would be true to say that 2 days probably does not allow enough time for down days due to strong winds. End of April I'm heading to Exmouth for 8 nights and reckon I might save the fuel $$$ for that trip instead. We're going to Denham over easter anyway so yeah, might lay the boat over for that trip. Figure I might try some shore based techniques. Looking at Google Earth its dirt tracks north of Denham to the top of the peninsula, I reckon thats the go but not in the VE Commonwhore.

Chookc don't it shit ya off when an anticipated trip has to be cancelled/postponed. Why didn't you just head further north where the wind is mild at the moment? Guess time is the factor hey, like my auto signature says.

Ashley