travelling the northwest coast
hi all,
relatively new to this site but everything i have seen and read has been great so thought id hit you all up for some tips and local knowledge!
As of the end of april me and the girl are packing up leaving the south west and heading off on a 6 month trip around the top half of our great country. Camping fishing diving and just living the dream!
Towing an offroad camper and small tinny with all my toys im planning on exploring and experiencing all the northwest has to offer. Live in bunbury, grew up in gero but my northern experience only extends to 3 trips in the last few years to the quobba coast(bloody love that place!) and one to exmouth as a youngen. planning on starting about port gregory and working north from there.
Excited about doing alot more lure fishing, diving (on tanks but hopefully fit enough to do more free diving) chasing and hopfully catching a barra, mudcrabs and possibly get out deeper and catch few more palagics.
So any information you guys have on places i shouldnt miss, top spots, things i need to see do and try or things i shouldnt do!, hints, tips would be muchly appreciated!
Thanks all
bryn
.thumbnail.JPG "day out on the swan")
lurcha
Posts: 455
Date Joined: 29/12/09
from the few places ive been
from the few places ive been wagoe is a nice spot to camp at(or challets) and has good shore fishing and exmouth would probably be one of the better spots to target big fish from a tinny. millstream up near karatha was good for camping but havent been there since i was a kid so wouldnt know what its like now! sounds like its going to be a good trip!
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
If camping Lucky bay
I reckon its good there, not far fom wagoe. 4wd access only but once in its not too bad. Beach launch from a sandy point 100mts from lagoon opening. Heading out through the reef entrance is quite deep, sometimes trolling for mackies/tuna on the outside or bottom fishing if you can find a lump. In the lagoon there are moorings and its large enough for people to skurf.
Off the beach and lagoon wall people catch tailor. Then theres the wagoe beachline.
Entrance is ~40kms south of kalbarri look for the war memorial on your left. Head up the gravel track for a km or two and let your tyres down then go on until you meet the track running north/south. and head north along the fenceline. This goes for maybe 20 mins not sure of distance but it can be overgrown once you break out the dunes will be on the left, head through the bowl, but watch out for razorbacks, theres a dune with an 80mt face in there. Its not that bad and another 15 mins you are on the beach. Be careful in the soft stuff on the beach 4wding.
Keep an eye out for the prevaling winds which can be maddening but try to find a spot in the lee of a dune. We have camped with our tent door facing the ocean only 20 mts away and been the only ones there. Flies can be intense at times too.
Beach launch is in the south of the bay at the point. Its firm sand down to the waterline. I generally launch at the beginning and keep the boat on a mooring or on the beach for the stay in front of our tent towards the north of the bay,
Aside from that, dont kill yourself sandboarding:D
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
thanks SarcasmO. thats some
thanks SarcasmO. thats some awsome info, know a few people who have been to wagoe and rate it highly. il definately give it a shot and hopefully dont have too much trouble pulling the trailer in there, not too soft to tow in is it?
does it get busy around early mid may?
cheers bud
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
Should be ok
We have been in there with a 4.5mt quinny, I have seen bigger glass boats in there too.
I dont think the tow in would be too bad, just tyre pressure, correct gear, revs and momentum try and follow someone elses tracks. Its sometimes busy around school holidays/long weekends but midweek is pretty good most times.
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
sounds fun. done a fair bit
sounds fun. done a fair bit of sand driving but never towing, all part of the fun i recon.
thanks
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
definatlely going to spend
definatlely going to spend some time around karratha, have a few mates up there so hopefully abit of local knowledge they can take us to the right sopts. i have heard of millstream, il look into it.
and exmouth, i cant wait!
cheers
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
I don't know how far you are going to get across the top
but if you make it to Qld you have to go to 1770 and Airlie Beach.
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
yer, if my time hasnt
yer, if my time hasnt expired too quickly im hoping to make it around to qld. 1770 and airlie beach up the north east coast? havnt done much research into the qld coast yet.
what should i expect there?
Toby Roe
Posts: 118
Date Joined: 01/02/10
If you want a barra then the
If you want a barra then the Victoria River has the biggest. Careful though cause the crocks could be bigger than it. Have fun.
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
yer, the territorys famous
yer, the territorys famous river. will be chasing them here for sure. what do you recon is the best time of year? iv heard mixed stories.
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
biggest barra
are coming out of the Roper.
Check out the latest BBB mag
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
Bryn, PM sent
Live in bunno and happy to help. spent many years north
cheers
wayneleech
Posts: 362
Date Joined: 27/06/08
Don't rush the west coast...
Don't rush the west coast... i did a similar trip a while ago - we thought the fishing etc would get better the further we went around the top, though we discovered the fishing in the west was much better than up north and over east...
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
yer ok... have kind of
yer ok... have kind of thought that especially since i have very limited knowledge of north and east. any hot spots of favourite locations?
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
Hayley and I did the same
Hayley and I did the same thing for 6 months in 2009. We left from Perth and decided to go no further than Broome and to spend quality time in a few places, rather than rush through heaps. Ended up doing 4 months in Exmouth, 1 in Karratha and 1 in Broome. We found this best as you meet people to fish with, you get to know the areas well, weather isn't such a issue as you have more time etc. We could have easily spent another 6 months and still have gone no higher than Broome.
A spot worth visiting with the tinny is Port Smith near Broome, as well as the usual tinny fishing around Exmouth.
If we did it again I'd make time to spend in Shark Bay as well as the above places.
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
4 months in exmouth, what a
4 months in exmouth, what a dream! i think your tactic would be more successful but were doing this trip to see alot of things with other trips in mind to go back at a later date for longer stays in our favourite spots! Port smith, cool as, il put that on the plan. what are the best spots to target around exmouth?
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
Exmouth- all depends on the
Exmouth- all depends on the weather really. You can launch a small boat in quite a few different areas and pretty much do whatever you want! It's small boat heaven. The tackle stores will be able to show you the launches on the map with the sanctuary areas. Best bet is to speak to them.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17861
Date Joined: 11/03/08
another spot to try for a
another spot to try for a dive is Coral Bay, you go straight past it on the way to exmouth.plenty of coral and fish to see and its fairly shallow so freediving is easy.one thing not toforget is take an underwater camera as the whole area from coral bay to exxy is great and then you will have plenty ofmemories to look back on to decide where your going to go next time. even with a small tinnie you can get some great fish in close at coral bay and exxy inside and outside the reefs. south passage for Coral bay and tantabiddy from exxy
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
the snorkling and diving
the snorkling and diving around the ningaloo region is definatley going to be a hightlight! how busy does it get at that time of year? will i struggle finding a campsite if i dont book ahead? any other less mainstream and popular spot in that area worth a look?
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17861
Date Joined: 11/03/08
i dont think you would have
i dont think you would have a prob as they have plenty of room. half the town is caravan park , well near to it anyway.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
good to hear. just need abit
good to hear. just need abit of un powered ground to setup for awhile.
thanks again!
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
thanks everyone. some top
thanks everyone. some top info already... everyone else feel free to chuck in your thoughts!
muchly appreciated
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Come to Kcity
With a tiny the rivers all are on the cards. On good days, not lately though you can venture out.
If you bring a laptop and get here just post you are here and the locals will help you out. Or just pm me.
Sounds like a hoot.
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
bryn newton
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 27/01/10
cheers mate. Kcity? karratha
cheers mate. Kcity? karratha im guessing? maybe? not quite up with the lingo. but if thats the case il hit you up for sure!
good on ya!