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Anyone from Townsville that can tell me what the fishing is like from there, as I'm moving there in the next few months.
I'm not from Oz but have spent well over a year there, particularly in North Queensland. The fishing is the mutts nuts. You really have it all.
The reef fishing is superb, a little pricey if you dont have your own boat though. All the blue water and reef species you could imagine. Join a club if you can, they have boats you can use and you'll get to meet all the local fishos and hear all the fishy-tales.
The shore fishing can also be great, theres several purpose built areas along the recently developed sea front area in Townsville that cater for the shore/pier angler and there are regular catches of barramundi, jacks, snapper and a variety of mackerel species in season. The surrounding coastline also has plenty to offer, legwork required here though....it will be worth all the effort!
The locals are very keen on livebaiting and this really does put you on to the best fish. You can buy and legally use a throw net there too, I would highly recommend getting yourself one of them and an aerator bucket. Makes life so much easier. Just ledger the 'livies' around structure or float 'em out under a bobber. All of my best fish came to livebaits whilst out there.
Prawn and pilchards are the next best favourite baits but I personally found them to attract the smaller species by the bucket load.
Just offshore of Townsville - 20 mins on a ferry - is Magnetic Island. This is a lovely, quiet, peaceful place which is also not too pricey for accommodation if you wish to stay over for a few days. This is a great place to go and fish. There are around 10 or so secluded bays round the island that are shallow and full of coral and reef. Some are marine parks and have a no fishing policy, but the rest are fair game. Great fishing on the fly and top-water lures at dawn and dusk. There are a small handful of boat operators on the island that are reasonably priced and will take you out to fish as you wish.
There are plenty of rocky headlands around the island too which give access to much deeper water and also offer some good fishing. On the north side in particular it is possible to catch pelagic species such as sailfish and marlin from the shore as the island lies bang on their migration path. There are some tremendous fish caught there every year. Again - livebaits. We were fishing inshore one day and saw a 250lb black marlin leaping out of the water not far from us at all. Plenty of coral trout, queenfish and jacks to be caught livbaiting or lure fishing from the rocky headlands too.
If you fancy a bash at the 'freshwater impoundments' as they are known over there, you can try some of the big waters inland where the barramundi grow to collosal sizes along with many other species. A lure anglers paradise, challenging fishing as you have to get right into the structure to entice the beasts out. Defo need a boat though, easily hired.
You can even go to a commerial barramundi fishery - "The Townsville Barra Farm" - much the same as you can for carp here. You turn up, pay your 10 bucks and go and fish in ponds stocked to the brim with feisty barramundi. I never tried it but it's funny to see the mirror image of our commercial fisheries but with such a diverse range of tropical species! I wonder if it will catch on here........
Hope this helps mate. Have fun and dont forget to remember us as you're supping on a nice chilled 'XXXX' and hauling the barra and snapper out! Pop a post up if you have much luck, be good to hear how you get on.
Heres hoping for the tightest of lines.:wiggle:
As you are going to be in Northern Oz, I would highly recommend a trip up to Darwin and the Northern Territory for a few days fishing during the run-off from the wet season. This is when all the water which floods the plains and wetlands during the monsoon starts to drain off the plains back into the river systems and out to sea. This is the prime time to be fishing there as it concentrates the fish into the main river systems and can be a fishing bonanza if you hit it right. Mainly the Barramundi but also some threadfin salmon and monster jewfish. Mind out for the crocs though!! Lure fishing heaven.....those barra just love to munch on plastic, very obliging, acrobatic fish they are too.
There are cheap internal flights from either Townsville or Cairns to Darwin and cheap accommodation available there too. Darwin is a rocking place to be for a few days with a great atmosphere, there are a couple of specific angling tourism shops on the main drag where you can go and peruse all the local guides and their boats at your leisure or you can book on-line in advance (recommended). Best spots for the fishing up there are the Mary River and the Alligator River Systems along with the areas around Arnhem land and the Islands called Melville and Bathurst. This part of Australia is considered as having some of the best fishing going. Don't leave without trying it, the landscapes, scenery and wildlife are to die for up in the top end. It's a great place.
You are also not a million miles from Cooktown which is as far north as the tarmac road goes up the Cape York peninsular. Probably a days drive from you - thats close by Aussie standards! It is relatively unpopulated up there as it is only a tiny town and there is no where else for around 150 miles or so. Consequently there has been very little commercial angling pressure up there and the fishing is nothing short of spectacular. Best bet is to rent a caravan for a few days up there and get yourself down to the little wharf there with a bucket of livebaits. On my first evening there I landed a 4lb mangrove Jack, 14lb barramundi, 7 lb potato cod, 4lb trevally and a nice queenfish. Say no more!! Sharks can be seen from the wharf along with giant grouper in excess of 200lbs that are protected by law and cannot be fished for. Only trouble is they try to nail your fish as you reel 'em in and you really dont want to hook one of those! Enjoy!
I've no doubt you'll make it to Cairns too at some point, when you do be sure to go to 'Jack Erskines Tackle Shop' . If you like lure fishing then this is the shop to go to, I was having severe difficulty picking my jaw up off the floor when in here - thousands of lures to choose from and G.Loomis rods at rock bottom prices. It does'nt get much better!
Sam.
Cant bloody wait, but I'm still looking forward to my maybe last cod boat trip this monday, you never know I might even catch something over 5lb.
Thanks for the info Samfish much appreciated.
hi mate,
my wife is from queensland, we go every year and we also lived there for 2 years, u may be thinking why the hell i've moved back here, well im still asking myself the same question.
the fishing is superb every where u go in aus, don't know townswille at all, but the further north u go in queensland the better it gets, the variety of fish is great and they all taste good, i would suggest always using live bait, get yourself some small gigs, and from any jetties u can catch small herrings, put em live on the hook for me they are the best bait over there, if try from shore with the usual, worms, pranws, etc, u'll catch bream all day long, it's fun but after a while u want a big fish.
i'll be on the sunshine coast exactly feb 23rd to march the 17th, cant wait, if u happen to pass by let me know, i will go fishing every day, while im there we could go together, i know the coast inside out.
Cant bloody wait, but I'm still looking forward to my maybe last cod boat trip this monday, you never know I might even catch something over 5lb.
Thanks for the info Samfish much appreciated.
hi mate,
my wife is from queensland, we go every year and we also lived there for 2 years, u may be thinking why the hell i've moved back here, well im still asking myself the same question.
the fishing is superb every where u go in aus, don't know townswille at all, but the further north u go in queensland the better it gets, the variety of fish is great and they all taste good, i would suggest always using live bait, get yourself some small gigs, and from any jetties u can catch small herrings, put em live on the hook for me they are the best bait over there, if try from shore with the usual, worms, pranws, etc, u'll catch bream all day long, it's fun but after a while u want a big fish.
i'll be on the sunshine coast exactly feb 23rd to march the 17th, cant wait, if u happen to pass by let me know, i will go fishing every day, while im there we could go together, i know the coast inside out.
Cheers Den, maybe a bit to soon this year, but next year look me up on here and pay us a visit for a weekend of drinking and fishing .
salmonking
20-04-2008, 04:14
the fishing isnt superb everywhere you go!!!talking to the local fisho's here in brisbane and unless you want to catch small fish dont fish brisbane area!i know up in townsville you will have alot better fishing mate!my bro goes up there alot and has had some monsters!!!
Salmon
Did you write a post on British expats about returning to he uk?
the fishing isnt superb everywhere you go!!!talking to the local fisho's here in brisbane and unless you want to catch small fish dont fish brisbane area!i know up in townsville you will have alot better fishing mate!my bro goes up there alot and has had some monsters!!!
Compared to here it is..
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