Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Fishing-Adventures-Destinations » Island Time - Fishing Central QLD's Islands
Island Time - Fishing Central QLD's Islands
By Robbie Wells
The Central Queensland islands are some of the most untouched and under fished waters in Queensland. So diverse and unlike a lot of other island groups, they are all so different. Exceptional camping and great fishing opportunities are available, along with one of our favourite things in the world, as for many others, exploring new areas and especially islands and their surrounding waters. Like all new places visited though, they take time to work out and as we know tides, time of year, wind and current all play a role in creating different dynamics for the same piece of water.
CQ is well known for its massive tides, especially the Broadsound area, where a typical large spring tide can reach in excess of seven metres. It's quite mind blowing really and tide opposite wind can create some Interesting boating in sections.
It is nice though when an exploration trip comes together first time around. We normally use Clairveiw as a base and plan 2-4 day trips, depending on the weather of course. This trip window was two nights and three days, with the second day blowing up a bit. The plan was to camp on two different islands, however that plan went out the window soon after weaving ourselves through a small gap in the reef and arriving at our first spot. This was a stunning bay and reef, with a beautiful white sandy beach and a grass plateau. To top it off there were pelagic species smashing bait in the current line off to the right of the headland.
After unloading some spare fuel and camping gear, we had a quick feed and headed out for a look. The big slashing of bait schools had all but stopped, so we headed around to a fast current line, with a massive upwelling. Amongst this were massive schools of really nervous baitfish, with a school of fusiliers off to the side. I started throwing poppers, while Sue hooked up straight away on a Fish Inc. Right Wing sinking stickbait, calling it for a longtail. It was a good one at that, landed after the typical tuna battle. I kept throwing poppers as I was keen as to load up a new PE 3.0-5.0 Okuma Pressure Point rod, however two more tuna from Sue and I swapped over to the stickbait. Boom, fish on! Lol, another nice longtail released.
We started heading back to camp, flicking little ZMan 5" Scented Jerk ShadZ over the shallow reef and picking up every species of little reef fish, including wire netting cod, bird cage cod, tuskies, sweetlip, gold spots, etc., while looking for a trout for dinner. Of course this didn't happen, so back to camp for a bit of an explore and to get a bit more organised for a camp fire. It was pretty well low tide now, so we were off to the point for a look and a cast. I took a bucket and screwdriver to take advantage of the massive oysters on offer, right on the low tide mark.
As mentioned, the diversity of each island is amazing. Halfway along the headland were twenty metre high limestone cliffs and at the bottom large tidal cut outs that are cave like, going back about four metres by six metres. You could easily stay in one. The pics don't really do justice to the full green against the afternoon sun. How Good's Australia! Sue was throwing stickbaits off the point and finally got axed, only to find it was a reef shark and not a good trout. Still not bad as the oysters and a couple of sneaky squid on the Fish Inc. Egiliscious jigs did us just fine for dinner.
I woke the next morning to a stunning day; blue skies, a light breeze and an incoming tide. Sue was already up and out wading the reef edge, mixing it up between some ZMan ShrimpZ, 5" Scented Jerk ShadZ and a crab profile that she had stashed forever. Big long casts to the reef edge and then dropping it onto the sand in front saw her picking up some little wrasse, cod and even a blue spot flathead, before she finally got a take from a big black spot tuskfish bulldozer thing! It took the ZMan EZ ShrimpZ about three metres out and proceeded to brick her in the reef, after a line parting run and the poor little Okuma Azores 4000, 30lb combo screaming in pain. Unfortunately that was her last bite as the tide started to roar in. That was really our cue to hop back in the boat on these big tides and target the pressure lines and reef bombies that were scattered all around the northern point. A quick weather check showed the SE winds predicted today were now a stronger front tomorrow, around lunch time and today would be a glamour. How fast weather changes.
We ran the same sort of program as yesterday, with Sue on the sinking stickbait and myself on the big Okuma popping combo again. I worked and worked every current line and pressure edge for hours and hours without a rattle, meanwhile Sue was picking off more nice longtail tuna. After yet another hour of casting I decided to have a rest, which of course meant dropping a ZMan 5" Scented Jerk ShadZ down the sides of the bombies. About three drops in and boom! I got whacked and my first thought was a cracker trout. After ten minutes though I had that all too familiar feel of head and tail throb, believing it had be a trevally of some sort. Unfortunately my 'rest' rod was only loaded with 20lb Platypus Platinum Plus Braid and 30lb Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader, on a little Okuma spin combo, but it was a jigging rod so it had a bit of go for its size.
After what seemed an eternity we finally saw colour. The chromest GT I'd ever seen, then zzzzzzz off it went again. Another couple of blistering runs and Sue slid the net under the fish. I was stoked and it was a proper GT at that. A few pics later and the fish was speared back into the water to swim off strong.
The rest of the arvo, on the draining tide, we threw plastics and Fish Inc. Flanker sinking stickbaits over the reef edges. So many different species of little reefies were landed and to my surprise, in eight metres of water and only ten metres from shore, a nice little red emperor. Time was starting to get away from us, so back to camp for another explore and to get the coals going for a little sweetlip we had kept and we were also hopeful of some calamari.
With everything sorted, we walked the other end of the beach and found a little tidal creek that didn't go in far. The sandy entrance was waist deep at low and lined with mangroves. It was also full of big mullet and definitely worth a mud crab sniff at some time too. I had a hand spear but was obviously not as skilled as I thought, plus once I stirred the water they were impossible to see. A bit of plastic, a few bottles, a buoy and a length of rope were also retrieved, all tangled up in the mangroves. We average probably two garbage bags every trip, regardless of island, with thongs, oil containers, water bottles and grease gun cartridges the main culprits. Surprisingly, enough of this beach was clean as, with only the odd bit of broken plastic and a straw, which is great to see. There were box fruit though, with their distinct glossy leaves and remnants of fruit. These things can float the currents of the Pacific Ocean for years, just like plastic, before finding landfall and germinating. Heading back to camp, we grabbed some extra firewood ready for sunset drinks and whole sweetlip, spuds and a damper in the fire.
We were up early the next day with the predicted lunchtime SE blast, so we had to really leave by 10am for a two and a half hour journey home. Sue was straight out on the flats again, wanting a redemption tuskfish. I was a bit slower and by the time I had made an appearance Sue's Okuma Azores 4000 combo was arched over with line screaming off. She didn't see the take, just a shadow, but called a tuskfish. A ten minute tug of war later she had it in the shallows and was able to walk it back. An absolute cracking cod and well fished in such a gnarly environment.
A few more pics, a swim and we slowly cruised off back to the boat. I didn't even put a cast in... we just walked back stoked, cleaned up, topped up with fuel and started our journey back home. Fortunately, like clockwork, the wind picked up five kilometres from the ramp... perfect timing. Now all that lay ahead of us was the unenviable task of unpacking and cleaning up the boat, before our nine hour trip home.
How Good's Australia
Robbie & Sue