7 Night Kimberley - Buccaneer Archipelago Trip!

[Cowfish13]

Thursday 2nd

After a 6hr flight from Brisbane to Perth and a 2 hr flight from Perth to Broome, we finally arrived at our hotel at about 9pm Perth time. We were too tired to be bothered doing any fishing so we got to sleep pretty quickly. The next day we tried spinning off Cable Beach for Mackerel and Trevally, but nothing. Tried a few other spots, but still got nothing. The water was really cold surprisingly. Eventually, on the third day in Broome, we got three Estuary Cod near Gantheaume Point, which we saw smash the lures in the azure water.

Cable Beach

Gantheaume Point

Osprey’s in the Lighthouse Tower

We didn’t get any more fish in Broome, but got to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean while mum enjoyed a Camel ride on the beach.

Sunday 5th

Finally the day arrived and after a 2hr drive from Broome to Derby, we set out in the 54ft ‘King Tide’. We were going out with the guys (Bruce, Johno and Benno) from Unreel Adventure Safari’s for a 7 night Kimberley Cruise with heaps of fishing. Here’s their website www.unreeladventures.com . Luckily for us, we were the only people booked, so we had the entire boat for ourselves. We were greeted with a bowl full of massive Muddies for lunch. After a 6hr steam and a fun ride through Hell’s Gates where the tides (of up to 12m variation) create a raging torrent, we arrived at our first anchorage. We got a few Sharks off the back of the boat then went bed for an early wake up the next day.

King Tide

Hells Gates

Monday 6th

Woke up early and shot out in one of the tenders (name ‘Crusty’) for some fishing. Saw some bust ups, and landed 3 approximately 8-10kg Longtail’s quickly. Mine on a cast slug, and Dad’s and Benno’s on a trolled lure.

We then went up into a nearby creek where we got heaps of Cod, Bream and Queenies on lures. Mostly on a Rapala X-rap and a Smith Revert

After this, we tried trolling for some bigger Queenies, but only got one hook up which dropped the lure. We got a few reefies bait fishing, and went back to the King Tide for some freshly gathered oysters which mum and Bruce had gathered for us.

After a short steam in King Tide, we went out in Crusty again to try at get some Jacks in a small ck. Benno and Johno got a couple, but no luck for us (yet!).

We then set out for Crocodile Ck where there is a deep freshwater pool with a good jump. Here’s a picture of the ladder to go from the salt to the fresh where you can see the amazing tidal variation.

One of the most amazing sights of the trip was the Jack’s in the freshwater here. Amazing amount of them and some would have gone over 50cm easily.

There is also a small shrine sort of thing where people place objects for Ginger, an American Lady who was taken by a crocodile at Kings Cascade (Prince Regent River, further north) shortly after visiting Crocodile Ck.

From here we steamed to our anchorage, past the Iron Ore mines on Cockatoo and Coolum Islands where the Iron Ore is 98% pure, the purest in the world.

At our anchorage, we landed a nice sized Bronzie and also a good sized Squid of about 25cm tube.

Tuesday 7th

On this day, we set out in the tenders for Horizontal Falls. The water here flows through two gaps in the rocks to fill bays at high tide (the first 20m, and the second 10m wide). It was a bit slow, so we waited for a little while for the tide to pick up (pics will be later )

At the back of the 10m gap, we flicked a few lures around and Johno got a good sized fingermark, I got a good Queenie on a homemade popper and Jack had a small GT cut in half by a massive Barracuda (5-6ft)

Queenie on a homemade popper

Later on, while we were, waiting for the tide speed to build up, in the other tender, named ‘Wanderer’, Dad got his first Mangrove Jack of around 30cm and a few more small Cod and GT’s.

After a bit of trolling, where we picked up this Cod

We went back to the Horries and the tide was really roaring at this stage.

20m Gap

10m Gap

Following this, we started steaming toward Montgomery Reef. This natural phenomenon is the largest singular reef in the world and is about 15 by 50 mile I think (worked from a map). At high tide, there is about 5m of water covering it, but as the tide drops, the coral appears to rise out of the ocean. The water on top of it looks like a secondary ocean, a good 2-3m above the actual sea level. The water rushes off it and flows into channels where some serious rapids occur. This water continues to rush off it even when the tide rises above it again :ohmy:

Obviously, we couldn’t leave a place like this without a fish so we flicked a few lures around, and got a few Cod and Spanish Flag / Striped Sea Perch. About 5min before we were to leave, I hooked a solid fish we ran be through the reef, managed to get him out and eventually landed a 77cm Golden Trevally. My 60lb leader was nearly shot by the end of it; was very luck to land it

After this, steamed to our anchorage where we pulled a few Sharks (they’re not rare up there ) and some Fingermark

Wednesday 8th

After a brief steam, we got to a place called Three Ways, where three creeks converge and obviously, great fishing

Here, I managed my first Mangrove Jack (30cm) on a Classic Barra 3+, Jack got his first Barra (48cm) on a Smith Revert and he also got a massive 110cm Longtom

Later, we netted some mullet for livies and hit up a spot for some Barra. Baits were getting constantly smashed, and Johno eventually landed a great 65cm Barra

Later on, we decided some Fingermark fishing was on the cards. Got to a good spot where the water dropped from land to 35m of water over about 10-15m horizontal distance (drop-offs like this were common; deepest we saw was about 80m, usually only 50m from land too :ohmy: ). Here we got plenty of good Fingermark to 46cm, Jack got his first Mangrove Jack on a live mullet (46cm) and a few other fish. But that wasn’t the amazing part of this spot; we were pulling in 45cm Fingermark and they’d get taken by massive fish about 5m off the bottom. Our guess is 2+m Cod or QLD Groper. Believe me, that is a conservative estimate too :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: No, the Cod below is not one of the many, many monsters, we never had a chance at those...

A bit later, just on dusk, Jack got a nice Blue-nose Salmon on a Fizzer

Back at the boat, we got few small sharks, and had some food

Later on, we were watching when a massive shape appeared. It was about a 12-14ft Tiger Shark!!!! :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy:

We quickly rigged up and cast out on the heaviest gear on the boat. Long story short, we saw 3 Tiger’s ranging from 9-14ft, and two Hammerheads ranging from 7-10ft. We only managed to land 1 Hammer about 7ft, but hooked heaps of Tigers. Jack fought one for about 20mins before it broke him off. Also, we nearly got the bigger Hammer, but it bit through thick single strand wire :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy:

Little Bronzie

Small Shark on a soft plastic

Hooked up to a Big Tiger

Here are a few pics of our bunged up rigs (all we had) on the Penn senator 6/0

Thursday 9th

Today, we headed up Red Cone Ck after dropping a couple of small Barra on lures in Three Ways. Here’s a pic of a small Croc in three Ways though

Here, we anchored up in Crusty in a good spot and over the next hour or so, we managed two Barra (63 & 73cm) and plenty of Blue-nose Salmon.

In Red Cone, we saw about 12 Crocodiles throughout the day and hooked one. A few others waited near the boat and one sat under the bow for a bit.

At the top of Red Cone, there is a great freshwater creek with a massive jump in it. It was about 10-12m we guessed. Good fun!

After this, we steamed to the Sale River, and after a few minutes, there was another massive Hammer cruising at the back of the boat in the spotlight. About 10ft again we guessed. Chucked a line out, and hooked not the Hammer, but another massive Tiger :ohmy: :ohmy: Nearly spooled on the Penn Senator 6/0, but turned him, and would have got him to the boat but the leader wore through

Later on, there was a big Crocodile sitting at the back of the boat, so, as you do, we chucked a float out with some fish frames on it to draw him in

Later, Benno ‘accidentally’ hooked him on a live mullet, and fought him to the boat so we could get some great shots of him

Cut him off, and then there was another Croc waiting Plenty around here! Got another good sized Squid but that was it for the night for me. Mum and Bruce stayed up for a bit later and the Hammerhead came back and cruised around for an hour or so.

Friday 10th

Today, we fished around the creeks for a little while and got onto a small school of GT’s each around 40cm.

Later, we shot up the Sale River in Crusty while mum and Dad followed in Wanderer. We came to a set of rapids created by the tides. So we anchored up, and Benno had 2 Jacks, a Queenie and a Fingermark on board befre we could blink . Jack chucked out a livie, and quickly hooked a great Barra of 80cm and then another great Jack of 40cm

With the tide allowing us to head up further, we progressed up until the salt petered out. Jack and I chose to walk up to the fresh while Benno and Johno stayed to watch the boat. Once we got to the fresh, I chucked a cast in with my gold SX60 and first cast landed a nice 39cm Mangrove Jack. Jack flicked his lure out and got another small 25cm Jack. Double hook-up!

Mine’s on the right

Where we got them from

Sadly, that was all the fish from the freshwater but we got to see some massive (60cm+!!!) Diamond Scale Mullet, Sooty Grunter, Bream, Archerfish and Barra in the fresh, or just where the fresh met the salt (separated by one set of rapids).

Back at the King Tide, we got some more Sharks, and missed a few good sized Arrow Squid, but not much else

Saturday 11th

After Benno and Johno picked up a desalinater fitting from another boat, we hit the water for a quick fish. Jack got a nice Grassy of 46cm but what really blew us away was a hot bite we had on one ledge. Four of u had lines in the water, I got a 45cm Fingermark, Benno and Dad each got about a 40cm Grassy, but Jack managed to land a 58cm Coral Trout!

Check out that tide range

As quick as it started, it stopped, and that was all the fish for the morning.

After that, we headed for Phil and Marion’s. These people have been living in a bay in the Kimberley’s for 14years and make a profit through tourism to their house.

After we steamed to our anchorage, we got a few sharks, but not much else

Sunday 12th

After a bit of a late start, we off in wanderer for a quick final fish. We found an island surrounded by reef and I chucked my homemade popper on. I got a strike from a GT or Queenie and another from a Mackerel, but didn’t hook up. Later, we trolled around for a bit and we hooked another Coral Trout. It was on Dad’s rod, but he didn’t want it, so Jack wound it in.

And that was the end of our trip

Was sad to leave, but work and school called

I must give a massive thanks to Bruce, Johno and Benno for an awesome trip

Thanks for reading if you got this far

[AZZA]

That looks like a fricken spectactular trip

[planetfonz]

holy jeesus man.. you have completely just lived one of my fishing dreams!!!!

ROTM. ROTM

[Rocket75]

Bloody hell...the Kimberley! You guys will go to any length to win report of the month

I am soooo envious of you both....baaaastardos

[mangler]

WOW! :woohoo:

[fishingnut]

holy sheet mate that is the best trip report iv read!!!!!!

just a big WOW from me awsome stuff

[Feral]

Nice fish, great country, a trip well worth the effort by the look of it!

[yoyo]

sheeit.... ROTM is over...............

[wesfish]

un freakin believable :woohoo: :woohoo: that looked like the maddest trip ever!! great read with such quality pics and fish!

[ellicat]

Great scenery, pity the fishing was so ordinary

Magnificent report and pics. Can't wait to see some more pics :woohoo:

[planetfonz]

i've looked at these pics now a good 10 times. quality stuff. you've done these guys way more favours than their website

[benno573]

Awesome trip guys. Geez I miss living up there! The sharks up there are insane. Not shy either! I got sharked on a 6ft bronzie by a big tiger up there, pretty big live bait me thinks!!! The fishing around that massive reef is just phenomenal. I spent 2 weeks up there and didn't want to leave!!! Did you find the massive oysters the size of a saucer they have up there? Best oysters in the world! Are you sick of eating fish yet??? Hope school really sucks for you this week anyway!!!!!!!!! -

[pinkey]

How boring will fishing in brisbane feel now... mad trip

[rayke1938]

Words fail me Brilliant.

Cheers

Ray

[Angus]

Awesome report!

Well done mate. Planetfonz I concur, one of my fishing dreams as well!

Angus

[Keechie]

Absolutely awesome Trip, Fish, Report and photo's!! i am very jealous, If only i could write my assignments like that haha.

[Angus]

By the way, absolutely love that Jack close up shot. Bloody awesome.

Make sure you tell the skippers of the boat about this. You cant buy publicity like that!

Angus

[chris_stewart14]

There is absolutely no point what so ever to anyone else bothering to submit for ROTM..

Just cut to the chase and give Cowfish his rod. EPIC report mate, EPIC pictures.. Would have taken ages to sit down and do so thanks very much for sharing with all of us.

[Swagger]

Insane stuff there guys, thats the sort of trip everyone needs to really get away from it all!! I doubt my trip today will yield results such as yours :laugh:

[tugger]

1 in a life time trip great read

mark

[Davo_Dinkum]

i second what ray said

speechless word fail me

[Do$tylz]

Man...awesome report. I can't see the pics coz its all blocked at work but it'll be the first thing i look at when I get home tonight from work.

[Gazza]

Yeah great report

The trip would of cost a fortune but seems well worth it

Cheers Gaz

[kriso]

wow! great read, also a trip i dream about having! i havent even seen the pics yet ( cause work computer blocks them if there hosted from a external site) yet i feel like i have seen them all after just reading your report!!! welldone mate certainly have my vote this month

[Zim man]

chris_stewart14 wrote:

There is absolutely no point what so ever to anyone else bothering to submit for ROTM..

Just cut to the chase and give Cowfish his rod. EPIC report mate, EPIC pictures.. Would have taken ages to sit down and do so thanks very much for sharing with all of us.

my thoughts exactly, man i am at a loss for words,

[fishinking]

ROTM for sure, by far the best read and pics in a while

[Cowfish13]

Thanks guys It did take a while to put together, but I felt that every place deserved an explanation, and every picture needed to be in there (Together, I think we took over 2000 :blush: )

Glad you enjoyed it Writing a report like that is kinda like reliving it for me anyway

Here are a couple of short video's of the Horizontal Falls

20m Gap, when the tide starting roaring.

10m Gap, a few minutes later. In this video, you can see why it is given the name 'Horizontal Falls'. There is a large difference in height between the the gap. This height difference can get up to 4m vertically :ohmy: Also, in this video, we nearly had the 130hp Yamaha at full revs just to keep the boat stationary. Johno said that at these revs, the boat usually does 20kts or so. That's how fast the water was moving!!!

[Angus]

Awesome footage.

Tanya was so impressed by the photo's she suggested we book in for 2010!!

Angus

P.S. Will prob need a few more deckies

[Do$tylz]

yep.. even though my g/f is not a big fan of fishing she was impressed with the pictures. Beaut trip boys.

[bretto]

Bloody awesome trip there. Would love to see that part of the world one day. Untouched and full of fish. Well done!!!

[bmxdirtjumpa]

This is a dream trip! so many nice places and so many nice fish...best report and pics ive seen on this site...now to start saving

[Angus]

Do$tylz wrote:

yep.. even though my g/f is not a big fan of fishing she was impressed with the pictures. Beaut trip boys.

Reckon Billi would be keen about this time next year?

[Do$tylz]

Hahaha... man I don't see why not. Are you thinking what i'm thinking Gus??

[dan25]

Fabulous Report Mate! :woohoo: Never seen spots that look that awesome in my life, So many Awesome Catches, they just kept getting better and better. :cheer:

Would of been the best fun ever. Well done mate

[free2rome2]

UNbelievable!!!

Cooool!!!

Awesome!!!

The Report of the YEAR!!!

Dunno what else to say.....