queensland North West Island Trip In September

[Glenn Hall]

Hi, I am heading up to North West Island, QLD from Moruya Heads on the South Coast of NSW. We are spending around 16 days on the island with family and taking a 455 Quintrex with 60HP Yamaha. Keen to do a bit of fishing/spearing while out there. If anyone has any suggestions on gear, lures, recommended shoals/reefs/spots to check out or gear to bring to the island any insight would be appreciated. 1st time to this area and super keen to get onto some Reds and possibly a few big GT's, Doggies and Spanish Mackeral. Thanks in advance for any advice. Look forward to posting some pics of my adventure in the near future.

Cheers Glenn

[kmcrosby78]

Have a great trip mate, would love to get there one day. I was meant to go there on a school biology trip/camp in 1995 but we missed out after some high school students from Brisbane killed a heap of mutton birds earlier that year so I feel I have unfinished business there ........  

[ellicat]

Welcome to the forum.

Never been there, but I'd be packing some larger poppers for the GTs.

It's getting up north a bit so suit up for stingers if diving.

Would love to see a report from there when you get back.

[Junky]

Download map18 Capricorn bunker group. 

Gives you all of the green zones around the area. Plenty of fishing to be had around there. Massive lagoon to anchor in. 

Map 18

 

 

I've never stepped foot on the island as such so can't comment there but the fishing is good around it. Not hard to get a feed. 

That time of year should see good weather too. Latley the weather has been terrible. Only very small pockets to head out. This week coming up looks good but I have to work. Hopefully it holds off till the following week. 

 

 

[straddiebrad]

nice what dates as a few boys may be out off sykes reef around the end of september,nothing under 50 pound i would say 60 -and above in leader should get a few coral trout and red throat they all go hard in the shallow water so dont give them an inch or they will reef you,might be some cray fish around too if you go for a snorkel so take a hand held spear .

[Drop Bear]

On 04/07/2019 at 10:09 PM, Glenn Hall said:

Hi, I am heading up to North West Island, QLD from Moruya Heads on the South Coast of NSW. We are spending around 16 days on the island with family and taking a 455 Quintrex with 60HP Yamaha. Keen to do a bit of fishing/spearing while out there. If anyone has any suggestions on gear, lures, recommended shoals/reefs/spots to check out or gear to bring to the island any insight would be appreciated. 1st time to this area and super keen to get onto some Reds and possibly a few big GT's, Doggies and Spanish Mackeral. Thanks in advance for any advice. Look forward to posting some pics of my adventure in the near future.

Cheers Glenn

Wow sounds awesome. Love that area. @tugger and @aussie123 Might even give you some pointers too as they have spent a lot of time up that way. 

 

[tugger]

This sounds like an amazing trip I hope you get some great weather my tips would be to download the HD navionics app on to your phone or tablet it gives great definition of depths, drop offs, reefs etc I still use it to find new ground.

If your chasing Spanish look for lots of tight lines next to the reefs on the navionics it will show where a ledge is that has deep water right up next to the shallow reefs. I like to troll these or anchor and float baits out off the drop off a good tactic in windy conditions where you can get on the Lee side of the reef and get baits out in to deep water but you are still in flat water. 

Trout and other reef fish will be every where just Mark all reef bommies you pass over and look in different depths of water because fish may feed better in different depths depends on the day.

We fish for Reds predominately in 50 to 60m so don't  be afraid to look around any little bump may hold good fish. I like to use mullet fillet for bait as it stays on the hook well but keep any legal size fish and fillet them especially Hussar. I use 6/0 and 8/0 true turn hooks in a double gang with a swivel in between.

[Glenn Hall]

On 07/07/2019 at 8:20 AM, Junky said:

Download map18 Capricorn bunker group. 

Gives you all of the green zones around the area. Plenty of fishing to be had around there. Massive lagoon to anchor in. 

Map 18

 

 

I've never stepped foot on the island as such so can't comment there but the fishing is good around it. Not hard to get a feed. 

That time of year should see good weather too. Latley the weather has been terrible. Only very small pockets to head out. This week coming up looks good but I have to work. Hopefully it holds off till the following week. 

 

 

Thanks for the heads up, Map 18 is a great reference. Hope the weather was good for you the following week.....did you get out and did you get rewarded???

[Glenn Hall]

On 08/07/2019 at 10:39 AM, tugger said:

This sounds like an amazing trip I hope you get some great weather my tips would be to download the HD navionics app on to your phone or tablet it gives great definition of depths, drop offs, reefs etc I still use it to find new ground.

If your chasing Spanish look for lots of tight lines next to the reefs on the navionics it will show where a ledge is that has deep water right up next to the shallow reefs. I like to troll these or anchor and float baits out off the drop off a good tactic in windy conditions where you can get on the Lee side of the reef and get baits out in to deep water but you are still in flat water. 

Trout and other reef fish will be every where just Mark all reef bommies you pass over and look in different depths of water because fish may feed better in different depths depends on the day.

We fish for Reds predominately in 50 to 60m so don't  be afraid to look around any little bump may hold good fish. I like to use mullet fillet for bait as it stays on the hook well but keep any legal size fish and fillet them especially Hussar. I use 6/0 and 8/0 true turn hooks in a double gang with a swivel in between.

Tugger, you are a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for the insight. Do you pay for the Navionics or just use a free app option. I look forward to trying out a few your tips, I will get back to you with the results.

Cheers

[Glenn Hall]

On 07/07/2019 at 4:13 PM, Drop Bear said:

Wow sounds awesome. Love that area. @tugger and @aussie123 Might even give you some pointers too as they have spent a lot of time up that way. 

 

Thanks Drop Bear, got some insight from Tugger.....thanks and I will keep you posted.

[Glenn Hall]

On 07/07/2019 at 8:57 AM, straddiebrad said:

nice what dates as a few boys may be out off sykes reef around the end of september,nothing under 50 pound i would say 60 -and above in leader should get a few coral trout and red throat they all go hard in the shallow water so dont give them an inch or they will reef you,might be some cray fish around too if you go for a snorkel so take a hand held spear .

Thanks mate, I have the spear and a quiver of different rod/reel combo's from 6 pound to 60 pound setups. Should cover most of my catch.......Hopefully???

[Drop Bear]

13 hours ago, Glenn Hall said:

Thanks Drop Bear, got some insight from Tugger.....thanks and I will keep you posted.

Looking forward to some photos. Good luck. Have a ball and I hope the weather is kind. 

[tugger]

18 hours ago, Glenn Hall said:

Tugger, you are a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for the insight. Do you pay for the Navionics or just use a free app option. I look forward to trying out a few your tips, I will get back to you with the results.

Cheers

Its not free but worth it I use it on my tablet that's 10inch gives great definition and a awesome sonar map option which I use to fing the structure and drop offs.

[Drop Bear]

20 hours ago, tugger said:

Its not free but worth it I use it on my tablet that's 10inch gives great definition and a awesome sonar map option which I use to fing the structure and drop offs.

+1 on Tuggers tablet. Works a treat.