Route to Flinders???

[mustang5]

Hey guys,

Just looking for a few pointers on venturing out further from the bay. I am the first to admit I don’t have the most experience when it comes to being a skipper, but I have don’t my fair share of boating.

I have probably done the moreton island trip about 10 times over a few years now, with a lot of here and there trips in between.

On Saturday, me and a mate took my 5.5m half cabin with 115hp Yamaha over for a fish around Moreton Island/Mud Island. We anchored up around curtain and got on to a few nice bream and then grabbed the beacon to beacon and thought, hmm, Flinders looks pretty good for a fish.

So I radioed in to VMR to log us, and we set off north! Heading up there, plenty of fuel , weathers fine, we then reach close to the tip on the western side and the swell became quite treacherous. Now I am not sure if this is a Bar or something to do with the wind direction (Northerly), but I felt at the time that I was not comfortable in going any further!.. With a quick glimpse further ahead I saw breaking curling waves of white water and that was the que to time my U turn and get back into shelter, until I could seek some advice for my next trip. First point of call is here J

Ok so, I know from the beacon to beacon that there is plenty of sandy patches up there between the tip and bribie island. So what is the best route to take? And what wind direction/tidal movement should I look out for in order to get a pretty nice run??

Thanks in advance for helping a youngster out!

Cheers

[Gavfish]

Flinders is in the Green zone.

https://www.epa.qld.gov.au/register/p02685aa.pdf

But to get near there - yellow zone - I think the wisdom is Bribie to Combi point, then run up the side of Morton up to the cape, and pretty much straight out/round the cape to your (legal) spot of choice.

[Steeler]

Hi mustang5.

Not familiar with the area but what i will say is you are certainly experienced and sensible enough to know that if it feels bad then chances are it is and that's a bloody good start.You have the nous for being a safe skip and that's the most important thing of all.

How often do we see and hear of those who confuse there ambition for there actual ability.



Cheers

Steve

[wags on the water]

The area you are describing would be western rocks, just around the corner from Comboyuro Point. As for fishing, there's some nice ground Western Rocks and between Flinders and Cape Moreton.

Cheers,
Wags

[Goldfinch]

Hey Mustang,
Firstly, as Gavfish said, Flinders reef is a green zone but there are some great fishing grounds around and beyond this area. The best route to travel in my experience from Curtain is to stay in the shipping channel until you reach the top left corner of Moreton then follow the shore line around the top of Moreton approx 1/2km from the shore. This is around 4-6m deep and when there is a Stherly protects you from the swell. Once you get to the Easterly tip of Moreton keeping your line, you can then decide where you want to fish. Easy spots to start are Brennans Shoal, Roberts Shoal, Smith Rock. They are all closer than Flinders Reef and usually less choppy waters. I don't venture out there if the forcast is above 10-15knots or seas over 1.5m. The white water breaking that you saw was either one of the sand banks to the Nth of Moreton or Flinders Reef itself. Just stay clear of the whitewater. If you see whitecaps to the East, Nth East and Nth, stay in the bay as it will be an uncomfortable ride. Don't rely on just Seabreeze for your wind predictions as it only predicts the Whole of Brisbane. Find a link to Cape Moreton Weather forecast and look on the BOM Marine Wind Forecast. It's a lot more area specific and more accurate I find. Try and do a couple of trips with someone who knows the area well before you venture out there yourself. Confidence is everything when fishing in offshore waters.

I hope this helps.
Cheers
Dave

[wags on the water]

Hey Mustang,
Firstly, as Gavfish said, Flinders reef is a green zone but there are some great fishing grounds around and beyond this area. The best route to travel in my experience from Curtain is to stay in the shipping channel until you reach the top left corner of Moreton then follow the shore line around the top of Moreton approx 1/2km from the shore. This is around 4-6m deep and when there is a Stherly protects you from the swell. Once you get to the Easterly tip of Moreton keeping your line, you can then decide where you want to fish. Easy spots to start are Brennans Shoal, Roberts Shoal, Smith Rock. They are all closer than Flinders Reef and usually less choppy waters. I don't venture out there if the forcast is above 10-15knots or seas over 1.5m. The white water breaking that you saw was either one of the sand banks to the Nth of Moreton or Flinders Reef itself. Just stay clear of the whitewater. If you see whitecaps to the East, Nth East and Nth, stay in the bay as it will be an uncomfortable ride. Don't rely on just Seabreeze for your wind predictions as it only predicts the Whole of Brisbane. Find a link to Cape Moreton Weather forecast and look on the BOM Marine Wind Forecast. It's a lot more area specific and more accurate I find. Try and do a couple of trips with someone who knows the area well before you venture out there yourself. Confidence is everything when fishing in offshore waters.

I hope this helps.
Cheers
Dave


That's what I meant to say....;) ;D

[mustang5]

Thanks heaps guys! This is awesome!

I must say I was in pretty close to the western side of Moreton, and the Breaking waves were actually to the North West towards caloundra from where we were headed.

Will definately take on the shipping channel next time out.

Must apologise I didnt realise that flinders was a green zone. Thanks heaps for pointing that out. Could have been a bad first trip up there lol.

Cheers guys! Hope to see yous out there!

[Donny Boy]

Geez Dave,

You catch monsters, you're a gun movie maker, and now a Tour Guide too !!

Is there no end to your talents ??? ;D;D;D

[mustang5]

Geez Dave,

You catch monsters, you're a gun movie maker, and now a Tour Guide too !!

Is there no end to your talents ??? ;D;D;D

To be honest, I dont think I could have expected a more informative post!

Thanks again!

May tackle it this weekend!

;D