Hervey Bay Holiday Booked

[Scalem]

Hello all,

I need some help deciding what to do.... We have booked a week's Holiday at Fraser Coast Tourist PArk ( or something like that, the missus booked it) which is at Urangan. I am in two minds what to take..... My 15 ft Mustang runabout and the tent, or take the camper trailer. I wonder if I put a tow ball on the Camper Trailer, I can take the boat too!! ::)

As I have never fished out from Urangan before, I was wondering who has had experience in that area, and what best to target, given the limitations of my boat which is not a bluewater rig, more bay and estuary. I plan to get a good map of the area, besides Beacon to Beacon, but with family in tow, I don't want to pull the rig up there only to find dangling a line off the jetty would have been just as much fun for them - in which case the camper trailer would have been more comfortable and the better option. I might add I am a Tupperware convert through and through, so that might also influence my decision if you can catch decent Snapper on SP's without venturing too far ( 40 ltrs fuel with 70hp Jonno)

We have booked Early Jan '06, so there's plenty of time to plan, but your comments might help me make the decision. Thanks Guys!! ;)

[FOOCKCHUCKER]

hi scalem was there @ feb last year and take the boat bloke the shore fishing is good but we fished the broken area @ point vernin and gatagers bay and did well on parrot: reef mixes, and even managed 2 small spaniard out from the urangan peir. where only in 10 foot tinny and with good conditions and picking safe spots found this great. p.s. don"T know what vehicle you drive but borrow some strurdy roof racks from someone and topper the boat away you go . enjoy yourselves nice spot#

[Scalem]

FOOCKCHUCKER Thanks

While the '97 Pajero might be strong enough, my wife and I will have to enrole at the Gym between now and Jan, we might have to be able to benchpress 150KG each by then. ;D and take the motor off just to get the boat on. Sounds like the fishing is pretty good if you don't have to venture too far. Any hidden traps that you found that might save me some embarrassment in front of the locals, like sand bars or prop munching rocks? What bait did you use?
I didn't think about Point Vernon, that has given me food for thought, and letting me know what bait would be great. I have been wondering about the other side of Big Woody Island where there's artificial reef, and does not seem too far on the beacon to beacon, but recommends local knowledge because of shoals. A couple of GPS marks would be good, particularly the entrance to the channel past round island, unless it has channel markers.

Thanks!
Scalem

[dasher]

Scalem check your PM's mate. ;)

[Scalem]

Fantastic, thanks Dude!!

Scalem

[James_V17L]

Scalem,
We camped at the Happy Wanderers van park new years last year & had a ball...Definately take your boat..!!!!!
Great place HB,you'll love it..James

[skippa]

Scalem,

Mate leave the camp trailer at home. Just a thought, why not rent a cabin? More comfortable than a camp trailer and you'll have your boat too, and there's plenty of places to go in a 15 ft glass runabout.

There's a website on HB I think it's: www.fishntales.com

Plenty of good info on that site.

You'll have a ball at HB, wish I was there too.


Cheers,
Tony 8-)

[land-lubber]

just to add some curry to the stew, as well as the above, try the jetty still at that time of the year, can get some monster squid off there in summer. also, if u want a challenge, get up early and hit the end of the pier before daybreak on a running tide. take some decent gear and chuck on a whole live herring and toss it out off the end and let it drift around in the current out from the jetty. theyll be getting seriously into the longtails and makies off there at that time. btw, rig the herring directly to the mainline (no sinker) or use a conventional bobbycork rig and float out around 30 m from the jetty.
talk to any local store and tell them EXACTLY what u plan to do and when and they should help out with jigs etc. btw, id recommend an overhead setup (or three) for this work. if leaving rod unnatended to jig bait etc. CLIP IT TO THE JETTY or youll be sorry.
btw, you can take the family over to kingfisher for the day in ur own boat and can use the day area. great place for the kids etc to play while u fish the jetty, cheak the post under saltwater photos 'some pics of cod' for some ideas
cheers

[Scalem]

Hello all,

Righto, that settles it, i'll get new bearings sorted for the boat trailer based on what you guys are saying - if I didn't take the boat I'll probably be kicking myself. [smiley=hammer.gif]

The accomodation in a cabin is a fair bit more to add to the family budget, apparently $500.00 for the week (again, the missus department) but we will explore the options to see what we get. Like I said to her last night, we would only have to be hit by a storm one night, and it's too far to come home to Brissy if the weather turns foul. We'd stick it out in a wet tent, but i've been there, done that. I'm getting too old for that! My two daughters would whinge the rest of the time too. Good suggestion! I'll plead with my finance manager ( wife) ::)

LandLubber, thanks for the tips. Good pics of the Cod, that's for sure. I guess I should be able to net a few Livies with the cast net, I have a Wilson Live fibre with O/Head which should stand the test of these big brutes!

Scalem

[land-lubber]

DONT use cast nets, thier illegal off all the jetties. your best bet is bait jiggs off the end of the pier (the same place as the tuna etc. you will get plenty on bait jigs, enough to give u a meal!!! i use an overseas brand in around size 8 hooks. make sure the jig has the reflective plastic tails - not the white ones. get them from the takle shop at the end of the jetty. theres a big fine for using cast nets, and the coppers patrol the jetty regularly. take one of the kids to catch the livies, theyll have a ball!!! the bait jigs are really effective anyway, so you dont really need to use one. i may be up that way at that time of the year, will be happy to go down the pier with you some time and give you some pointers. if not, go for a walk down the end and watch the local 'jetty rats' (so named cause they kill anything and everything they catch and never eat anything. they only chase the big fish for the takle shop comp :'(.)
BTW make sure you take plenty of plastics, theyre deadly on the local flatties etc. use herring imitations or smelts.
hope this helps u have a good one
cheers

[Scalem]

I can see myself catching a nice cod as the sun is coming up, not so sure about sharing space with "Jetty Rats " at a busy time of the year. But catching livies as you described will be fun for the kids.

Once I have found some reef on the sounder, I might be looking for a deckie when the family decide they want to go shopping instead!!! Sad but true, I am not being sexist!

Thanks for the tips, see what happens..

Scalem