Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

  1. #1

    Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    I've been doing a lot of exploring for new dive locations between Cape Upstart and Abbot point trying to find my first elusive red emperor or Nannygai. I've been looking for any rocks, reefs or structures inbetween the 20m and 30m mark while trolling around but never found anything. Don't even hook-up with anything on the line.

    Anyway, I was thinking a local trawler operator might be able to let me know if there is anything in the area worth looking at. The trouble is I've found it really difficult to try and get into contact with one. I'm happy to give them some rum or beer or whatever for a few marks but if anyone can help me out with finding an operator that would be great!

    Regards, Dan

  2. #2

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    ring the fish co-op in towsville or bowen, they might be able to get you in contact with a sympathetic skipper.

  3. #3

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    Offer to do a few nights as a deckie?

  4. #4

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    Is there any wrecks in the area?

  5. #5

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    With the way they get treated here id be very supprized,beside where they trawl is not were you wont to look, its there hook ups thats were you want to try,from wide upstart to bowling green there out in the middle of the paddock and around the reefs chaseing kingies,you would be better of buying a admrilty chart and looks for ......CO.... on the chart and shoals and uneven ground,around abott to upstart in close they chase tigers and scallops on mud and sand and mud in 20 odd mts look further east about 25 to 40 nautical miles around the reefs old reef is closest i suppose from bowen.

  6. #6
    As far as I know it's all pretty flat around there. There is a patch of rubble about ten miles or so north east of the Cape and as you get close to the southern en of Old Reef there is a good patch of bottom which we call The Humps. I know it holds reds. Years ago (before gps) I remember fishing a spot called Piva's Hole which was a few miles out from Kingfisher Bay. All we caught were sharks though. Good luck with the search.

  7. #7

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    Thanks for the info guys, I've fished the humps before Olds but it's pretty deep and I was hoping to find something within 10-15km of Camp Island. I have never fished Piva's hole but I was told there was no decent structure to hold the fish there either. Don't think there are any wrecks out in that area too.

    Chis69: you seem to be pretty switched on with the whole trawler side of things. What's an Admrilty chart? My friend has a big laminated chart which shows depths and well known reefs etc. for the area but it definately wont show hookups. Doesn't show anything out in this area at all, where I'm interested in diving.

  8. #8

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    A admirity chat have every detail on it marine surveyed and show shipping channels, currents,bottom compostition ect this is how very one navigates by these charts and no it wont show hook ups trawlers find them the hard way,go to a chandlery and ask for one of these charts for the area and you will see the difference not all chats are the same, you can get small scale and large scale ones,when you look at one you will see around the soundings letters like CO-coral bottom S- sand M- mud or a combonation of, around some soundings if the depth changes a lot that depth will have a circle around it ,it its shallower again by a lot more it will have a colour around it,if you see a spot that is say on average 23ftathoms and theres a depth of 6fathoms shows up in that area well thats a place to look at.

  9. #9

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    No worries, have to have a look into it. I'm pretty sure that my mates map might be the same sort of thing. has all the contour lines and marks reefs etc. to a very high degree of detail. I think he pad like $150 for it.

    In the areas I'm interested in, I haven't found a single rock or anyhting on the sounder! Trolled for like 7 hours!

  10. #10

    Re: Looking for trawler operator working between Townsville and Bowen?

    Hi Dan you wont pay $150 for a chat $35 to$40 and no in close on the coast up your way theres nothing much in structure its all out wide on the reefs.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Join us