Am heading up on the 23th for a week. Will put a full report up when i get back.
Fraser ATM
I have been up here for two weeks now.
Heaps of worms about 5 klm south of Indian Head. Pros are working it now.Pipis are there between the wreck and Indian but in small lots. Good to average dart on the northern side of Indian Excellent whiting at the wreck.Have not caught a fish between Happy and the wreck. Coral scum has come back. it might dissapate if the surf calms down. You can get around the rocks at Happy Valley at Low but not around Yidney at all. Tidal surge is stopping you from travelling about two hours either side of High. Chard rocks is a bit lumpy getting over but still possible. Backpackers are making it hard, cutting up the little area you have to drive on at Chard. Big jump up at the beach entrance to champagne pools again backpackers cutting it up.Funny watching them yesterday Hopeless
Cheers
Kelvin
Am heading up on the 23th for a week. Will put a full report up when i get back.
Track Conditions dont look too good to get to the Cape - we have around 6 trucks heading up there on the 29th for 4 days - fingers crossed the beach/tracks are ok, as i dont wanna camp too far south
Ranger says Ngkala and Brownes passable but dont go it solo...travel with at least one other vehicle...and the wind is up again....possibly receding by late in the week
rusco
Any further reports??? Even some pics??
Came back from Waddy on Friday am....Bit of timber down at Hook Pt..should be ok as low tides receding. A lot of coffee rock out especially Poyungan to Chard Rocks..We had to use bypass at Poyungan and the Happy Valley bypass at Yidney. Chard Rocks were a bit rough but manageable with caution. Indian and Champagne tracks good condition due to wet weather .No shortage of cane toads at Waddy
rusco
Sweet thanks mate - any reports on the Cape???
Waiting for barge back right now.
Plenty of pipi's on the north side of Eli creek and scattered up to Indian head. Had no trouble catching worms just north of Burad. Plenty of whiting and dart in gutters from Burad to Indian. Managed to net a heap of decent sized sea mullet in the gutter out front of my camp. Unfortunately no Jew, only sharks and rays to show for it.
Track conditions are great with the recent rains. Beach is like a highway and traversable apart from 2 hrs either side of high.
Be careful of dingo's. Those things are cunning and elusive. Had one frequent our camp over the last 4 days. Watch your children and don't take any risks. Ranger told me he had a run in with three that went him recently. Nearly had to climb a tree half way back to the car!
Good luck over Easter. Sounds like its going to be busy.
Hi Guys,
Any recent reports, fishing, beach condition, hook point bypass track condition?
Heading up around Happy valley this weekend.
How long after low can i leave to make my way back from Yidney Rocks to the barge??
Cheers!
It's nearly an hour drive down from about there. You will know more once you travel around the point on the way up but personally I wouldn't like to push it more than 2hrs after the low depending on the size of the incoming tide, i.e. if it's a big tide then reduce this time, but if it is only a small high then you may get a bit longer.
I just came back from a week there .
Tailor at Waddy in ok numbers on dawn and dark, few throw backs in them .Seen good tailor in the waves at Ngkala and Browns but didn't fish them on the peek times ,we stayed at orchid so the Waddy gutter was a great dark option .
Ngkala Bypass is ok , we were down to 14 psi and passed it ok .Pulled a bloke out on the northern approach running 20 , dropped him to 15 and he drove strait over it .Orange creek is running but no drama .
More worms than you can poke three sticks at on Sandy cape if you go that far on the very top of the island ,whiting around near the lighthouse ,pro's are up em tho .
Wathumba has lizards laying all over the place and we sorted through the throw backs to get a feed of muddies there too.
Like has been said south of Indian the beach is slow going , lots of fresh and all the bypass tracks are in use , Hook has plenty of sand on it tho.
Indian head track is ok .Champagne southern approach was very messy , have a look at it and don't hit it quick ,about a 700mm hole at the base of the boards both sides .It may be fixed now , we passed the track maintenance crew on the way south .
It still amazes me the people trying to pass dry tracks running 20 plus psi in the rubber , there has been so much written about sand driving there is no excuse to get bogged due to incorrect pressure .Mid teen pressures and travel in pairs.
Wish I was still there .
Birdy
Any more Fraser reports?
Heading up there next week with quite a few blokes.
Just spent 4 nights up there last week, a fair few Tailor in the 35-45cm range being caught right up along the beach north of Happy Valley. There is a good gutter right out the front of Happy Valley beach exit which is producing good sized tailor, bream, dart & the odd jewie at the moment. Saw a few being caught up near the Maheno and out the front of Dundubara as well (some good gutters throughout this area). A few are being caught on metals but the vast majority on pilchards..conditions were excellent for fishing last week with the westerlies blowing.
Also beach driving is easy at the moment, it's like a highway. Even an hour after high tide the beach is massive and rock hard. The Indian head bypass heading north is easy, the champagne rock pools entrance is also easy. The inland tracks are also firm and easy going, i spent most of the driving in 2WD..good luck.
Just spent a week up there.
I hit my possession limit in a 90 minute fishing session. 57cm being the largest from our group. Most in the 35 - 40 cm slot. I put a self imposed 38cm min limit. Slugs did most of the damage.
So I decided to try some different things, worming (I had never really tried, but happily caught some this trip), I slugged with light line (8lbs) and also went chasing bigger stuff. I will put a post with some photos and videos later. Chisel, you will have a ball. As I said to a friend, if you aren't happy now, you have some serious issues. Magic weather, awesome fishing - just great.
I just returned from a week at Fraser and I personally think the Tailor are very light on this year. I have been going at the same time for the last 10+ years. The weather was absolutely perfect all week and the beach was driveable nearly all day. We fished gutters from Poyungan Rocks until up past Dundaburra.
We caught a lot of undersized Tailor and decided to try something different. We also caught a heap of good sized Dart (they were very thick and well sized), caught a heap of live worms due to the minimal swell and fished for whiting. We also caught a heap of good sized whiting all along the beach.
It was a great trip but I personally think the Tailor are not as prolific as previous years.