weipa, queenslandThe Fishing
We are truly blessed in terms of options up here in the Cape, with the techniques and options changing over the course of our season. Typically, from late March through to early December we run charters including day trips out of Weipa and day trips North of Weipa, as well as offshore game fishing for Sailfish and Marlin later in the year. If there are any custom style trips you would like to possibly organise, please be in touch prior to arrival.
The Flats
Cape York is home to a diverse range of species that live in some of the best-looking flats in Australia. Good numbers of Blue Bastards, Blackspot Tuskfish, Golden trevally and everything in between are what to expect on a normal day sight fishing, as well as Manta Rays gorging themselves on jelly prawns, with Cobia and Goldens following closely. Not to forget; the Cape is the best place by far in Australia to chase the Anak Permit, schools of hundreds of fish are common at the right time of the year, including fish to 30lb’s seen free swimming on the regular.
GEAR
A fast action 9 and 10 weight rod matched with a nice light reel with a capable drag. We recommend Thomas & Thomas Sextant with a Shilton SR9 or SR10.
For line a good intermediate tip is a very good all-rounder or a full float in certain scenarios. We recommend a Cortland Ghost-Tip or Tropic Compact.
Leader material consisting of a 30-40lb mono butt section and 16-25lb fluorocarbon tippet is fine.
A good spf50 sun shirt, hat, long pants, appropriate footwear and sunscreen is recommended.
FLIES
In terms of fly selection crabs, shrimps and baitfish profiles will keep you out of trouble.
The crabs we like to use include Alphlexo crabs, VGDC or Merkin style, Gavs crabs or the Sparwolf Predator crab. Tan body with yellow legs for our sandy flats and any other natural tan, brown and olive colours for the more rocky/ coral flats. Medium weighted is fine as they are too hard to cast if they are heavy and can spook the fish upon landing. Flyzinc Alphlexo crabs in the colours AC12, AC06, AC01, AC08.
Any natural looking shrimp in size 4-1/0. Sparnons’ bastard shrimp, fuzzle shrimp, spawning shrimp. Anything tan, olive or brown with orange hotspots. Light to medium weight tied sparse so it lands soft and rides hookpoint up. Flyzinc Aquino shrimp, fleeing crab, kraken crab variations and mantis shrimps.
Baitfish profiles don’t need to be overly complicated. Clousers will be all you need from size 4-1/0
Beaches & Estuaries
Early in the season we get to experience the jelly prawn phenomenon, where masses of juvenile prawns hug our coastline with nearly every species of fish getting in on the action, thus providing some excellent fishing from the beach. Later in the season we can sometimes get another smaller run of this, as well as fishing for Barra in the same areas from land. The estuary fishing early and late in our season is a great option to mix things up. Fishing for Barra, Salmon, Jacks, Fingermark and a whole lot of other species.
GEAR
A good fast 7 or 8 weight rod matched with a nice light reel so you can cast a full day without tiring too much. We recommend a Thomas & Thomas Sextant with a Shilton SR8.
For line a good intermediate tip or full float is perfect. We recommend a Cortland Ghost-Tip or Tropic Compact.
Leader material consisting of a 40lb mono butt section and 30lb mono or fluorocarbon tippet is fine.
A good spf50 sunshirt, hat, long pants, appropriate footwear and sunscreen is recommended.
FLIES
In terms of fly selection any baitfish and traditional barra flies will keep you out of trouble.
All clousers in size 4-1/0 light to medium weight dumbbells. The Flyzinc range of colours are perfect.
Pink things, Barra bunnies and Tarpon toads tied in a range of natural colours with bead chain or light weight dumbbells.
Offshore
Certain times of the year the offshore fishing can be incredible, encountering a dozen species in a day can be very achievable. Bait balls with many species getting into the surface feeding action as well as demersal species cleaning up the scraps underneath. Also encountering schools of surface feeding Tuna, Queenfish and Mackerel. Dredging is also an option which on its day can be very rewarding, it can be a lucky dip and is a good way to catch big fish on a fly rod. Later in the year the possibility of heading offshore and chasing Marlin, Sailfish and Dolphinfish is an option that can be also explored.
GEAR
A light, shorter 6-7 weight fly rod matched with a nice light reel. All the reel is doing is holding line, so it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. We recommend a Thomas & Thomas Sextant with a Shilton CR3.
A full floating heavier head fly line to aid in shorter more accurate casts. We recommend Cortland Tropic Compact.
A leader consisting of a 35-40lb mono butt section and 25-30lb mono tippet. We recommend Schneider Klear line.
A good spf50 sunshirt, hat, long pants, appropriate footwear and sunscreen is recommended.
FLIES
A lot of popular larger trout dry flies will fit the bill. Anything that works well on bass such as gurglers, dahlbergs and frogs. As well as leech patterns and smaller popular barra flies.
Hoppers, dahlbergs, gurglers, frogs and cicada patterns tied in size 4-1.
Ammo’ Yeezus leech or other leech patterns in size 4-1.
Pink things and barra bunnies in size 4-1.
If you are buying flies for a trip, we recommend Kettafly, Flyzinc Flies, or flies tied by your favourite fly tier. Alternatively, some flies can also be purchased from the guides on the trip. If you intend on tying yourself, please get in contact for hook and material selection. We have a 10% off discount to any clients wanting to buy any gear off the ‘Nervous Water’ website, this code is ‘Weipa10’.
Billabongs
This remote river and billabong fishing for our northern Saratoga, Barramundi and Sooty grunter is extremely rewarding and a good change of pace and scenery. Some of the places it takes you are breathtaking, as well as the wildlife you encounter. Short accurate casts in tight country will see you rewarded with some of our sweet water species.
GEAR
A strong 10,11,12 weight rod matched to a heavy-duty reel with a good drag and lots of backing. We recommend Thomas & Thomas Sextant with a Shilton SR10 or SR12.
A good floating line, full intermediate and a fast sink line for dredging will cover all bases. We recommend the Cortland Ghost-Tip, Tropic Compact and Tropic heavy sink.
Leader should be constructed of a 50lb mono butt section and 35-40 mono tippet, as well as some wire trace for toothy critters.
A good spf50 sunshirt, hat, long pants, appropriate footwear and sunscreen is recommended.
FLIES
It’s best not to over complicate fly selection for this type of fishing because the likelihood of losing flies to toothy critters, getting busted off or sharked is a good possibility. Basic baitfish profiles, poppers and flashy profiles are all you will need.
Crease flies, cone head poppers and NYAP are perfect for surface feeding fish, tied with a 2/0-4/0. The Flyzinc range of double barrel poppers, as well as the KIFF poppers are perfect.
Clousers tied with medium to heavy weight dumbbells in a 2/0-4/0.
Deceiver patterns tied in white or tan over with with 2/0-4/0 hook.
Flashy profliles, tube flies and brush flies for Marlin, Sailfish and Dolphinfish in whatever colours you have joy on before, tied with 4/0-6/0 hooks. The Flyzinc range of tube flies are perfect.
