So
you have saved up all your hard earned money, to either fly or
drive to the warmth of Tropical North Queensland. Now that you are
here you want to catch a Barramundi, (plus other hard fighting
tropical species) get value for money and generally have a
memorable holiday whilst in the best part of the sunshine state.
Probably the most important factor when planning your trip to the
north is timing. As with most species of fish there are times of
the year that are more successful than others. If you want to
catch a Barramundi on Fly or Lure, the more productive time of the
year is from November to May. That is, the build up to the wet,
through to the run off. It is not impossible to catch Barras'
outside of these times, and I know of many people who have done
so. Proprietor Glenn Campbell from
Northern Angler trolled up
a massive 1.24m barra one cool night in June 2002, so it can be
done. One of the bonuses of fishing from November to May is the
weather is not so popular with tourists, so accommodation,
professional guides and other services can be slightly cheaper and
easier to find.
So now you have
decided when you are going to embark on your sojourn, you will
need to organise some where to stay. Cairns has grown from a cane
farming town of years past to a multi-million dollar tourist town
there is many places to choose from. Basic backpacker hostels
right through to exotic hi rise motels, there is something for
every budget. Check out
Cairns Accommodation for detailed information on
what is available. A good rule of thumb with accommodation is the
closer you are to the heart of
Cairns, the more expensive it will be. There are
plenty of motels, caravan parks and holiday units outside of the
city area that offer great amenities for a budget price. Excellent
if you would rather spend your hard earned money on fishing
related expenses. Though I do suggest you check with the minister
of war and finance on this before you make the decision on your
own.
Now, if you are going to plan
your trip to coincide with the wet season you have to be prepared
for the weather. The temperature here in Summer varies between 28
- 38 Degree C, not as high as it can get it down south, but
the humidity can be very trying, even near unbearable at times. So
when you are out in the boat fishing, drink lots of water. Drink
it till your think your back teeth are swimming, then drink
another litre! 8 hours out in a boat in the sun can really knock
you around, even younger folk can suffer from heat exhaustion or
heat stroke. No one wants to feel crook on a holiday, or even
worse end up in hospital, that can really put a dent in your
valuable fishing time, and the wallet. The other downside of
fishing the wet season is the possibility of a cyclone or a
tropical low dumping a huge volume of water in the area, which
turns the rivers into a brown soup that is basically impossible to
fish until a few days after the rain subsides.
Destinations:
If you want to explore other
fishing destinations, North Queensland offers some of the best in
Australia. Whether you want to battle with billfish on the outer
edge, Fish beautiful blue water beaches, or tangle with a
barramundi in the estuary, there are plenty of options. Travel up
the table lands West of Cairns to Tinaroo Dam for big impoundment
Barramundi, and catch a feed of redclaw crayfish while there.
There are also land based options, you just have to know where to
look, and choose the days where the weather suits.
More coming shortly to
include the following areas:
Areas to fish:
Cape York:
Lakefield National Park:
Cooktown:
Weipa:
Hinchinbrook Channel
Essential items to take with you when
fishing in the area (hat, sunscreen, long sleeved shirt, polarized
sun glasses, insect repellent, spare rod tip runner/guide water,
first aid kit)
things to do and see (keep the missus
happy)
Travelling North of Cairns
things to be clued up about: GBRMPA
green zones, Alcohol management plan, Far North Queensland
weather, road conditions, crocodiles, marine stingers, sand
flies
