Info On Queensland Spots Required

[Andrew33]

Hi All,

I'm heading to Queensland next month and am after some information on potential camping and fishing spots. I'm hoping to spend time south of Cairns on the coast, we are hoping to camp and also fish from my kayak. We are travelling in a 4wd so as long as there is a track we can probably get there

Spots like fraser are ideal but we have done that previously...any other ideas. I have been reading about Cape Palmerston National Park anybody know anything about it ?

We have about 21 days to spend in that part of the world so if anything takes our fancy we can spend a few days there.

Looking forward to you good ideas.

Cheers

Andrew

[Warpig]

Cape Palmerston and Cape Hillsborough NPs are fine, as long as you like PLENTY of people! From memory Palmerston was the better of the two, as it required a bit of deep sand driving to get there, which cuts the crowds down a bit. There are very few free camping spots near the water S of Cairns. Look on your map for a NP S. of Bundaberg on the coast (forget the name), and have a look on the mainland coast inside Fraser Island. Some magic spots there, but don't forget the Aeroguard!

[Andrew33]

Thanks Guys,

I went to the tackle shop today to ask about tackle and they suggested that my 2- 4kg shimano wouldnt cut it...that i'd better scale up how exciting!!

They suggested id take my 20 pound outfit becuase there was a chance the 1500 shimano would get shredded. I have been landing a few flatties and bream on sp's but would love to take on a mangrove jack or something bigger anybody got any suggestions on tackle ?

Cheers

Andrew

[matt_nsw]

i spent 3½ months travelling/fishing the qld coast. there are heaps of places to check out.

one thing that i found is that you cant just rock up at a spot and expect to catch fish the 1st day. it normally took 2-3 days to work out how that spot fished.

i havent check out cape palmerson but here are a few spots that i really enjoyed and would love to revisit:

lucinda

located south end of hinchinbrook island. a quiet little town with a top caravan/tent park walking distance to a good jetty.

you can get mackerel, trevs, barra, grunter, queenies, sharks, ect from the jetty.

watch the 250lb+ gropers off the end. they are hungry

there is a creek, dungeness i think, that runs inland from lucinda but i presonally wouldnt be in on a kayak there due to the large lizards found in that area

airlie beach

live the high life and look at the international tourists

great fishing off shute harbour jetty too.

temburra dam

located west of mackay. you can camp right on the waters edge. it would be great to kayak around there. heaps of timber to throw at for a barra. turn right when you enter through the gate.

stanage

located between mackay and rocky on torilla peninsula. free camping on this creek. turn left once you reach to boat ramp.

mud crab gallore. we didnt land much due to the pro's netted everything in the area before we got there

but locals say its a good spot for barra and threadies when firing.

byfield nasho

located just north of yeppoon. a great nasho park with some really challenging sand driving. you can fish all along 9-mile beach and if you keep driving past the headland you end up at corio bay. that places looked really fishy but i was limited as i didnt have a craft.

1770

free camping on the beach near where the camp grounds are. a hard track in but well worth it once you work it out. we didnt stay long enough to work that place out.

i know you said cairns was the furthest but if you can make it to cooktown it will be well worth it. that place rocks

good jetty fish but again watch the 300lb gropers.

enjoy, your gunna have a ripper of a time

Edited July 25, 2005 by matt_nsw

[Andrew33]

Matt,

Read your message thankyou very much to giving me all that information.

I have printed it out and will take it with me. My better 7/8th ( as some of my firned shave described her) has thought we should go up to cooktown, so that has been agreed due to your response.

What size gear minimum would you take? Did you fish bait, plastics, bait ?

Cheers

Andrew

[matt_nsw]

mate, you wont be dissapointed. cooktown is awesome. good fishing with some great history too.

make sure you go to the RSL for a few beers one day :1beer:

its a refurbished house on the main drag....classic

i would have the following:

2-4kg spin stick for bait

5-6kg spin stick for mackerel, trevs, queenies ect

6-10kg spin or overhead for the bigger boys

as for bait/lures. take a herring jig as there are heaps under the main jetty. take some metals and some hb's too. you can take plastics but they wont last long. most fish up there have teeth

you can fish off the jetty, off the bridge on the way into to cooktown or at the mouth of the annan river.

to get to the mouth of the annan river you will need to drive towards a golf club. ask drirections from the servo if needed.

there will be a track with a 'private' sign but dont worry about that. keep driving and you will come to the mouth. get a few herring from the jetty and throw them out there

also you will need to check out the biggest local in town. a 15ft croc.

when your driving into cooktown, you will go across the annan river bridge. there will be a track on you lefthand side about 50-80m down. go down there and perch up on the cliff with a beer in hand and you will see him.

dont worry, there is a 50ft cliff between you and him. just done fall in

if you cant fins it, ask the locals for aligator corner

Edited July 25, 2005 by matt_nsw

[Andrew33]

Matt,

Once again thanks.

I really havent fished with bait for awhile so I will have to change my thinking up there. Livies seem like the go, wil take the bream rod to catch a few livies hopefully nothing to big will get on there, like the 300lb groper.....Have you seen them that big?

Cheers

Andrew

[matt_nsw]

livies are definately the go up there. but lures definately have their place too. take all the plastics that you dont use down here. use them up on the toothy critters

i have seen 3 big groper. 2 in cooktown and 1 in lucinda. these creatures are amazing. you may as well stop fishing once you see them. they snuffle anything thats on the end of your line. i just wish i took some pix now but when you see these things you just cant move. i was amazed.

[Andrew33]

livies are definately the go up there. but lures definately have their place too. take all the plastics that you dont use down here. use them up on the toothy critters

i have seen 3 big groper. 2 in cooktown and 1 in lucinda. these creatures are amazing. you may as well stop fishing once you see them. they snuffle anything thats on the end of your line. i just wish i took some pix now but when you see these things you just cant move. i was amazed.

59505[/snapback]

hopefully i'll catch some fish and get some pics for posting on my return...thanks matt have some pics hopefully in two months