Australia

[brherr]

Going to Australia in July for a month. No concrete plans so I will probably be where the fishing is best. I dont really know anything so any info on fishing salt or fresh in Australia would be appreciated. Ben

[Mark Cahill]

Australia's a mighty big place. Any particular areas, or you'll go where the fish are.

I can get some info for you from some of the internationals in my office.

[brherr]

I basically have a month to do whatever I want so any info would be good. Mainly I want to know where I should fish for the time of year I will be there. If I had to guess, I will probably spend most of my time on the south and west coasts. I have a friend living in Adelaide so I will have access to a vehicle in the south. Ben

[SteveD]

Well unfortunately you are heading to southern Australia in winter, so it does cool down and the bite slow. Freshwater flyfishing will be out but you might be able to chase Australian salmon (a perch species not a salmonid) etc along the South Australian Coast.
Im not all that certain of South Oz fishing as never fished there.

Im an Australian but from Tasmania.

Personally if I was travelling that far and wanted some really decent fly fishing Id head north into the warmer parts. Easiest to get to from Sough Auistralia would be a flight (or thetrain if you into looking around, stop off at Uluru), due north from Adelaide to Darwin. You will arrive there in a good time for chasing barramundi in the fresh and saltwater, although it can be windy. They are a bigger,stronger relative of the snook that jump well and can be taken on flies, lures and bait. Hell of a fish. I attached a pic of a nice lure caught one, not mine though. One day!!!

If you want some advice from a local email guide Grant Hatcher, with a few ideas on what sort of fishing you like, any species etc and Im sure he'll give you "the drum" on the best action etc as we say down under, mthatch@ozemail.com.au


There might also be queenfish on the chew (big silver fast and take a fly readily and jump a lot and one I really want to catch) maybe threadfin salmon, in the estuaries and the pelagics like spanish mackeral and longtail tuna may be in Darwin Harbour on the neap tides if you dead set on the salt.

You can grab all the details on the Northern Territory at www.fishingtheterritory.com including checking out the individual game species available, many of which you won't have heard of but pull like a train.

Other things not to miss Down Under
If you get to Darwin try the mud crabs _ sensational

Try James Boags Beer _ best in the world out of a longneck or Cascade Pale Ale draft best "off the wood"

While your in Adelaide go to an Australian Rules football game _ and support a Victorian team, you'll make lots of friends hahahaha. Eat a meat pie and local Coopers beer. Our version of a hot dog and beer at the baseball.

If you fly in through Sydney you can also try your luck on the local saltwater scene there including yellowtail in the harbour.

If you still want more info, and maybe a fishing buddy or two log onto www.flylife.com.au _ the best fly fishing magazine in Oz or the flyfishing bulletin board at www.sportfish.com.au

Hope it helps,

Anyone else interested in Australian information only too glad to help. Some fantastic fishing from trout to marlin available at different times of the year Down Under and compared to the US very few fly fishers. Post or email me


Cheers Steve D

[brherr]

Thanks Steve D.

[McMinn]

I have the cheery prospect of being in Cairns, Queensland during May -- right along the Great Barrier Reef. Does anyone have a flyfishing recommendation to make for me? I'd love to take a few days to catch some of whatever is hot. I am pretty flexible on what I could chase, but will only have a few days as I'm there on business.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts,
John McMinn

[SteveD]

Gday John,
That is a shame hahahahaha. Hell of a place Cairns, lost of tourists scandanavian backpackers etc.
The local scenery is supposed to be spectacular and the view of the mountains/water isn't too bad either.

But the fishing is a question pretty much of what you want to do, estuaries or inshore or big game, its all within reach.

Well worth a look is this website, its mainly about their trips, which are unbelieveable up into the Guld of carpentaria during the southern winter. This would be some of the best saltwater fly action anywhere. But they are based in Cairns and Im sure they can do day trips if this is all your time permits. Plus Greg Bethune is a top bloke, a real Aussie character and lots of fun.My girlfriend still talks about him!
http://www.seafaris.com/index.html

For general Cairns info check out http://www.fishingcairns.com.au/
also
http://www.australianflyfishing.com/

try the bulletin boards at www.flylife.com.au and www.sportfishing.com.au


You wil lbe able to fish your heart out

Cheers
Steve D

[McMinn]

Steve,

Wonderful reply. Thanks.

I'll look up Greg and see if he offers anything out of Cairns. It seemed from the seafaris website that most evereything was based out of Cape York. Do you know if he outfits guides from Cairns?

Counting the days,
John

[SteveD]

Yeh John Im noticed the same thingon the site, but somewhere I did see a mention on the site of Cairns day trips. They just don't have much info on it. I would check with an email, or via their US agents listed on the site.

Capt Ross Finlayson on the Australian flyfishing site Ive never met but has a great reputation and he does do Cairns day trips. His site is well worth loking at for any traveller to nth australia as it has great information

Cheers John

Squeeze in every extra day you can

Cheers Steve

[SteveD]

Give Randall Bryett an email or phone call re Carpentaria Seafaris and the Cairns action. He is an ex-Aussie game boat skipper now living in Seattle and fished the area extensively

http://www.gofishaustralia.com/

Cheers John

[Randall Bryett]

Thanks Stevo for sending the link mate..will have to have a look around to see exactly where I am after this.
Yep have got options out of Cairns for day trips. Ross is A1 and we book days for him also. Have plenty of references from happy folk we have hooked up!
Greg does no day work out of Cairns but there is no shortage of booking agents along the strip:p its getting as bad as Cabo San lucas, just make sure you know what your getting if your doing it on your own.

While Iam here :confused: any of you blokes wanting to come down and sample some Cape York fishing I have one berth left for a October trip I am leading. Link to trip thru the one Steve supplied above. Will get out before it starts looking like a commercial:rolleyes: but I have plenty of Australian Vacation Planners with a GOOD map of the Land Downunder and filled with terrific information on what you can expect. Free to your door no strings attached just give me a coooeee.

Cheers
Randall

[actinsley]

Here in England, Farlows magazine was published this week with an article about a trip out of Weipa on the west side of Cape York in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This was organised by UK outfitters Roxtons (merger with Frontiers postponed). They seem to have had a fantastic trip & it's right up there on my list of trips to do. May be reference on Roxtons website.