Ningaloo campout 2016
Hello everyone,
A few friends and I have to decided to head up for the comp this year for the first time. we have a small boat and a tinnie.
As this is my first encounter in the deep blue so far north I am a little worried my gear may be on the lighter side.
I plan on taking: Gomoku erito with Biomaster 4000fb (15lb)(SP's and light jigging)
Demon blood 60-3/4 with Daiwa Lexa 400 (30lb)(SP's and jigging)
Jigwrex PE3 with spheros 8000 (30lb)(SP's and jigging)
Whats everyones thoughts?
I am also thinking of purchasing a heavier spin rod for a spheros 14000 (50lb) for trawling, or would the demon blood be sufficient to trawl big, deep divers for mackies etc?
Any advice would be appreciated and I hope to meet a few of you up there.
Hutch
Posts: 2221
Date Joined: 21/04/13
I'm no expert but seems like
I'm no expert but seems like you have a decent range of gear for up there.
For trolling I'd reccommend an overhead reel (preferrably lever drag) on a short rod under 7ft, running 40 or 50lb.
Have a look at the Tyrnos range or the Fin-nor Biscayne LD if you're looking for a cheap, light but serious reel that can take a heap of abuse.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Depends
On how you are fishing and what you are fishing for.
If your planning on targeting demersals I would be going as heavy as you can stand
as the grey coats have been getting worse every year.
sea-kem
Posts: 15040
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Gotta remember with trolling
Gotta remember with trolling you can piuck up just about anything. I got caught short one year using a small Okuma OH and got hit by a Marlin around 120kg was fun for a while until he decided he'd had enough. I'd be taking a Tyrnos 30 OH loaded with 30lb mono so you can troll and demersal hunt with it too.
Love the West!
Benno223
Posts: 9
Date Joined: 18/01/15
I've been fishing that area
I've been fishing that area the last couple years and find 50lb is about as light as I go for pulling lures for mackies and for the bottom 80lb with 100lb leader and go like f&$k cos the sharks are faster than you will ever be. We fish ped one spot last year with 12 or so big hook up for a return of half a spango pulled the pin threw out a skirt five minutes in bang first Marlin on board
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
+1
Was thinking the same thing Benno. 30lb might be ok if you were fishing in 10m of water or spinning from the beach for small spanglies and queenies.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
Jayden20
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 29/08/11
Uve all got me scared now
Uve all got me scared now haha
Im planning on kayaking this year but im thinling i may need to get a bigger spin outfit now !
Gadsy
Posts: 1467
Date Joined: 01/05/10
Don't worry Jayden
We'll show the boaties how it's done this year
I'm kinda freaked out after seeing that big Tiger and Hammer those guys caught from the beach, tho I didn't see any sharks inside the reef last year (doesn't mean they didn't see me lol).
I have a Stradic loaded with 44lb braid, which I hope will be sufficient for any bottomies I have a go at. Might have to match that with my T-Curve 400 jig stick for winching them up fast.
For trolling I have TLD20 loaded with 30lb mono, which should suffice for spanish macks etc and hopefully a beaky or two
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
We've fished up there for a long time
We started out with 15lb on spin gear and light overheads. Got blown away a lot, and sharks weren't nearly as big an issue then. We settled on 20lb mono for a long time, it was good for sails ,mackerel, etc, but still a lot of unstoppables when something rose to take a floating bait. Added 60lb mono leader, helped a lot. Still was spooled on occasion--a long silver flash apparently over 2 metres long came out from under a mob of mantas we were trolling past and just spooled 300m of 20lb mono off a shimano overhead before I could even turn around
. Mid-nineties on, we settled on 30lb fireline braid with a mono leader. Certainly managed those big sails , mackerel and MOST of the bottom fish. We don't bottom bash per se, always float baits if we want to mix it up. In recent years, we've settled on 50lb for the majority of it, seems a good compromise, you can lock up and hang on when that big Trout or Rankins rises to take the floating gar and heads straight for home. There are a couple of 80lb outfits, one on a Stella 18000Sw and a variety of rods and a Tiagra 12 on a T-curve 400 for sheer trolling brutality. We release the majority of our fish, so the shorter the fight , the better they go back.
Be sure to take a decent release weight with you on 30m of cord. Mine go up to a modded 14lb sledgehammer head for those big potato cod.
They can be as big a menace as the sharks.
cruzy111
Posts: 274
Date Joined: 08/10/13
One thing I can say is that
One thing I can say is that soft plastics last around 1 second around ningaloo. Ok if your site casting but if just bouncing them around the trigger fish destroy them in 1 second. I use buck tail jigs now. I tie my own. They catch just as many or more fish and last. I use 30lb fins 60lb leader on a 4000 certate and dont lose very often. If you do get smoked its probably a big cod or something and better of not being dragged up anyway as you have to deal with releasing them.
Jayden20
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 29/08/11
All this talk of big fish!.
All this talk of big fish!. Can these be had just outside the reef? Not real scared to go out wide in my kayak just wondering were i could start seeing some pelagic and bottom species action! 2kms?3kms? 4kms? Any tips guys?
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
Pelagics
Mackies and some of the tunas can be right on the outside of the reefs and the smaller models can be had at times inside.
Early last year we were doing a drift over some coral bommies with crystal clear water, about 4m deep, sight casting plackies and a monster spanyard, 6ft+, came cruising under us. It was a mad panic getting the light gear out of his way and trying to get something in his way that might have stopped him. I ended up having 2, pretty pathetic, casts with my TLD and a Halco lure at him but he didnt even blink at my offering. Would have been epic, sight casting and hooking that monster in shallow water. Pelagics travel to the bait/food source and if it is in close so are they. Be Prepared..lol
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
Benno223
Posts: 9
Date Joined: 18/01/15
What area you going to be
What area you going to be camping mate
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Inside the reef can be good.
Disclaimer--I have plenty of experience south of Yardie Creek, not much north in recent years. ifanything in the below does not apply to the area between the Cape and Yardie, feel free to correct.
Be very mindful of the sanctuary zones, of course. Anywhere close to the major camping and launching areas gets flogged hard by dinghy fishermen. Good size spangled emperor can be had on the right tide and time of day. Rising tide in the evening is best. There will also be various species of trevally, including big goldens, which I have caught in the middle of the day in 2 metres of water on a glass calm. If the swell is up, and you are fishing near a deep water entrance, big spaniards are not uncommon, they seem to prowl inside when things get stirred up. Trigger fish won't be a real problem with soft plastics inside the reef, but they will hammer you outside, as a previous poster said.
Outside the reef, you will have an edge dropping from around 22 down to 32 metres, then maybe some more out in 35 metres. The first drop-off will mostly be less than 1 k off the back of the break, although this can vary. After that, things get very flat, just a steady decline out to the edge of the shelf. Good pelagics will be available close to the back of the reef,including sailfish. Keep your eyes open for Shark mackerel, they can be thick close to or on top of the reef and like their food small and fast.
Jayden20
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 29/08/11
Cheers for the info boys!!
Cheers for the info boys!! Ill be staying at point billie or whatever its called. I guess this year will be a bit touch n go but ill have a better idea for the year after !!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
have a look at this old thread
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/ningaloo-station-boating-advice Have a look at the map I posted towards the end of the thread. Point Billie is actually the point right at the bottom of the map. it shows safe ways to get in and out. if you are fishing from a dinghy, straight out to sea and south is where you want to fish. Lots of big pelagics along that first drop-off and beyond. Good luck with the sharks.
Jayden20
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 29/08/11
Onya mate cheers!!
Onya mate cheers!!
SausageSizzle
Posts: 28
Date Joined: 01/08/14
+1 for Ranmars map, in
+1 for Ranmars map, in particular the green path - especially with a bit of swell running the entry seemed to be a bit more protected. Cruised in comfortably in a 28ft centre console keeping an eye out for a few bombies. Ripper spot with life everywhere you look. Deep water very close to the reef - cant remember exact distances but recall roughly 4km offshore is about 170m of water, even had a baby black take a lure we left in the water for too long steaming back through the channel along the green path of Ranmars map.
We camped at Windabandi though - didnt try getting across to Point Billie.