Cape York –Gulf of CarpentariaAustralia

Finally, I was on my way to Australia. I could have outfitted a small fly shop with the flies I tied over the last year for this trip. I was trying to keep my fishing expectations reasonable, but the hype and everything I’d read and viewed on DVD had me soaring in anticipation.

I met my friend and a frequent fly fishing traveler Larry Huggins in LA and we boarded Quantas flight #108 to Sydney then on to Cairns (pronounced Cans or Cains depending upon who you talk to, but never the way you’d think with an “r” sound in it). I should have had some premonition that conditions weren’t going to be as smooth as expected when I was seated on an inside seat next to a crying baby. But I looked on the bright side and kept telling myself “It’s only a 12 hour (!) flight. It will soon be over.” Well it did pass and the baby was actually pretty good and the parents were very good with their children. In Cairns we met with Allen Josephs and his daughter, Anna (who lives in Australia). He had been vacationing with her for several days before meeting and going fishing with us.

The next day we went to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. I can’t tell you how long I have looked forward snorkeling here. Allen wasn’t feeling well, so he stayed in town and went to the doctor. The doctor told him “to put a lime in de coconut and drink it all up.” No, just kidding, but whatever he prescribed for Allen did the trick, because he was feeling better by the next day. My second warning sign about things to come arrived on our trip on the boat on the way to the reef. We were joined by cold temps, cloudy skies, high winds and a little rain even made an appearance. Even with that, snorkel we did and enjoyed it but it just wasn’t what it could have been. It was very interesting and I am glad I did it, but I wouldn’t repeat it in that kind of weather again. Cairns is a fun city with a lot of good restaurants to try and shops to wander through while spending a night or two there waiting to catch the flight to Bamaga (as far north on the east coast as you can get by commercial plane).

We were here to fish so we were anxious to get going. We repacked our luggage. There is a strict weight limit of 55 pounds each on this last leg of flying to our destination. Everything we didn’t need, we left at the hotel in Cairns to be picked up on our return in a week. We had a big breakfast early the next morning, where we met John Garcia of our group. He was not a happy camper without his checked baggage (delayed en route from Sydney) which held all of his fishing gear and clothing. He wouldn’t see it again until next week when he returned to Cairns after our fishing trip. But a quick shopping spree in the airport found some clothes for him and we knew he could get fishing equipment with all of the extra gear the group would have and the outfitter had an extra outfit for him to use. John was a good sport about his misfortune. Getting to the airport, our gear checked on and the flight to Bamaga went off without a hitch and we were met there by Greg Bethune Owner/operator of Carpentaria Seafaris our outfitters for this trip aboard his mothership Tropic Paradise. He has been fishing and running trips here for 17 years. There we were also met by three other anglers to join our group. After traveling a short distance to Seisa at the northern tip of Cape York, the ship was waiting for our arrival.

The Tropic Paradise is a 63’ x 21’ catamaran that has six staterooms that accommodate two guests per room. There are four heads with showers onboard (one in each of the two master staterooms and one on the main deck and one on the topside deck). The rooms are small without much room for gear and clothing. But everything works out fine, once you get in and get used to the cramped quarters. There is space onboard, out of the way, to store luggage that will not be needed during your stay. The rods are stored on the top deck out of harms way each day after fishing. After getting everything onboard, we shove off and head south along the west shore of Cape York for about eight hours to our first anchorage in the mouth of Jackson River. Greg and his staff worked hard all week doing they could to make our stay the best it could be. We towed six small craft 16 to 20-feet long that were to be our fishing skiffs during the next week.

While underway, we got an equipment and fishing lesson from the guides and Greg. The guides were Graeme Ison, Stuart Tripney and Maca (Paul) McDonald. The head guide in charge, Al Simson, was on vacation while we were there. They helped us get our equipment ready, prepare leaders and select flies. We all had outfits ranging from 8 to 12 weights. 9 and 10 weights were the most used. The intermediate was the line best suited for this fishing, followed by floating lines. The flies of choice by anglers and fish alike were chartreuse in color, maybe over white, in clouser or deceiver patterns. Baitfish patterns with barred olive backs are also used with success. We were all over the top with excitement for our first day of fishing.

My third sign met us the next morning in the form of increasing winds and a thick layer of clouds. But I was blind to them and all I could see were the frenzied birds working bait balls just a short distance off shore. As we moved closer we could make out longtail and mac tuna slashing through the bait. We made casts and hooked up. We were OK despite the uncooperative weather. What we didn’t realize immediately was that the shark were also tuned into the tuna; especially ones that were hooked and necessarily handicapped with a fly and a long line connected to it. These were big ------ ------- sharks. These were the biggest Bull Sharks (a.k.a. Pig Eyed Java Sharks) I have ever seen. It is hard to believe how fast such a big fish can swim. Larry and I lost our first four fish to them. Another fisher in our group was bringing in a longtail close to the boat with his rod tip 12 – 18 inches from the fish’s head. A big shark came out from under the boat and attacked the tuna so fast that he couldn’t tell if his rod tip was actually chomped through by Jaws or it was just slammed against the boat’s chine. Either way, his 4 piece rod was instantly changed to a 5 piece rod. That first day chalked up four broken rods that I know of and one lost fly line (I clamped down too hard on a fish running away and discovered a weak spot in my backing). One big shark was so worked up that it body-slapped the side of our boat at the stern, actually getting us wet from the tail splash. The fish spanked us that first day. All boats had problems with sharks. Several tuna were caught, but most were lost to them on both the morning and afternoon fishing sessions (we went in to the Tropic Paradise for lunch each day). The next morning was tougher fishing but the sharks were not a problem and were not for the rest of the week, although they were always in our minds. Especially when bringing fish in the boat and then releasing them. We did not want any of our body parts hanging over the side of the boat. The tuna were never again as active as the first day and a half. We were able to briefly check out the flats at the mouth of the Macdonald River and for several hours where the Cotterall River empties into the gulf during some sunny breaks on the last day and a half of our trip. We got a legitimate shot at a golden trevally and one or two at a school of mixed trevally and a few permit, but they wanted nothing to do with our offering. Fishing was frustrating for all of us. Not only was the weather being contrary, the fishing was not up to expectations. Each fishing session hooked tuna or other fish for one or more or all of the boats. One or two were kept every day for fresh, delicious sashimi. Tuna averaged 8 – 12 pounds each and were fun to catch. And even though we were getting some fish, the overall fishing was just “off”. Greg told me the fishing was about 60% of the norm for the week. It was too cloudy to search the flats for permit and golden trevally and the wind made it nearly impossible to track fish on the flats, as they do not have push-poles on the boats. The guides told me the week “sucked” compared to normal trips. We could always get out and wade the flats, but without visibility even in the shallows, we would not be able to spot the saltwater crocodiles or sharks that sometimes used these same waters looking for something to eat. So, not wanting to be a step or two down on the food chain, we pretty much stayed in the boats, getting out one day at the end of the trip when we had some sunshine, but stayed very close to the boat. We all enjoyed the natural wildness of where we were. There was no civilization for miles and miles and no one else fishing around us except for a brief few minutes on the river one evening. We all saw a few of the infamous saltwater crocs of Australia. A few of us joked about them, remembering the crocodile in Peter Pan that was always after Cap’t Hook. I could never actually hear the alarm clock swallowed by the animated croc but late at night, though, when it was quiet, I could imagine tick, tick, ticking…. somewhere in the dark.

We had some real excitement on the third day. After breakfast, the anglers shoved off for the morning session of fishing and the rest of the crew made ready to move the Tropic Paradise to the next anchorage in the mouth of Doughboy River. Graeme, our guide of this day, told us to be on the look out for giant Manta rays in the area we were fishing. Not only was this exciting because giant Mantas are a wonder to watch, but around them, sometimes, swim some big cobia. We spotted two rays and motored over to them, but found no fish tagging along. We then caught a few tuna and spotted another Manta. When we got close to this one, we spotted Cobia swimming around it: One along side and two more big fish behind it. Graeme positioned the boat so Larry and I could both get shots at the fish. Our flies touched down on the water about the same time. Both fish turned on the flies and took them. A double with Big Cobia!!! ……for about 5 seconds. Larry’s fish unbuttoned, but mine took off ….and off ….and off. Way into the backing we started following it with the boat. With it finally in close, we realized that the landing net we had wasn’t going to cut it. So Graeme radioed Greg who just happened to be cruising in the mothership on its way to the Doughboy River to bring out a long handled gaff. Yeah, cobia are tasty and if we managed to land it, we would keep it for dinner. Greg jumped into one of the small craft he was towing and brought it out to us. We did land it. It was delicious. Now, THAT is what we were thinking of.

The off-shore winds continued and the clouds would part once in a while to let the sun shine through but they just couldn’t say “goodbye” for any length of time. For the first four days this was the weather scene. After lunch one day, we fished the river, casting to the shore around stumps, points, overhanging tree limbs and submerged trees looking for ……whatever. Larry got a fish called a grunt. Not a very complimentary name, but appropriate when you heard the sound it made during its release. You can guess what it sounded like. One person also called it a bream. To me it looked like a cross between a snapper, bass and crappie. I caught a giant herring (otherwise known as a lady fish). It was fairly small but it thought it was a giant. Jumping, dashing, digging hard. A very game fish. Other boats landed Big Eye Herring (looks exactly like a baby tarpon), Barramundi (a very large one was lost and two smaller ones landed on a fly), small groper (we say and spell it grouper) and a few others.

I’ve sort of saved the best for last. God save the Queen(fish)! I really wanted to fish for golden trevally and permit on the flats; more than for any of the other species, but that just wasn’t going to work out this time. There was a bend in the Jackson River where the queenies tended to hold up for at least a while on their upstream or downstream rounds looking for food. It was somewhat protected from the wind because the shores were heavily forested by the Mangroves and it was a welcomed relief from the rocking and rolling of the boat in open wind swept salt waters. Introduce the Queenfish. What a fish! It is strong, it jumps, is interesting looking, will take floating and sinking flies and can grow to very respectable sizes. Its profile is highlighted by a perpetual smile on its face and a deep body built for speed and power. The ones that aren’t big, think and act like they are. A highly prized fish in anybody’s book. The trophy mark is one meter in length from the tip to fork. We came very close to that mark but no cigar, so to speak. We did release a few measuring 90-plus centimeters. I hooked one (get ready for the “one that got away” story) that slammed a deep running fly and tore off across the river close to the opposite shore. Then it turned downstream and when it jumped, it was down from us and at midstream. However, my line stayed pointed toward the other shore. It was hung up on something on the bottom. I hoped I could work it loose, but it kept jumping until the leader parted. It was well over a meter in length as witnessed by Allen’s boat just downstream from us and much closer to the jumping fish than we. Neither Larry nor I were meant to land a fish this session – 9 takes with zero landed. A very exciting but frustrating session. The queenfish we did land in another session were fished with both intermediate and floating lines with poppers, crease flies and subsurface clousers and baitfish patterns. Chartreuse was by far the best overall color. I would travel long distances again just to hook up with the Queenfish.

Some of the anglers onboard were using conventional gear and/or trolling flies. Four of the seven anglers flyfished only. We landed 29 species of fish of the 58 recorded caught in this area. They are: Mac Tuna, Longtail Tuna, Cobia, Barramundi, Giant Herring, Big Eye Herring, Queenfish, Mangrove Jack, Grunt, Grouper, Estuary Cod, Spotted Cod, Coral Trout, Red Emperorfish, Sweet Lips, Flathead, Catfish, Spanish Mackerel, Dog Mackerel, Grey Mackerel, Spotted Mackerel, Baby GTs, Golden Trevally, Barracuda, Spanish Flag, Yellowtail (not the tuna), Black Bream, Wolf Herring and last (and maybe least) the Snake Fish.

Expectations. That’s the key word. I knew that if my expectations were “ I am going on a fishing trip to Australia to see what I could catch and see.”, I would have a very successful trip. But, I let my expectations get in the way of a great trip. I was talking to Graeme about this midway through the trip and he brought up an interesting thought. Because there were so many different species of fish in this area, when one wasn’t “on” another usually was. He asked me if I had ever gone to Alaska for salmon or Canada for Steelhead and the river was screwed or the run hadn’t materialized. Of course, I said. Then he asked what else did I catch? Nothing! Salmon or steelheads were our target there was nothing else around. At least here we had several species to go after and even though most of them weren’t available to us during this week in any numbers, some others were. Fishing in general was off this week, but it wasn’t wiped out. We were all catching fish and a lot of them were new species for us! I have spent several weeks in the past looking for big tarpon only to register a big ZERO at the end of the trip. I was disappointed, sure, but I expected that this was possible. This trip’s expectations got away from me. I narrowed my trip fishing agenda so much that the window of success was fairly small, assuring greater odds for disappointment. I needed to stop whining and look at it from different perspectives. As soon as I recognized this, I felt better. I was still disappointed that it wasn’t all it could have been, but enjoyed immensely what it had to offer. “Would you return” is always THE question. Three of the 5 fly fishers, including myself, said they would and two not sure. We would all probably look at a different time of the year. Very good for a destination that was experiencing a “60% week”. It speaks highly of Carpentaria Seafaris, our outfitters for this week.

I look forward to calls or emails with any questions any of you might have about Cape York fishing.