fishing @ Karratha

lars · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:23 pm Post subject: fishing @ Karratha

gday all. am getting sent to Karratha next week for work by one of my customers. might try to get a bit of fishing in whilst there. so my question is, whats happening fishing wise at the moment, will I do any good land based or should I try to get out on a charter ? have just come back from Broome after working with the same mob, had a bit of a crack off cable beach, near the town beach & Barred Creek without any real success, would love to just catch something half decent. cheers LARS

craigmack · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:32 am Post subject:

I travel a lot for work and have been fortunate enough to visit some great places. For me, I would always start with a charter, it's amazing the wealth of knowledge most skippers and deckies are and are happy to help out with some landbased intelligence.

I haven't been to Karratha but have no doubt there is rip snorting fishing for GTs, spanish macks, cobia, queenies and the reefies to.

I make a habit of trying to find the smaller operator so I can charter the boat myself or with 2-3 guys maximum, I have no time for fishing with 20 others for bottom fish while they knock back slab after slab, but that's just me!!

PS try and research the charter options before you go as the good guys are alwAys pretty busy

cyclops6 · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:34 am Post subject:

I used to live in Karratha and land based fishing is not that great. You can travel north (45 mins) to Cossack and fish in the creek with some success.

At Dampier (15 mins away) there is some reasonable fishing of the rocks around the boat ramp, but if you manage to know someone who works in the mines and can get access to the loading jettys (iron ore), the fishing is Supurb !!

I used to fish there at night and have caught Spanish Mackeral, Mack Tuna, huge Cod, Trevally, and lots of huge Mulloway.

Whithnell bay where the gas plant is located is a good bet for trevally of the shore around the rocks.

If you can get out in a boat, there are endless options.

pale ale · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:15 pm Post subject:

Exactly when will you be available to fish?
Land based is a bit dull, very tide dependant and most likely you will be attacked by flies and sandflies.
I live in Karratha, and may be able to take you out for a session in one of my boats, depending on work / weather etc.
Let me know the times you will be available, and I may be able to sort something out either in my boats or put you onto a landbased barra spot (tide dependant)

cyclops6 · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:13 pm Post subject: Re:

pale ale · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject:

yeah, it all depends how much time he has to spare. Have heard of some barra being caught at Samson, landbased.

lars · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:36 pm Post subject:

thanks for your replies fellers, & very generous of you pale ale. just got my schedule & am heading over monday but looks like theyre gunna flog me hard then send me home on thursday so will struggle to get out for a fish. probably opt for a bit of a sightsee if I get the chance, gunna have to get myself over for a holiday, love WA, but always seem to be working when Im over there.

cyclops6 · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:39 pm Post subject: Re:

pale ale · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 11:56 am Post subject: Re:

cyclops6 · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:26 pm Post subject:

Started in Paraburdoo for HI as a Train Driver back in 77
Left in 87.

Went from Paraburdoo to Dampier to Karratha.

Loved the place and miss it like hell. Used to work shift work in the rail and went fishing in the creeks in the morning then worked in the afternoons. Sometimes I did it opposite. I used to go to work, knock of around midnight then head to the loading wharf at Cape Lambert near Wickam. (had mates that got me in). Fishing of that wharf at night was mind blowing. Huge fish and lots of them.

Days off I used to head out in my boat to the islands for some sailfishing, or camping in friends shacks on malus Island. Great times and memories. Used to be good heading a few hundred kays up the road to Whim creek where we bagged out on muddies and had the square hooks working overtime on the Barra and Threadfin's.

Another good spot was the gas pipeline heading out from Whithnell Bay. Covered in rocks it made a great little haunt for the reef fish.

The yearly FeNcLNG competition still on ?

We used to fish that each year and target sharks. The one year I looked like doing well when I caught a 120kg Tiger on 6 kg, seen me get blown out of the water by 2 others who both caught Tigers weighing in at 300 kg apiece ! One was on 10kg the other 15kg. Funny thing was the 15kg was 9 hours hauling in, whilst the 10 kg line took 1 1/2 hours. Work that out ?
Both caught up in 'Flying Foam Passage'

Wish I was still there now because the house that I was buying of HI for the rediculous sum of $120,000 in Pegs Creek, is said to be worth around the 1.3 million mark !!!! Rooms are renting for $500 per week, ROOM ONLY ! I could be rentingh out my whole house for $2,000 a week. OH well, such is life.

As for the Mermaid Hotel, been kicked out of there many a time.
That movie doing the rounds at the moment 'Red Dog', bought back a few fond memories for me. There at the time knowing the dog meant the movie was more realistic.

I still have a few mates working up there, but have long ago lost touch with them.