Hawkesbury houseboat fishing trip

[Bricks girl 8]

I'm organising a houseboat based birthday fishing trip. I've checked out everything Hawkesbury and hope that we can moor somewhere that makes it easy to get to Juno Pt and Flint and steel for the serious guys. ( I was plan lounging with a prawn hung over the side on a handline myself hahaha). The map the hire company gave me shows limitations, but not moorings, guess that will come up when we arrive. Any tips on comfortable spots to moor a 12birth Houseboat to meet my dreram req above ?

[Scratchie 2,217]

Jerusalem bay or Waratah bay! Plenty of spots around there. There are heaps of moorings all the way up Cowan creek! 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

[frankS 650]

Pinta bay within Jerusalem bay would be my first choice, there are 3 moorings there and it is good squid fishing from the houseboat, America bay would be second choice, Waratah bay is a bit of a journey in a houseboat. I think Juno point is the outer limit for the houseboat, Hope you have a day boat or two to venture into fishing ground.

Should be some Hairtail about by now and easy to catch from the houseboat.

PS a very big welcome to the site.

Frank

[Bricks girl 8]

Naw thanks guys I really appreciate the help.  I was looking at some posts where you mentioned Waratah Bay Scratchie, I was looking in that direction, thanks for conformation. Will definitely base somewhere there. I'm off to check out Jerusalem Bay

Got 3 days to explore, and a fishing boat to motor to the fish. I'm so excited!!!! Hoping to eat fish!

cheers

[wazatherfisherman 780]

Hi and welcome- if a big southerly blows up there is a great little spot with several moorings called "The Peep-hole" it's the small bay immediately on your left as  you enter the large Yeomans Bay, which is on the opposite side of Cowan from Jerusalem Bay. Really protected from the wind and there are nippers that can be pumped from the sandflat (they are in most bays so take the yabbie pump)- same type of fishing as most of the system.

Regards Waza

[Scratchie 2,217]

Also might be worth dangling a line for some hairtail too! 

[mrsswordfisherman 962]

1 hour ago, Scratchie said:

Also might be worth dangling a line for some hairtail too! 

Awww stop it Jeff. We loved the fishraider hairtail weekends didn’t we. 

Jerusalem or Pinta as already mentioned. 

Do a search here on “hairtail” or “Hawkesbury” lots of old posts about the areas

[PaddyT 433]

Having done the houseboat thing a few times, the easiest option for moorings is Cowan creek and its tributries. There are numerous public moorings and usually the hire company will point those out to you on a map. If wind above 20 knots is forecast get as far up a backwater as you can, the direction is irrelevant in Cowan as wind bounces around the valley and some of the more open moorings can be a bit exposed , have fun.

[seasponge 36]

Refuge Bay would be nice and close to Juno. Plenty of moorings there. 

[Bricks girl 8]

Thanks for taking the time to answer wonderful folk.  I will be trawling posts about the Hawkesbury Mrsswordfisherman, and packing the yabbie pump too Waza. 

[Plethora 36]

No Hairtail around yet - you need no moon, no wind and Smiths Creek I have found the best spot

[Bricks girl 8]

I just want to extend a big thankyou to all who responded above. We had a wonderful relaxing weekend. Stayed in America bay. Caught octopus, tons of eels 🤣, some cracker flatties and soooo many bait fish (kids were stoked and completely addicted!!!!). We lost a sweet rod and reel to some cheeky fish, and dropped a mobile phone as we came home 😭. So if you catch that rig, enjoy hahaha

We will be back Brick is determined to get himself the elusive jew, and I want to kayak and explore. Kids will provide all the bait we can dream of I am sure.

What a beautiful and mysterious place!

 

[Scratchie 2,217]

Awesome mate! Glad you had a good time! The Hawkesbury is a beautiful part of the world. 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

[kingie chaser 670]

Good to hear it was a great time for all the family.

Sometimes we all might get caught up(no pun intended 🤣)with trying to catch fish without smelling the roses with just being out there enjoying our great country & with those close around you...……………………..life's pretty simple really 🙂

 

Got invited up there by some friends todo the same not long ago & had something else on unfortunately.

Id love to just do a cruisy weekend on one of those...………………………….one day.

 

 

[wazatherfisherman 780]

Glad to hear you had a top time- did it 23 years in a row as an annual trip chasing Hairtail and loved every minute on the houseboats (before them the older 'Halvorsen' cruisers)- so close to suburbia yet a 'thousand miles' from anyone once it's dark. Lucky someone had enough foresight to declare the surrounding area as National Park and leave it a 'wilderness' so close to the big population centres.

Anyone considering doing it, (particularly if you like fishing) should try it- it became an annual highlight on my group's fishing calendar 

[61 crusher 327]

On 6/5/2019 at 7:08 PM, wazatherfisherman said:

houseboats (before them the older 'Halvorsen' cruisers)- so close to suburbia yet a 'thousand miles' from anyone once it's dark. Lucky someone had enough foresight to declare the surrounding area as National Park and leave it a 'wilderness' so close to the big population centres.

Anyone considering doing it, (particularly if you like fishing) should try it- it became an annual highlight on my group's fishing calendar 

As a young kid 11 years of age I remember our first trip on an old halvo my dad was stressing out while trying to get out of the moorings & I grabbed the wheel & got us out into clean water & was relegated as the driver 🙁bummer as I was used to zipping around in a 12ft tinny with a 9.8 merc on the back, as a family we did many a trip on the old halvorsons & even once in a 42 or 48 foot clipper owned by Singo ( had crap 💩 steering) as well as a houseboat which was by far the best. As Waza said well worth giving it ago in the Hawkesbury, so near yet so far from civilisation & pristine 😎👍