Possibly Musgrave again

[JonD 974]

Toying with another trip up the coast to Lady Musgrave next school hols. With 1770 being so popular with Queenslanders the whole logistics of accommodation and weather timing can be tricky to say the least. I wanting to swag camp on the island and fish further offshore along the shelf which puts me well out of radio range ( 100km+). Would be good to know another boat out there.

Anyone else heading up that way mid July. 

Edited June 21, 2019 by JonD

[noelm 328]

There is always boats out around that area, from Fitzroy to Lady Musgrave is very popular for fishing and overnighting, there will be a heap there early September (including me)

[JonD 974]

2 hours ago, noelm said:

There is always boats out around that area, from Fitzroy to Lady Musgrave is very popular for fishing and overnighting, there will be a heap there early September (including me)

Last time I was there, there were only sailing boats and the tourist boat cancelled due to bad weather. We ended up coming home in the middle of 30knot squalls, thought I was going to get hit by lightning!!!!!...thank goodness for self draining decks.

[noelm 328]

I have been pretty lucky with the weather, only had one windy overnighter in Fitzroy Lagoon, it's a pretty special place.

[JonD 974]

1 hour ago, noelm said:

I have been pretty lucky with the weather, only had one windy overnighter in Fitzroy Lagoon, it's a pretty special place.

An reason why Fitzroy over Musgrave. Is there better fishing around there?

[noelm 328]

Been to both lots of times, Fitzroy does have some good fishing quite close by, Musgrave is much nicer to go to though, Fitzroy is just a coral ringed lagoon with a skinny entrance that was man made years ago, there is no beach or land as such, and quite a few Sharks to take any fish you catch, or keep you on your toes if diving!

[noelm 328]

I will see if I can dig up some photos.

[JonD 974]

Yes we also had some very curious sharks around us while in the water.

[noelm 328]

There's plenty there, saw a big Tiger in the lagoon once while my son was diving, the bait ground just outside the river at 1770 has some good fish, been reefed there many times on 24KG game gear, the river is pretty shallow at the entrance at the moment, but OK at half tide or more, I hope to be there from 6th September this year, there is an annual get together and it's a great time.

[noelm 328]

It's a kind of strange thing for us southerners, 50k offshore and it's 15m deep and Isands to spend the night behind.

[JonD 974]

13 hours ago, noelm said:

It's a kind of strange thing for us southerners, 50k offshore and it's 15m deep and Isands to spend the night behind.

Yes 50k here and I'm fishing seamounts that rise from 3000m to 1500m. 

I haven't fished the drop off over the shelf up north yet, always get distracted by fish before getting there. 

14 hours ago, noelm said:

There's plenty there, saw a big Tiger in the lagoon once while my son was diving, the bait ground just outside the river at 1770 has some good fish, been reefed there many times on 24KG game gear, the river is pretty shallow at the entrance at the moment, but OK at half tide or more, I hope to be there from 6th September this year, there is an annual get together and it's a great time.

It's always late when I get going in the mornings so never tried for live bait, what and where are they?

[noelm 328]

Lots of Slimies and funny looking kind of flat Pilchard things they call Herring, the bait ground is (just guessing) about a Klm from the river entrance, there is always lots of boats milling around, hardly ever see anyone fishing WITH live bait there, but to us, it kind of seemed obvious, big fish must be there to eat the bait, plenty of big Amberjacks, Trevally and Marlin at the right time of the year, and lots of "things" that just keep going to the bottom. I will see if I can dig up the co ordinates from someone.

[noelm 328]

Messaged a mate for the bait ground marks, will look for photos tomorrow, I forgot today, they are on another computer.