This season so far the Tunas have been very obliging to clientele hungry for fishing action. I am
happy to say we have been able to provide some fantastic sport on the way down the coast on day one.
We put our anglers on the Jet Prop aircraft in Cairns at 8 in the morning and after having flown 460
miles to "The Cape", a short road transfer to the Tropic Paradise you are into fish from the bow of
the mother ship that afternoon on the way to the first river mouth anchorage. If you look back in the trip report archive a group of Japanese anglers were very impressed with the concept of "Tokyo to Tuna
in 14 hours".
One of these day one tuna is always expertly prepared, by chef Ashley into the finest sashimi to accompany
cocktail hour as the sunsets over the calm Gulf of Carpentaria as we continue travel down the coast eager
for the excitement of the week to come, and what a corker of a trip we had this past week.
Left, Anthony from London with a thumping Cobia caught on a light plug rod spooled with 15 pound mono, designed
and much better suited catching smaller species in the estuaries. After witnessing the torrid visual battle mostly
on the surface, Colin (right) wondered if he was going to see the fish in the boat or indeed get a chance to catch
another fish himself (like the one he’s holding) before the sun set. Big tip from Captain Greg, "use enough rod for the job"
and for this sort of quarry it is a minimum of 30 pound Gelspun, 50 is better and a rod to handle it. The Cobia capture
unfortunately did not quite have the desired outcome of being released to fight another day. Not to worry,
cobia is great eating.
Bill and Sam also from the UK caught all of the fish on their "target species list" including several Barramundi (left), Golden
Trevally (right). Below, Sam acting the goat before releasing yet another barra and the boys hamming it up with one
of many triple Queenfish hook ups.
A couple of inseparable Aussie fishen buddies from the southern latitudes (below) Both named Peter, they caught "shed loads" of fish
between them. How far from the mother ship do you have to go to catch fish you might ask. Peter (left) with one of many many
queenfish caught this week.
Right, big Pete with an Indo Pacific Permit caught with the last of the days light in a river mouth channel, the
smile says it all as he is now one of a very select few to have caught one of these fine mystique surrounded fish.
Speaking of permit it is with great sadness I learned this week of the passing of the father of permit fly fishing Del Brown. His development of,
and technique using the "Merkin" pattern in the eighty’s took permit captures from being incidental only to something that now has a
high rate of success, even on the other side of the world here in Australia’s Cape York. The last of our four new matching fishing skiffs
has just been completed and being matching I’ve named, and the insides painted a different colour to tell them apart. Named after
the characters of the Tarentino movie Reservoir Dogs, Mr. Blond, Mr. Pink. and Mr. Blue, the last was to be Mr. Brown and
will now to be named Del Brown after an absolute gentleman who give so much to the sport of fly fishing.
