Why is the Fishing in the Coral Sea so incredible?
The Coral Sea boasts some of the best Sports fishing resources the world will ever see. With everything from the Great Barrie Reef, sea mounts, and deep ocean trenches going as deep as 9,140m, it has everything needed for the sports fish that will burn line from your favourite reel.
Another thing is that northern Australia does not have the population density of many locations in Australia and, indeed, around the world. Port Douglas itself has a population of 3500 people. This means you have more room to fish and more fish to target.
Your 6 days & 7 nights Coral Sea Fishing Adventure
Day ZERO & Night 1
The departure time can be altered depending on where you are travelling from to accommodate your itinerary.
Typically, they like to depart the marina between 12 and 4 pm, depending on your arrival time. Certainly earlier if possible, but as I’ve said, they work with you to make your itinerary work with them.
The idea is to see if you can catch some dinner in the form of Spanish mackerel or Coral Trout. But don’t worry, they have Plan B sorted. The ultimate plan is to anchor up where you will start your Sports fishing journey in the morning.
The journey out is a good opportunity to chat with the guides to let them know what type of Fishing you enjoy and what species you want to target specifically. This is not the charter to be on if you want to take home half of the Coral Sea as fish fillets. There is no doubt that at some point, you will wet some bait, especially at night chasing Red and Reef jacks. But it’s great for your guide to know what you like. I think communication between yourself and your guide is the key to a fun, successful week for both yourself and indeed the guide.
Make no mistake. They want you to catch fish. That is the happy place for any fishing guide. But everyone has a different enjoyment level for doing different things. For example, after a hard day fishing, I have no problem dragging a few lures out the back, seeing if we can get anything on the edge of the reef. Other people can think of nothing worse. The only way your Guide is going to know is conversation.
The most important thing I’ve learned is that if I go into a fishing charter wanting to learn from my guide, I can apply what they teach me to my skill level. Everyone hates dragging lures around as a general rule. But when you have a triple hookup because that’s how the fish are biting at the moment, then suddenly, it’s the best thing on earth. ‘WOW, we should fish like this all the time!!’
** Remember, this is not a Kontiki tour that has preset spots. There are a couple of important hard and fast rules regarding Coral Sea Sports Fishing.
Ω 1. You never ever go past fish to find fish.
–> 1.1 Make sure you speak with your guide about why and where you are fishing. That school of bait getting smashed up may seem like the perfect spot to fish, but your guide speeds past. Ask them why they are not stopping. Always keep an eye on the bait schools as one day they will be nothing, and then the next there will be Macs, tuna and travels in them.
Ω 2. If the fishing is tough, work harder and longer. There will be no ‘fishing is a bit tough, boys&girls let’s go back for an early beer. It is only the next cast that will catch a fish.
–> 2.1 Always refer back to this point if the Fishing is tough.
Day 1 & Night 2
How does the saying go? Eat, fish, eat, fish, eat, fish, sleep, & repeat. It is extremely technical and precise. And more importantly, complicated rundown. That’s what your next six days are going to be.
Δ Breakfast – at a time given the night before.
Δ Fishing
Δ Lunch – on the mothership
Δ Fishing
Δ Dinner – pre-dinner nibbles (showers), a cold drink or two, and then dinner.
Δ Fishing – off the back of the boat.
Δ Sleeping
Δ Repeat.
If there is anything that you didn’t enjoy during the day or want to talk about things, make sure over dinner casually talk about what you would like to do. Remember that your Guide really does want you to catch fish.
At night talk with the skipper and your guides about what the plan is. If there’s something on the chart you want to specifically have a look at or an area that you would love to Fish talk to them.
Day 2 & Night 3
As ABOVE
Day 3 & Night 4
As ABOVE
Day 4 & Night 5
As ABOVE
Day 5 & Night 6
As ABOVE
Day 6 & Night 7
As ABOVE
At the end of day 6, you will head to Low Isles and have dinner there. It is a green zone, so all your rods will be backed away. It’s also a good thing because the number of fish you will see at the back of the boat is incredible.
Day 7
On your final morning breakfast at Low Isles and the final part of your fishing adventure back to Port Douglas.
This is your mothership for the week:
The fishing assets
17 NM and you are surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef.
The yellow line in the photo above is 17 nautical miles. That’s how close everything is up there. Now, have a look at the photo below. This is the country that you get to fish in over the next six days and seven nights.
There are enough fishing opportunities in this photo for 1000 days and nights.
To put it in perspective, there are 24 nautical miles of reef edge to fish just around Batt Reef alone.
24 NM of fishing, fishing and more fishing
Escapade Mother Ship Charters focuses on providing the necessary tools and support for a successful fishing adventure. Ensuring that the focus remains on the raw, unadulterated joy of the sport. Instead of lavish accommodations, they prioritise ample space to unwind and comfortable cabins for restful nights. This is no Hollywood movie set. There is no facade, just as there are no ensuites. Regarding Fishing adventures, these guys know what they’re doing.
True luxury lies in the knowledge that you are going to be fishing with a crew that loves fishing as much as you do. Unlike other mothership charters, the crew do not have a team meeting each night to document all of the extra charges you have incurred that day. If only they put that education and zeal into guiding you onto fish, and if only you catching fish was that important to the skipper, another thing that wouldn’t be happening: you would not be in competition with your guides to catch fish. You are fishing, and they are guiding.
Your fishing assets
Just watch the guy with the knife
His first ever trifecta
For those who like fishing with a starvation stick… a.k.a. flyfishing, there are 1,000,000 miles of opportunities.
Fly Fishing
The food is an endless source of inspiration. It doesn’t need to be complicated to be incredible. Let’s get it on the menu for those with a favourite recipe.
In the photo above is beer, battered coral trout with a yoghurt and sweet chilli (plus fresh chilli) sauce eaten in most part with your hands
Fishing and fishing
