Carpentaria Seafaris

Sportfish the most remote locations of the Cape York Peninsula, accessible only by mothership in comfort, style and security for a multitude of light tackle sport and fly species.

Since 1990 Carpentaria Seafaris have been servicing their repeat and growing client base on week long trips to the remote rivers of western Cape York in tropical far north Queensland Australia, plus the never before fished, unexplored and uncharted far northern Great Barrier Reef to the East of Cape York.

Your home for the week is the magnificent 19m (62 foot) “Tropic Paradise” and her fleet of skiffs.

Fish the rivers, estuaries, flats and inshore reefs of the western coast of Cape York pioneered by us and now renowned through out the world as one of the best salt water fly fishing and sport fishing destinations on the planet.

Repeat clients from all over the world fill more than half of our trips every year, some booking for their 8 and 10th year.

Saltwater fly fishing, lure cast, troll or bait fish for Australian Barramundi, Mangrove Jack, Saratoga, Indo Pacific Permit, Spanish Mackerel, Tuna, Queen fish and Trevally?

Just a few of the 53 recorded fish species you can catch from our custom built flats skiffs, offshore sport fishing machines and mothership.

Carpentaria Seafaris have operated their renowned fly fishing and sport fishing charter operations from Cape York Peninsula in remote tropical far north Queensland Australia since 1990. Established, owned and operated by Greg and Jennie Bethune with Greg’s father Joseph and Judy Vermeer in Cairns handling all your bookings and fishing holiday travel arrangements. We guarantee that your fishing holiday charter with us will be a highlight of your life. Repeat clients fill more than 50 percent of our fishing holiday trips every year, some are booking for their 7th year in a row.

Carpentaria Seafaris is a full service, highest standard, complete package ex Cairns. Not like some holidays where you have to organise and get your self to the location then be reaching for your credit card or cash for accommodation, meals, transfers and excursions etc. Apart from your bar tab at the end of the trip there is nothing more to pay. Complementary quality table wine is served with the evening meal. 

Our trips are extremely good value and often far cheaper than options that offer and deliver way less. Prices vary from trip to trip depending on duration please enquire.

Sport fish the most remote locations of Cape York Peninsula accessible only by mothership in comfort, style and security for a multitude of light tackle sport and fly species.

Since 1990 Carpentaria Seafaris have been servicing their repeat and growing client base on week long trips to the remote rivers of western Cape York in tropical far north Queensland Australia, and the never before fished unexplored and uncharted far northern Great Barrier Reef east of Cape York.

This site details all you need to know about our adventure fishing holidays. Our dedicated family based company team will handle everything from your arrival in Cairns – North Queensland, your air travel to Cape York and a week on the Tropic Paradise and fleet of skiffs, with all inclusions (except bar tab). Become one of the many anglers that keep returning to “the best weeks fishing on the planet”.

Get all the information about our trips here. Don’t miss the archived trip reports with hundreds of photos of anglers just like you with some of the species you will catch when you join us. This site also has a lot of enjoyable reading in the articles and reports sections.

Internet research searching Carpentaria Seafaris will also find independent articles, reports and accounts by international journalists, film crews others detailing their experiences with us.

Your sport fishing holiday charter to Cape York starts in Cairns, tropical Far North Queensland, where you board a flight attendant and toilet equipped twin turbine aircraft for your 105 minute flight over the world heritage rainforest of Cape York and the Great Barrier reef, a spectacle in itself, arriving at Cape York you are met and transferred to the mothership for immediate departure.

Your home for the week is the magnificent 19m (62 foot) “Tropic Paradise” and her fleet of skiffs. Fish the rivers, estuaries, flats and inshore reefs of the western coast of Cape York pioneered by us and now renowned through out the world as one of the best salt water fly fishing and sport fishing destinations on the planet. Or, join one of our new and increasingly popular fishing holiday adventures to the Great Barrier Reef during the Australian summer months.

Established, owned and operated by Greg Bethune with Greg’s father Joseph in Cairns handling all your bookings and fishing holiday travel arrangements. We guarantee that your fishing holiday experience with us will be a highlight of your life. Repeat clients from all over the world fill more than half of our trips every year, some booking for their 8 and 10th year.

“I have fished over 400 exotic destinations in the world and yours is truly the best run operation in one of the best locations I have experienced, you will be seeing us yet again”. Robert Kubick, Los Angles California.

It is necessary to overnight in Cairns prior to your departure to the Cape. You are required to be at REGIONAL PACIFIC AIRLINES Check-in desk located between the Virgin Blue and Jetstar counters in the main Domestic Terminal area of Cairns Airport at 7:30am for an 8:15am take off on the commencement date of your charter. You need to bring photo ID for REGIONAL PACIFIC AIRLINES electronic ticketing and standard security checks apply.

The aircraft operated by Regional Pacific Airlines is the Embrear Brasilia EMB 120, which is a fast and efficient high performance, pressurised, turbo prop aircraft. Two qualified pilots and one qualified flight attendant are on all passenger flights to and from Bamaga. The Brasilia EMB 120 has overhead baggage compartments for passenger carry on baggage (max 7 kgs) along with a galley and toilet compartment. The interior accommodates 30 passengers in nine double seats on the right side and nine single seats on the left side of the aisle plus a triple seat in the front of the baggage compartment. Your luggage allowance is 25KG TOTAL. This allowance is strictly enforced by the airline and a maximum of seven feet for Rod Tubes also applies.

You will fly at roughly 25,000 feet and the flight time to Cape York is 1 hour 45 minutes over the rainforests of the Cape and Great Barrier Reef, a spectacle in its own right. You will be met on arrival at Bamaga Airport by Greg and transferred to the mothership for immediate departure. Use soft carry all type luggage, DEFINITELY NO HARD SUITCASES.

REGIONAL PACIFIC AIRLINES will have you back in Cairns at 12:15pm the following week which allows you to connect with southbound flights any time after that. Airlines have flights departing Cairns to the southern capitals at around 5 pm. On day one when you arrive, we steam south into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Towing trolling rigs for large Pelagics, possibly casting to schools of surface feeding Tunas and Bonito. This time is used to settle in, rig your gear, relax and unwind. Your first night aboard, as all nights are spent in a calm river mouth anchorage. Day two, after breakfast the skiffs with you aboard are deployed to fish either the river, or the flats, the estuary snags or reefs, whatever takes your fancy under the guidance of your guide for the day. The rest of your seafari is spent working our way back through six available river systems and ninety miles of coast line. The last day of the charter is a morning fishing session and then we travel back to Seisia. The following morning after breakfast aboard with us you are transported to the airport for departure.

All meals are served to an unbelievable standard. Fresh local seafood including your catch of the day, as well as MUD CRABS caught every trip by Skipper Greg. If you don’t like fish, you can have the finest southern Australian grain fed fillet steak, both are served with the freshest of salads and or steamed vegetables. Prepared in the well appointed galley or on the barbecue on the back deck. Breakfasts are continental, cereals, fruits and toast, juice, tea and coffee, or a full blown Aussie sausages, eggs, toast, juice, fruit, tea and coffee. Lunch and the evening meal is prepared and served onboard the mothership.

Depending on the tides and what style of fishing you get up to on the day, remember all skiffs can pursue completely different species on the same day, its completely up to you what you catch.

Your trip with us starts with our full in house booking, travel and accommodation arrangements office run by Joseph Bethune. When you book with Carpentaria Seafaris, you deal with Carpentaria Seafaris from the word go and everything works! Connections, transfers, accommodation, reservations, special requirements, everything!

Fish Species

One of the many reasons that makes a trip with Carpentaria Seafaris an adventure of a lifetime, is the variety of fish species available. People who collect fish species on a catch list, have recorded a staggering sixty three different fish caught in one week. From the fresh water reaches of any of the seven rivers we visit, through their mangrove reaches, to the estuaries and coastal flats, or the near and far reefs, the choice is yours as to what you want to catch.

Large Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Coral trout, Red Emperor and Nannygai on the reefs, Permit, Queenfish, Golden Trevally and Giant Herring on the flats, Barramundi and Mangrove Jacks in the snags and the prehistoric beautiful Saratoga in the fresh water, all this can be achieved in a day, but why? You have the whole week to pursue these magnificent tropical sport fish, in the comfort of our skiffs and with the support of our mothership. There is nowhere you can catch so many fish and different fish, as on the west coast of Cape York.

Check our fishing calendar as a guide to when each of the species are biting.

West Coast of Cape York
“Our world renowned core business since 1990”

Saltwater fly fishing, lure cast, troll or bait fish for Australian Barramundi, Mangrove Jack, Saratoga, Indo Pacific Permit, Spanish Mackerel, Tuna, Queen fish and Trevally. Just a few of the 53 recorded species you can catch from our custom built flats skiffs, offshore sport fishing machines and mothership.

Far Far Northern Outer Great Barrier Reef
These absolute virgin reef waters are not even completely surveyed let alone fished. Be one of the first to explore this new frontier from our mothership and fleet of skiffs and sport fishers. Fish for an amazing variety in the very best tropical reef waters the WORLD has to offer. Limited trips November thru April, enquire now.

Freediving trips
Do you want to experience the very best breath hold diving and spear fishing Australia has to offer? In absolute comfort? With the crew that is passionate about the sport, a crew that knows and understands your sport and your needs? Click the Dogtooth Tuna to find out more.

REMOTE ACCOMMODATION CHARTER
Government agencies, conferences, seminars, education, research, exploration, surveillance, construction or any other application where quality accommodation and food service is required.

New trips under development

The fishing area around the East and West coast of Cape York Peninsula is huge and diverse with with many locations only accessible to mothership operations. Here you can find some of the most varied fishing in the world, as well as enjoying the most beautiful surroundings where you can also enjoy spear fishing, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef or just sitting back to watch the most stunning sunsets with a beer in one hand and fresh fish in the other!

Greg and his crew at Carpentaria Seafaris have been operating here for over 18 years and know these waters intimately. There is no better crew to get you into the best fishing hotspots and onto the fish of a lifetime. The choice is yours as to what you want to catch. Large Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Coral Trout, Red Emperor and Nannygai are popular targets on the reefs, whilst Permit, Queenfish, Golden Trevally and Giant Herring can be found in abundance on the flats. And of course not to forget the Barramundi and Mangrove Jacks in the snags and the beautiful, prehistoric Saratoga in the fresh water. Up here in Cape York, all of this can be achieved in the one day up – this is what we mean when we say the fishing here is diverse!!

Your adventure in this fishing paradise begins when you board the 105 minute flight up the Cape York from ???. This scenic trip will provide spectacular views over the world heritage rainforest of Cape York, and out to the scattered reef system that comprises the Great Barrier Reef. Your flight attendant will ensure you have everything you need on this flight, before you land at XXX and are met by the Seafaris crew for the transfer to your mothership and immediate departure on your fishing adventure of a lifetime.

Your home for the week is Tropic Princess, a magnificent 62 foot catamaran, which was custom built for Carpentaria Seafaris in 2002. She provides an excellent base, with comfortable accomodation from which you can access the magnificent remote wilderness of northern Australia. There are also several other smaller vessels that allow you to get into the nooks and crannies of rivers such as the Jacky Jacky, so you can really get up close and personal with your preferred target species.  

With the vessels, equipment and expertise of the Seafaris crew, you’ll be well on your way to breaking the current Seafaris record of 63 fish species caught within a week! Yes that’s right, 63 different lure and fly crunching tropical sports fish species in the one week – variety for fishing does not get any better than this, anywhere on earth!! But don’t just take our word for it. LA based Rob Kubick says “I have fished over 400 exotic fishing destinations in the world and there is nothing like the fishing up and around the Cape York in Northern Queensland. It just can’t be beaten.”

All this incredible fishing will give you an appetite that’s guaranteed!! And the seafood on the Tropic Princess is as good and fresh as anything you’ve ever tasted before. Crabs, Barramundi, Coral Trout and Tuna steaks are only a small part of the selection. And you thought that choosing your target species was the hardest choice of the day!!

When it comes to planning your fishing adventure you can either select one of the package trips available from FishingEarth, or we can assist you in tailoring your own unique charter for you and your friends of family. Give us a call and we can provide some more guidance on what would be the perfect trip to suit your fishing needs and budget. Plus we’ll arrange everything including your flights, transfers and accomodation so that you can just enjoy a stress free fishing adventure of a life time. Call Doug Leoni on XXXX or email him at doug@fishingearth.com for a chat about creating that perfect fishing adventure.