Bathurst Island Fishing Lodge
The FishingEarth Experience
The team at FishingEarth have fished six of the seven continents and many of the beautiful oceans & seas surrounding these amazing land masses. And the number one lesson we have collectively learned from these many 1000’s of hours fishing is that you can be in the most beautiful and remote fishing locations on earth and catch no fish! If you are there at the wrong time it does not matter how many hours you have travelled it does not matter how amazing the guides and the equipment is… If it’s a bad time to fish it’s a bad time to fish! As FishingEarth does not have to ‘just fill’ seats on boats no matter what the fishing conditions we pride ourselves on giving you an honest assessment of the tides and conditions. Most of us have limited windows to get your fishing adventure fix so we work on making it as stress free as possible. FishingEarth also understand that it’s not just about catching fish… Yes catching fish is important but we want all the other factors to meet your requirements as well… We would like to welcome you to Bathurst Island Fishing Lodge. Bathurst Island Fishing Lodge experience Bathurst Island Lodge is located on the remote south western coast of Bathurst Island. The Lodge, which is extremely isolated, is situated on the iconic ‘Barra Base’ site, which was Australia’s first ever guided barramundi sport-fishing lodge. Barra Base closed in 1998 but reopened in March 2013 as Bathurst Island Lodge following major refurbishment. One of the many highlights at Bathurst Island Lodge is the high quality of our meal service. Our chef gets you started each morning with a range of hearty breakfast choices which include bacon & eggs, cereals, toast, fresh fruit, tea and coffee. Breakfast is served from 6.45am with the aim of having you on the water fishing by 7.30am each morning. At an appropriate time during the day, your fishing guide will position your boat in a shaded area to prepare an on-board lunch.
To enhance your experience of being away from it all, accommodation and fishing at Bathurst Island Lodge is restricted to a maximum of 12 guests. Doing so enables our experienced lodge team to provide you with a superior level of service and attention designed to make your visit totally relaxing and with the very best and most productive fishing experience possible. But, getting so far off the beaten-track doesn’t mean having to rough it, because our Lodge has chef-prepared meals, 240v power, hot showers, flushing toilets, phone & email access, plus a host of comforts and facilities rarely associated with such highly remote fishing destinations.
The main building is the centre of activity at the lodge and houses a spacious, well-appointed and comfortable indoor-outdoor dining area, licensed bar and guest lounge. Open to cooling sea breezes, and magnificent 270 degree river and ocean views, the main building is the perfect place to relax after your day’s fishing. Our comfortable air-conditioned guest rooms are close by and consist of 4 x single occupancy plus 4 x twin-share rooms. Adjacent are the guest bathrooms which include a private ladies bathroom and dressing area.
But you want to be at the Bathurst Island Fishing Lodge because the fishing will make you want to return for more and more. The Barramundi fishing is just fantastic. Back in the days when they could have built a fishing lodge anywhere in the Northern Territory, they built it on this spot as the fishing at the lodges doorstep.
Monster Barramundi, Giant Black Jew Fish that you just will not believe how hard they pull. If you are lucky enough to get one of these giants whilst trawling some of the deep holes you will be never forget that moment.
Other species you will target are Golden Snapper, Queenfish, Mangrove Jacks, GT’s and many many more.
Many groups have left the lodge in the past 12 months, with catches of over 50 species.
For those who like the long wand, there is some amazing fly-fishing in the waters around Melville Island Lodge. If you have always wanted to catch a Saratoga on fly, this is the place to do it.
The guides, boats, and fishing gear is all first class. It’s not just the fishing, boats and guides that are first class. The lodge itself is amazing. Situated on the beach, you have 270* water views from the main lodge. The rooms are air-conditioned and comfortable, allowing you to recharge your batteries each night so you are refreshed and ready for your next day’s Melville Island Fishing Adventure.
