Groote Eylandt is the largest island in Australia that you don’t know about. Okay okay maybe you do know about it but next time you’re having a conversation with people

FishingEarth Groote Eylandt Sports Fishing 60 Second Quick Facts

The Location

Groote Eylandt is the largest island in Australia that you don’t know about. Okay okay maybe you do know about it but next time you’re having a conversation with people at work ask them if they know where it is. It is the fourth largest island in Australia behind Tasmania, Melville Island and Kangaroo Island down in South Australia. The traditional owners are proud of their land and apart from the unfortunate population of wildcats, there are no other destructive introduced animals roaming the place. You can see why E.T. fell in love with the area and you can also see what ET’s dream was for the area to become a sport fishing mecca of the world. With the airport being maintained by the mining interest it is an all year round strip that can land most private aircraft and of course the commercial aircraft that fly their daily. It’s not quite long enough to land a 737 business Jet.  ET’s Escape Sportfishing Lodge

THE FISHING

FishingEarth also understands that it’s not just about catching fish… yes, the fishing opportunities have to be world class, as do the guides and the equipment. The team at FishingEarth would like to welcome you to your Fishing Adventure with Groote Eylandt Sports Fishing with FishingEarth 

On a typical three-day safari, you’ll experience reef, bluewater and estuary fishing and tangle with hard-hitting tropical species from marlin and sailfish on day one to the iconic barramundi on day three. ET’s Escape Sportfishing Lodge

Imagine:

• • jigging deepwater lures for golden snapper, nannygai and red emperor
  • trolling and casting for Spanish mackerel, giant barracuda and longtail tuna
  • trolling and switch-baiting for marlin and sailfish
  • popper fishing for enormous queenfish and GTs
  • casting and trolling for barramundi and mangrove Jack in virtually unfished waters
  • mouthwatering food, beers and great company

Groote Eylandt’s fishing areas are vast, so five days (or longer) is recommended as the optimum time-frame to maximise your Groote fishing experience.

Surrounding the lodge is some 300 square kilometres of prime, virtually unfished water. Four main areas cater for every angling experience: reef, bluewater sportfishing, estuary and fly fishing.

And if the weather is unfriendly and we can’t get out to these main areas, there’s plenty of sheltered water within a kilometre of the shore where anglers can ‘bottom bounce’ for reef species like the red emperor, large mouth nannygai and the prized golden snapper.

Groote Eylandt’s northern archipelago stretches north and east of the island and encompasses some of the archipelago’s main islands, including Chasm and Winchelsea islands. Its shallow fringing reefs and scattering of islands make it a hot spot for pelagic fishing. In this area, we do deep-water jigging, cast to shallow bommies, and trawl lures through underwater canyons and sea mouths.

This offshore area in the southern-most part of the Gulf of Carpentaria is world-renowned for its large numbers of marlin and sailfish—collectively known as the prized ‘billfish’. These rich billfish grounds lure anglers from all over the globe. The waters around the coastal islands to the west of Groote Eylandt are boiling with pelagic and reef species. ET’s Escape Sportfishing Lodge

MEALS

In fact, one of the highlights at Melville Island Lodge is the exceptional meals. Each morning you’ll enjoy a range of hearty breakfast choices that includes bacon and eggs, cereal, toast, juice and fresh coffee and tea. During the day, your guide will park your boat in a shaded area of the river and prepare your onboard lunch. When you return in the late afternoon after an exhausting day of fishing, there’s nothing better than taking a nice shower and then sit back, beer in hand, to enjoy the cool breezes across the lodge veranda. Dinner is usually served at about 7.30pm and as you’d expect, the sumptuous meals such as beer battered Barramundi and chilled Mangrove Jack are always well received by guests!

Lodge

Their recently refurbished fishing village comprises 12 air-conditioned elevated cabins right at the water’s edge. Each cabin is very well appointed, with ensuite, equipped with quality linen, television, tea and coffee making facilities, and private balcony for unspoilt Gulf views. The cabins are connected by suspended timber walkways around a central lounge with a large deck and comfortable seating for recreational activities, group events and private dinners. Conference facilities are also available in the fishing lodge.

Bush Medijina

There Story –> 

Their traditional knowledge comes from our connection to our land, native botanicals, our ancestors, and our stories.  We have been using our bush knowledge and medicines to heal ourselves for generations.  We want to lift our indigenous people and others up so that we can be stronger and healthier together..

The idea of starting a business using our cultural knowledge grew from the need to help our own people, especially our elderly who could no longer go on country.  There also wasn’t much opportunity for us to come together to work in a way that brought our knowledge and culture together. 

We struggle with domestic violence, chronic disease, youth suicide, substance abuse, illiteracy, and other social problems.  Our life expectancy is about forty-eight years old and we attend family funerals on average every two to three weeks.  Many of our children and grandchildren are in prison, and this causes us heartache and worry. 

Anindilyakwa Arts & Cultural Centre Arnhem Land

Anindilyakwa Arts is a thriving hub of art centres and gallery located on Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory. Art centres are based in Angurugu, Umbakumba and an outreach program runs in Milyakburra, Bikerton Island. Anindilyakwa women are renowned for their contemporary bush dyed textiles, seed and shell jewelry, botanical lino prints and weavings of pandanus & ghost nets. Anindilyakwa men are known for their traditional carvings, paintings and spears. Anindilyakwa Arts is supported and funded by The Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), the peak representative body for Traditional Owners of the Groote Archipelago.

HOW TO GET THERE

The team at FishingEarth will work with you to put together the most cost-effective and time-efficient travel plans for you. You will remain comfortable and stress-free as you journey to this fabulous location and back home again. There are direct flights from both Cairns and Darwin as well as access to a number of charter flight operators. 

This could be your home for the week.

Sail into some Sail Fishing

Will it or wont it… it did!

FishingEarth Groote Eylandt Sports Fishing 60 Second Quick Facts

Everything you need to know.

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Target Species

Barramundi, Fingermark  Jew Fish, Tarpon,  Queenfish, Saratoga, Coral Trout,  Tarpon,  Spanish Mackerel, Cobia,  Red Emperor, Giant Trevally, Golden Trevally,  Mac Tuna, Northern Bluefin Tuna, Estuary Cod, Barracuda, Permit, Blue Bastards, Sailfish, Marlin

Charter Operation Dates

First week in March through to the 20th of December. Typically the charters are five days and six nights or six days and seven nights.

Packages

Depending on numbers and the type of fishing you are looking to do we develop the package around what you want

How to get there

We work closely with you to get you in and out as quickly as possible. We understand that there are two places that you don’t mind hanging around at and that’s home or at your fishing destination… Hotel rooms and long airport layovers are avoided wherever possible.

F.A.Q.S

Q. I want to target game fish on fly?

A.  This is one of those unique locations that has a juvenile fishery of both sailfish and marlin that can be targeted on fly.

Q. Is the water drinkable up there?

A. Yep, the boat has plenty of good drinking water

Q. Can washing be done?

A. Yep, each day the staff will wash anything you need washed.

Q. Is there hot water?

A. Yep, and one of those showers that you could stand under for hours!

Q. Is there mobile phone reception?

A. Yes and no! Depending on where you are you may have better phone reception then you get it home… But other days you may not see a signal on your phone at all. Most importantly once you are on the boat you will not need your phone.

Number 1 FishingEarth tip for this location.

It is worth a visit only because we know that you will be back year after year.