Cape York

On the lookout for gaps

CAPE YORK Tim O’Reilly

wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Too often we fishos get overexcited at the beginning of spring, in the mistaken belief that the few days of calm weather mean

One of the best sources for basic wind, tide and all round weather information is the Weather Bureau’s Met Eye (www.bom.gov. au/australia/meteye). Other people use Windy and other apps. These days, apps also provide information about expected bite times and all access will be at its easiest whilst the rapidly warming temperatures can bring sweetwater fish on the chew. Sooty grunter or black bream can be targeted in most west-flowing systems, and despite water quality dropping off at this time of year, bait will always bring in

A big croc roars down a tiny beach creek.

there’s glamour weather ahead. Then we find out she still blows pretty well in September and October! As anglers we try and become weather forecasters because the generic info we get on Cape York can be well off the mark. manner of useful info for planning fishing excursions. As we move later into the dry season, October will provide a very distinct inland advantage to travellers in Cape York. The amount of ground and surface water has started to shrink, and these voracious scavengers. The lack of flowing clean water might slow them down a little on lures. Try small surface presentations later A lovely GT taken from a remote Cape York cay.

Many of these places are not accessible by sea, and require access overland. Amongst the tree-lined pools making their way out into the Gulf, many lifetimes’ worth of fishing awaits eager campers and walkers.

Please remember that a closed season for barramundi applies to the west coast of Cape York from 7 October to 31 January. Over on the east coast, barra can continue to be caught until 1 November. So with that short window, adventurous anglers will be making a last ditch attempt

A muddy plucked from its coral-bone home. A late dry season saratoga taken on a surface lure.

to fish the multitude of systems flowing into the Gulf, many of which will be firing in early October.

Over on the eastern side of the Cape, areas such as Lakefield National Park can be fished right throughout October for barra. Just watch out for snakes, which start becoming far more active this time of year. You need to be particularly careful when crossing tiny rivulets and walking past small bodies of water. You might be surprised to discover where crocodiles made it during the previous wet season.

Also, dust and flies will begin to make their presence felt, and the warmth turns to heat very quickly around about now!

Still, in spite of that, October is a great time to explore Cape York. Roads will generally be accessible, albeit a little more corrugated.

in the day.

Saratoga will be much the same as black bream. In the coming weeks they will swim up and down an everdwindling domain. As pools, lagoons and billabongs begin to shrink at this time of year, try focusing on cleaner water out in the middle. Mid morning and mid-late afternoon will bring the togas out, patrolling the middle stretches, and the warmer water temperatures will see them chasing down surface lures with gusto.

The most obvious freshwater target will be barramundi, wherever their movement remains unrestricted. As many anglers will know, those systems flowing west are massive, both in length and in fish-holding mass. This tannin-stained creek produced plenty of little barra.

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