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Cape York Australia: A Fly Anglers El Dorado
CAPE YORK AUSTRALIA:
A Fly Anglers El Dorado
Cape York Peninsula is located in FNQ (Far North Queensland) Australia. It is one of the largest wilderness areas in northern Australia. The land is mostly flat and about half of the area is used for grazing cattle. Much of the peninsula remains pristine, with a diverse repertoire of endemic flora and fauna. The northernmost point of the peninsula is Cape York. The land has been occupied by Aborigines for tens of thousands of years. In February 1606, Dutch sailor Willem Janszoon aboard the Duyfken was the first European to land in Australia.
By: EUGENE PAWLOWSKI
The tip of Cape York’s peninsula is the northernmost point on the Australian mainland. The west coast borders the Gulf of Carpentaria and the east coast borders the Coral Sea. The peninsula is bordered by water on three sides (north, east and west). With multiple large river system on the western side off the cape running into the gulf this makes for a rich marine environment.
The wetlands and coastal mangroves are noted for their importance as a fish nursery and crocodile habitat, providing important refuge. On the eastern side, the northern Great Barrier Reef, which encompasses over 40% of the Great Barrier Reef coral reef’s area and is an important marine habitat. The inside of the GBR has numerus reefs, Islands, sand kays, reef flats/sand flats major rivers that all add to this diverse and untouched part of the world.
On the western side of the cape the mouths of some of these rivers that run into the gulf have expansive sand flats, in the winter months the water remains relatively clear with trade winds blowing offshore add to the mix a large range of fish that inhabit these river mouths and sandflats this is what makes it so appealing to fly fisherman.
Weather / Climate
The climate on Cape York Peninsula can be broken into two seasons with a heavy monsoon season from November to April, this is constant rain and possible cyclonic weather and very high humidity during which time the forest becomes almost uninhabitable, and a dry season from May to October. This is perfect weather with low humidity, plenty of sunshine, and constant trade winds. The temperature is warm to hot, the mean annual temperatures range from 18 °C (64 °F) to 30 °C (81 °F). Annual rainfall is high, ranging from over 2,000 mm (79 in) in the north of Weipa to about 700 mm (28 in) at the southern border. Almost all this rain falls between November and April, and only on the eastern slopes of the Iron Range is the median rainfall between June and September above 5 mm (0.2 in). Between January and March, however, the median monthly rainfall ranges from about 170 mm (7 in) in the south to over 500 mm (20 in) in the north.
The winter months May to October favour the western side of cape York as the south east trades blow offshore making the inshore coast line flat and calm. The eastern side of the cape is buffeted by the trades from May to October/November.
“Western Cape is a vast fishery, with more than 100 miles of coastline”
You can get some weather windows at this time of year. The best time to look at fishing the eastern side is November & December and February / March as the trade’s winds are a little kinder at this time. However, you can run the risk of a tropical cyclone more so in February and March.
Fly Fishing Cape York
Western Cape is a vast fishery, with more than 100 miles of coastline with sand flats, beach’s, gutters, river mouths, mangrove lined creeks & rivers. Western Cape York boasts a huge range of fly rod target species, from the iconic barramundi to permit (Trachinotus anak) endemic to Australia and makes up the big 4 of permit.
“Often the species count is well in excess of 30 species for a trip”
Golden trevally, GT, brassy trevally, diamond trevally, longtail tuna, mack tuna, queenfish, cobia, giant herring and many more, often the species count is well in excess of 30 species for a trip. Also don’t forget the big boys at the top of the food chain, monstrous Queensland grouper, tiger sharks, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, guitar sharks, and sting rays.
Eastern
The eastern side of the cape is very remote and unexplored especially looking at it from a shallow water flats fishing view, the remoteness with limited access motherships can give you a good taste of what’s on offer but even in a week you are only scratching the surface. The weather also guards many of the eastern Cape York flats secrets as the SE trade winds can blow 40 bastards for months on end.
They normally start around May and start to back off a little come October, but this is not guaranteed. November through to March or April is the northern Australia summer. This would be the pick for the eastern side but you can run the risk of cyclonic weather events. At a safe bet November / December would be the prime window.
The eastern Cape York flats are varied from sand to reef rubble /coral flats to the more inshore mangrove mud/sand flats. The eastern cape flats are best known for the Aussie flats icon blue bastards (Painted sweetlips), and permit (Trachinotus blochi), and GT. These are the big 3 but the list of what can be found or encountered is endless. You can move inshore to the Mangrove or river mouths and encounter Trachinotus anak permit, and also the 3 bad boys I just listed above, plus you can find barramundi in the creeks or mangrove forests. On the GBR flats the T blochi fishing is some of the best around. When conditions are ideal you will find multiple fish riding rays. This is fantastic fishing as you can wade into position and get a great shot and hopefully a goldie or small GT does not get you shrimp before a perm does!!
Western
On a typical day on western Cape York, you can be way up-river chasing barramundi and mangrove jacks around snag piles or saratoga in the freshwater, then - after lunch - be staked out on a sand flat casting at golden trevally and permit. And then just before the day is over quickly shoot a mile out and find some tuna schools.
Or if you really want to have some fun stake out at one of the river mouths and catch queenfish until your arms fall off or see how many white clousers you can go through in a session. Or for some real fun put on a foam gurgler and rip it back as fast as you can. You will have queens exploding all over that little foam gurgler trying to tear it to bits.
All this chaos normally brings in an XL queen or two to add to the pandemonium.
For anyone just starting out fly fishing this type of action is great as you are constantly hooked up getting to work out how to use rod angles and how much drag pressure you can apply and getting to strip set down so when you find yourself with that perm or GT closing in on your fly you don’t suddenly turn back into a trout fisherman.
The best way to approach the fishery is go with what your guide says, be open-minded, and go with the flow of what is happening. The local guides have spent countless hours in the fishery and are dialled-in on were to be fishing given the stage of the tide. But remember there is only so many hours in the day that the flats are productive, with the fish up on the flats in a good mood and with adequate tide and light to spot them.
If you just want to fish for permit this is a great location especially if you’re looking to tick the T Anak off the big 4 list. If you are just a permit obsessed lunatic then the western cape York flats are prime for this. But you really have to be disciplined and block out all the other fish swimming around because there are many species around - especially the goldens and queens. We all know what happens when you hook a golden, a permit swims right up to the boat!!
“If you are just a permit obsessed lunatic then the western cape York flats are prime for this”
Both sides of the Cape, the possibilities are pretty much endless. You can start out with a target in mind and end up doing something completely different as at times you just don’t know what’s going to swim up to you or what you’re going to find when you get there.
Gear for Cape York
Rods ranging from 8 – 11wt will do the trick, and good fly reels with firm drag systems with a solid amount of backing. Floating, Intermediate sink tips and full Intermediate fly lines are the right ones to match these outfits. Possibly also bring a sinking line if you want to do some dredging offshore. Your go-to rod will be a 9wt that will do most of the work and a 10wt for permit fishing - especially in the wind. On the 11wt, I would just have this set up with a floater and a brush fly for when that random bus GT turns up. It happens way more than you would think.
Leaders / Material in 16lb, 20lb, 25lb, 40lb and 60lb fluorocarbon leader will cover all applications. Tapered leaders in 16lb and 20lb can be handy for the golden trevally and permit.
Flies
Crab patterns, the Alphlexo Crab is hard to beat, colours Tan/Yellow Legs, Clear/White Barred Legs, clear/white legs, clear/pink legs, tan floating crabs – size 2 and 1/0.
Shrimp Patterns ranging from 1/0 to 2 in tan and white.
Gav’s Crab is also racking up a good tally of Perms and other flats critters. Clousers in size 2 -2/0 in chartreuse/ white, all white, yellow, tan.
Brush Flies 4/0-6/0 in dark colours, surf candies, gurglers, poppers. For Barramundi - Pink Things, Barra Bunnies, Barra Toads in 1/0 to 2/0 in white/pink, chartreuse/white, black purple some of these with weed guards.
Clothing
The weather is very comfortable in the dry season. I would recommend bringing clothing to maximise your comfort when out fishing whether it be in the sun, rain or whilst wet wading. A decent Spray / Waterproof Shell Jacket, quick dry long pants, quick dry shorts, a tech fishing shirt, long sleeve collared or hooded shirt, skins pants/ tights for wading the flats highly recommended in the warmer months (August onwards), hat, t-shirts, casual clothing, flats wading boots or neoprene wading boots.
Travel
If arriving from overseas, the best entry ports are Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane with same day connections to Cairns. From Cairns you take a connecting flight with Qantas airlines to Weipa if you are heading to the western side of the cape. If you’re venturing to the Eastern Cape, you will likely be flying up to Lizard Island or Portland roads from Cairns to meet your mothership.
I would recommend giving yourself a day or two either end of your trip for a little R&R in Cairns. Cairns is a great location with many accommodation options and restaurants and bars. You could also do a day excursion out to the Great Barrier Reef as Cairns is a popular destination for this.
Or if you want some more fishing do a day or two with Rory Brookes from @Tropical Sport fisher. He specialises in the Cairns area for salt and freshwater fly fishing.
If you’re looking to mothership either side of the cape, get in touch with myself or Rory@TropicalSportfisher.com and we can get you lined up for a trip of a lifetime.
