Kalbarri April 2014
G'day there fellow fishes, my name is Bevan and I live in mandurah... have been a longtime reader but recently a new member :) some very useful & helpful information on this site
It's my brother inlaws 30th birthday in April so the family has decided to go on a holiday to kalbarri :D we leave on the 7/04/14 and come back on the 11/04/14 my 2yo boy & 4yo girl are very exited & maybe me just a little :) it was my 30th recently & my wife bought me a boat (well allowed me to buy one lol) I have owned a few boats over the years (mainly tinnys) but this one is far more supieriour than any of the others I have owned it's a tiller steer quintrex 4.5m fishseeker with the mellenioum hull... It's a 2005 hull with 1.6mm sides I think and 3mm bottom it is pushed by a 4stroke 2013 40hp mercury power tilt & trim... Bought the boat with 0 hours on the motor as he had the last one stollen and replaced with this one... And 5 year warranty :D paid 11k
im towing this boat to kalbarri in April with my petrol 2006 holden rodeo 4x4, I will be river fishing but if the weather is fine wouldn't mind launching at lucky bay or port gregory? My question is has anyone fished outside the reef in a boat this size? Is it big enough? I've posted some picks of my boat so you have an idea... I've done plenty of reasurch on this topic but it's mainly with guys with much larger boats & unfortunately my budget doesn't stretch that far lol any advice on where I could launch safely and get onto some decent fish would be much appreciated :) there will be days where it's just me & one other in the boat and one day where 3 of us (be a river day I think)
As for fishing gear I'll have to go buy all new stuff, catching fresh bait in mandurah and taking throw net up for when chasing black bream :D thanks in advance guys
ohh and have included the biggest crab this season, well so far :) 160mm across
Callum24
Posts: 1015
Date Joined: 24/06/12
come april mate you should
come april mate you should hopefully be gettin some small swell all day easterlies and some bloody hot days, my mates fished the reefs round luckbay in a boat simlar size to yours slightly smaller if anythink and had some great sessions on jumbo tailor round the wash on the inside, only manged to get behind the reef one day and got some ripper pinkies to 80cm, the river can be very shallow in spots so watch your outboard.
the seabreezes can be feirce up there so never chance it best bet is to seak local knowledge and the latest wether the bloke in the tackle shop great and tangles from this site is full of great info been a local good luck
Qualified carpet layer available for jobs big and small
tangles
Posts: 1367
Date Joined: 17/12/06
throw net
just quickly don't get caught throwing a net in the river mate as it is illegal! send me a pm before you come up n ill have a chat with ya! launching out of lucky is easy. it is like a city there unfortunately during that time of year but if you launch out of barri youll be able to get into some good fish not too far from the mouth and with that rig youll be able to go a fair distance weather permitting.
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Hi tangles thank you for
Hi tangles thank you for your advise on the throw net, and yeah if you don't mind ill defiantly contact you before I head up with the family, I think if I come back from a days fishing with anything bigger than 350mm she would have a heart attack
Justin M
Posts: 1207
Date Joined: 14/01/13
Nice boat mate. April is a
Nice boat mate. April is a good time to be in Kalbarri...went up there early November once and the swells were atrocious but at April its usually pretty good. I'll be up there at the same time for a week, can't wait!
OLD BANGA
Posts: 267
Date Joined: 02/04/10
Kalbarri in April
As tangles has said great spot in April, I only have a 4.9m Webster Twinfisher, you don't have to have a big boat to catch fish in Kalbarri, look at what tangles catches his fish in, but then he could catch fish in a bathtub. I am sure tangles will put you onto some good fishing grounds, I will be on holidays in April as well, if you don't get onto tangles give me ahoy on here and I will try to help with some ground. Bring your crab nets, plenty of crabs in the river including muddys.
Cheers
Old Banga!
OLD BANGA
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Wow only 10 hours and some
Wow only 10 hours and some very helpful information already :) and thanks for the information tangles on the throw net, defiantly will not be taking that up... As for crab nets I will be taking them though :D didn't realise crabs would be up there that time of year, but thanks for the heads up about the shallow river callum24
I think the best Big fish Ive caught so far is the good old salmon so defiantly looking forward to getting some mug shots with a pinki or big tailor :D
And thanks again guys for the quick replys I will pm you tangles & old banga a week before I head up :)
choc
Posts: 669
Date Joined: 05/01/12
I was up there April last
I was up there April last year with my 4.2 runabout.Had two weeks of low swell and easterlies in the mornings it was perfect.
Went out the mouth a few times and thanks to Tangles got some verey nice fish.
therock
Posts: 33
Date Joined: 30/10/10
Always keep an eye on
Always keep an eye on weather as can change quickly.
I nearly became a stat on the bottom of the mouth on Anzac Day 2011.
got carried away catching macks and came back in too find swell breaking over the reef and landing in middle of channel, life jackets on , took one over the bow but snuck thru in end.
there is nowhere to hangout for protection so you have to go in.
that was in a 5m freedom sport quinny.
I nearly soiled myself and got spooked for a few months, caught some big fuggin mackies that day however.
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Thanks for the advice
Thanks for the advice Therock... I will defiantly keep that in mind, rather play it safe...
MandurahMatt
Posts: 613
Date Joined: 18/09/13
I was up there last Easter,
I was up there last Easter, took my 4.2mCC. Got some Very nice Tailor in the river mouth around the reefs. Didn't venture out through the Channel as it was looking a little dodgy. If I go up again I will probably try beach launching from lucky bay, as a safer option if the swell is breaking through the channel again.
Bewdey Fellaz
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Yeah cheers mate, I was also
Yeah cheers mate, I was also thinking lucky bay or even port gregory... Just getting myself set up for the trip, bought my wife a lowance sounder for valentines day :D went out of mandurah to try it out today... Well worth the money I think :)
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Forgot to put up a report...
Forgot to put up a report... first day out in the boat we ended up landing 2 decent sized Rankin and a baldchin, then the sambos turned up! Good fun on the cheap combos we had at the time haha. Second day we managed to land 3 Spanish mackerel and a tuna lost boat side! All was caught around the sand patch area. And the tuna was hooked going past the river mouth heading south, noticed a lot of macks being caught around the 14m Mark.