Thought I would start with an intro! Steve Trembath here! I’m a self-professed fishing fanatic and have been since the age of six when I caught my first rainbow trout in the Goulbourn River in Victoria. Over the years I have written fishing columns for newspapers and had guest radio spots. I’ve been travelling Australia for 7 years with my wife and family. In that time I’ve tried to fish everywhere. None of our destinations have yet lacked water that I couldn’t put a rod in, except for a run up the centre!
I don’t profess to know a lot about any form of fishing but I do have a broad knowledge on a whole range of tips and techniques for travelling fishos. I’ll start with Broome. Everyone’s favourite, North West destination. This day started out as one I’ve been looking forward to for years! I finally convinced my old man to come up North (from Melb.). He had heard about Northern fishing, consistently from me and it was about time he experienced it for himself.
It started out as one of those typical frustrating days, fish everywhere, no hook ups! We ran around chasing feeding fish schools, but as soon as we got there they would disappear. Which happens a lot but perseverance will usually pay off.
This time it did!
We saw a school of fish smashing the surface just at the entrance to a small creek. The tide was running out so all the bait fish were coming down in droves. Big fish, sent showers of bait in all directions. I positioned the boat just perfectly (first time for the day…) and first cast was a hook up on a thumping Queenie.
I was only using my bait caster with 120metres of line on it, I wish I had more! We chased this fish among the pearl buoys and right out into the middle of the estuary.
Twenty five minutes later we had the fish along side the boat. Ern (dad) asked if I had a net. YEP! And I handed him my collapsible trout net… No words needed, ‘you idiot’ was painted all over his face! The net was only big enough to fit the head in so Ern controlled that part, while I tried to tail it in. Not too hard as Queenies have a tail like a handle.
We went straight back to the spot, about 500metres away now. It was dads turn to give it a go. Erns first cast connected him to his first Queenie ever caught! Same deal, navigate the pearl buoys and into open water. The fish took off in a series of ‘greyhound jumps’ and even from the back I could see the smile spread across his face. We landed that one too! Even with the dodgy net…
We went back to the same spot but the school had moved on. Just as well, sore arms and blistered thumbs made it a good time to stop for a cuppa and a bite to eat. All this took place at Willie Creek which can be an excellent spot or the most frustrating. Perseverance, like anywhere, will pay off in the end.
Willie Creek is North of Broome aprox 20km up the Cape Le Veque Road and about 20km. back towards the coast. It caters to most fishermen as you can soak bait with great results, on the rocks anywhere from the pearl farm up to where the illegal Indonesian fishing boats are kept. If you time an outgoing tide to the dusk or dawn, cross the small creek at the pearl farm and walk the sand flats, tossing lures or liveys at the Queenies, trevally and the occasional mackerel that come in to feed on the flats.
If you have a boat just look for the schools and cast at them. On the high tide the mud crabbing up the side creeks can also be quite good. Sand flies abound and keep a sharp eye out for the crocs! I wouldn’t recommend a boat trailer without springs to go up there though and a 4wd is necessary for launching.
Happy fishing,
Steve.