P30 - FISH & BOAT, February 2019 Fishing Hinchy, Here We Come By Jason Masters bbee ppuutt ooffff bbyy iittss ssiizzee.. PPllaann yyoouurr ttrriipp Gary with a nice little 64cm point Hinchinbrook here we come,and the location where you will fish. caught barra. yet another year has ticked It may even be worthwhile to get a by, and it is the start of an- guide for the day to give you an idea. other barra season, and this can only Accommodation is definitely no mean one thing for us. problem, with a range of places at ei- Hinchinbrook. Living in the farther the Northern end at Cardwell or north, we are definitely spoilt for the Southern end at either Lucinda choice, with a plethora of options or Dungeness. This year’s trips will at our fingertips as to where we be no different, and we will be bas- can fish for one of Australia’s icon- ing ourselves at the Lucinda Fishing ic sportfish, the barramundi. The Lodge, at Dungeness. The Lodge Hinchinbrook region is one of our provides an ideal area to base any of favoured places, and it draws us back our trips from. Based at the South- every year, well nearly every month. ern end of the Channel at Dunge- For the past couple of years, we have ness, it offers waterside accommoda- picked certain dates and tides that tion and private pontoons to moor we think will work, and depending your boat on the time of the year, we have not when you been disappointed. return. In saying that, as fishermen, we al- They ways hope that we will catch a few have just more but are usually happy with expanded what we get. 2019 we are hoping will their ac- be no different. It has been an inter- commodation and esting start to the East coast wet sea- also sell bait and ice from son with Cyclone Owen paying us a their office. The air-condi- visit in December, and it definitely tioned units feature everything that helped to kick it off with a bang. you need for your stay, from ample Most of the rivers and creeksrefrigeration to cooking facilities. It north of the Burdekin have had ais most definitely a home away from good flush out, and with a contin- home. ued wet it will only mean another Not to say that you cannot base bumper barra season, and in turn, it yourself at Cardwell. If you decide A lot of what you will decide to look at the top of the flats and at the read into practice. The only problem will make us happy fisherman. There to base yourself out of Cardwell, you do will be based around the tides isolated rock bars and back eddies. that we, as fisherman, have when is something magical about thewill have all of the Northern end toof course. There are options thatAs the tide starts to drop, we start tofishing the channel, is that you will Hinchinbrook Channel. To wake up fish and also Missionary Bay and all will suit all types of fishing. From look at some of our more favoured want to be in about 4 different places each morning and look Northwards of the 9 creeks that feed the Bay. Dungeness, if you do not want toareas to fish – drains and points. at the same time as they all will work at glass calm conditions and know To explain the bay is a whole other travel too far, then If you can achieve the mix There haveat exactly the same time. that your day has been planned out. story in itself. thereis an extensivearea straight of current li been a couple of As with any area we look at, always It definitely does pay to plan what To look out from the ramp at flats nes, dirty water,good articles inkeep an eye out for the presence of creeks and drains to fish and work Dungeness you will notice that thewhole channel opens up.opposite the ramp a drop-offor ledgeand baitthe recent edi-bait schools. If you can achieve the out your timing to be in the right with a few drains then, youhave therecipe fortions of Fish andmix of current lines, dirty water, a place at the right time. It provides a varied range of fishing and small creeks a fishing story ofepic propor-Boat on drainsdrop-off or ledge and bait then, you If it is your first time fishing the options from creek and river fishing thatempty out, and is the perfectand what to lookhave the recipe for a fishing story of channel, it can be daunting, but don’t to flats fishing. justaround the cor-tions...... Hinchy for and how to epic proportions. ner is the mouth ofplace for all of this to come to-fish them. NowWell, that is the picture that is the Herbert River. getherin one package. everyone has in my head. It does happen, and Jason with a late afternoon barra A quick word of their own par- Hinchy is the perfect place for all of advice, always keep an eye on the ticular way of fishing flats and drains this to come together in one pack- from the bluff. depth of water as it drains fairly and by no means is there a right or age. fast and you can be caught out very wrong way. Each time you go, you Another area we look at now are quickly. It can be a long wait in the always learn something new, andthe points where major creeks and boat when you have to wait 5 hours this will all get put into the memory rivers come out. This will normally for the tide to reach you again. We bank to use at a later date. be a junction of 2 creeks or systems tend to have a plan each trip to work Hinchinbrook Channel is a placethat will be a mangrove-lined flats certain areas that are tide depend- that is full of drains, and it is where Continued next page ent. With the higher tides, we have a you can put a lot of what you have Chaise with a barra from the bluff.