kayak fish steep point
I'm currently getting a crew together and planning a trip to steep point and wanted to know what the best time of year for Macks is and how he weather patterns typically change. I was thinking at the end of March/ beginning of April as hopefully the strong SW will start dying off by then and there will be plenty of macks about. However, from other forum posts it appears that this period has been dead over the last two years.
Any suggestions on timing would be good with respect to:
1. macks and tuna
2. wind and possible rain offs/cyclones
3. shelter form the prevailing winds - looks like there a bit of shelter from a SW in the mouth (from the chop at least) , though is this where the fish hang out?
Cheers
Matt
ps and I know about all the sharks there!
black gen
Posts: 762
Date Joined: 13/04/11
mate the macks arent around
mate the macks arent around there or north of there until well into may/june
the water isnt hot enough....blokes are still gettin macks at the capes into april.....
mattyoga
Posts: 67
Date Joined: 03/04/08
Ok thanks. I take it its not
Ok thanks. I take it its not so much the water being hot enough at steep point, but the water being hot further south so the macks are further south and not at Steep?
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
easter
I was there at easter this year and there were hardly any macks around at all, but I did see a killer whale ??????? WTF I thought I was seeing things. From January until April your always a chance of a cyclone its just the risk you take. The ranger wont let you in if a cyclone is imminent and will evacuate when one is coming so you just have to pray to the weather gods.
I would be aiming for Jan/feb but dont underestimate the whole shark situation up there it can turn a trip into a waste of time if they are thick. I hooked a big big shark on gear I have had no problems taming 2m+ jobs ie 900m of 80lb braid on a penn international with 2.5m of 250lb wire trace etc. For 1.5 hours my mate and I tag teamed it and really didnt even look to bother it with close to full lock drag before eventually thank god it busted us off. I would expect it was a 3m+ tiger shark (took a ballooned gardie) and I would hate to see one of these maul your mackie next to your yak....... pretty common to see these guys lurking around up there.
another point to note is tides as the water moves pretty quickly in and out of shark bay at times
Tank
Posts: 358
Date Joined: 12/05/12
yea watch the tides...shit if
yea watch the tides...shit if you get the wind chop come ...a couple of reso sharks patrol the area just off the sandy point from the sheltered bay, cant remember its name but hey kyak from blackies around pst the rangers and carry on...change of light time you will have some fun....a great spot...catching fish is a bonus in spots like this....enjoy...hit and miss with the weather...more than macks to go for...drift the channel first light...youll be pleasently surprised
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
If you want
Mackies why not just go to Kalbarri? Should be plenty there at that time of year.
sloppyjoe24
Posts: 87
Date Joined: 16/09/08
May has been pretty good to
May has been pretty good to me with mackies, if your going next year in may ill be on dirk Hartog
mattyoga
Posts: 67
Date Joined: 03/04/08
There'll be 4 of us heading
There'll be 4 of us heading up the second week in April. woohoo,.......
does anyone know:
1) how easy it would be to take a trailer in (will have yaks on and camping gears etc) using a hilux (either old 3L TD or new 3L TD verrsion)
2) whether there is anywhere closer to the point from shelter bay where we could drive to the beach and launch kayaks? from google earth it looks like there may be a drop from rocks most of the way and limited beach 4WD access.
3) what species are typically knocking about inside the fault line (i.e. east of the point)
Cheers
Matt
Tank
Posts: 358
Date Joined: 12/05/12
easy as
no problem getting a trailer in...let the tyres down on both...drive to conditions...make sure suspension on trailer is in good nick as the few k's or so from the t intersection can be a bit rutted...heard last time they were sealing a lot of the main road in so dont know how far they have got...at the sign let your tyres down to 20psi...do it... even snatch 18psi...there are areas you can launch closer to the point just follow the track to the point and look for off shoots down to the beach or low rock...inside the point out in the channel snapper, emps change of light...
Cant emphasis enough watch the weather kyaking around the point with tides and swell...unexpected surf breaks...want to see a happy report and photos on your return from parradise
Same with the tide rush in and out through the channel...on the way in you will see some flats that would be worth a paddle...HAVE FUN!
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
steep
first thing is make sure your trailor is in good condition with spare tyre etc. there are a couple of steepish dunes to traverse let your tyres down and give it some stick sometimes its soft sometimes its hard but you dont want to be reversing trailors back down to have another crack if you can help it. The rest of the track is just corrugations and lots of them.
you could throw the yaks in the water near the salt mine or some sort of dam you drive past that connects to the sea but not sure how far it would be to paddle.
As tank said you will find snapper in that area along with pelagics and plenty of sharks
mattyoga
Posts: 67
Date Joined: 03/04/08
thanks guys.
thanks guys.