Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Tell us a camping story. Let us guess? You left the cooking oil and bog roll at home ...
User avatar
Ben Jam
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 1590
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:20 pm
Location: Darwin

Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by Ben Jam »

G'day guy's,

I've just returned from a 9 month work trip OS, I'm taking a trip to Cobourg Peninsula next week for 7 days with my father. I already have my permit and I will be camping at smiths point. I'm pretty excited about this trip as I've been wanting to do this one for a while.

I have a few question that hopefully someone might be able to help me with:

-I'm planning to take an extra 120 lts of diesel, once I'm there I only intent to drive from the boat ramp back to the camp site each day, Is an extra 120lts over kill or will 60lts be fine??? (I have a Mitsubishi Triton)
-Can you buy ice close by??
-Is there any issues with things going missing around the camping site whiles out in the boat???
-I'm planning about 8 hours to get there from Darwin is that about right????
-I take it's going to be pretty windy, so is there sheltered places where I can hopefully I can catch some fish with out been blown out of my boat???. (I have the fish finder book) (I have a 4.5 side console 60 4stoke)
- If there are any other little tip for this place, or fishing spots of note I'll take it!!!!! Because at this stage its the blind leading the blind.

Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Many thank in advance,

Ben Jam.


----------------------------
-----------------------------
G-LOOMIS
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:33 pm
Contact:

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by G-LOOMIS »

Gday Ben - I just got back from near that area- Stayed at Wiligi which is a 2 hr drive short of Gurig National Park ( much better spot as you have the option of the Mini-Mini's if it is windy out the front.), Approx 8.5hrs drive to the park towing a boat but they are in the process of grading the road as we speak.Have fished Gurig only once, troll around the old jetty and headland or try and duck into Caimin Creek on the left of the ramp, wind was hitting us side on and its very shallow at the enterence of the Ck, You just have to pick/pray you get a break in the weather.Ask the rangers they might give you a few spots to try. No areas for Ice as far as I know. As for Fuel Better to have too much then not enough.Hope this helps Cheers Glenn.
MUNDITIS - ITS CONTAGIOUS
User avatar
maxpower
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:15 pm
Location: Darwin
Contact:

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by maxpower »

Ive been out there twice in the past 4 dry seasons. Unless things have changed I hope these answers help.
-I'm planning to take an extra 120 lts of diesel, once I'm there I only intent to drive from the boat ramp back to the camp site each day, Is an extra 120lts over kill or will 60lts be fine??? (I have a Mitsubishi Triton)
Should be plenty. I filled up at Jabiru and took an extra 40L (If I remember correctly).

-Can you buy ice close by??
No
Is there any issues with things going missing around the camping site whiles out in the boat???
No both times been fine. Campsites are pretty cr.p tho and a long rough drive to the ramp each day. Annoying.
I take it's going to be pretty windy, so is there sheltered places where I can hopefully I can catch some fish with out been blown out of my boat???. (I have the fish finder book) (I have a 4.5 side console 60 4stoke)
Blew its tits off both times I was there. 4.5m should be good inside the bay down to the creek etc. Found some good pelagic fishing there on the incoming and high tide close to the beaches and especially near rocks. The inside of the bay (Essington?) was sheltered nicely from the wind close to shore but the fish were only there on the high tide. You should do well having a decent sized boat we were in a 12 footer.

Good luck mate its a great place to go.

:cheers:
slapper1

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by slapper1 »

try the reef on the end of table head ( look on the map ) big jew hang around here ,never done any good in caimin creek nice clear water but no fish ,try the big sand spit (record point ) lots of big unstopable fish live there the 2 creeks at the bottom of port essington ,jack and barra also try the rocks on the other side south of the old Vic settlement lots of good jacks and trevs
User avatar
Ben Jam
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 1590
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:20 pm
Location: Darwin

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by Ben Jam »

Cheer's for the info guy's. I'm getting pretty excited now.

I just got my permit today and it's saying that I can't take crab pots up there??? Is this only in Port Essington?? Are there places up there were I can go crabbing??? Have anybody seen the condition of road of late.

Regards,

Ben Jam.
----------------------------
-----------------------------
palaran
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:15 pm
Location: Kununurra, WA
Contact:

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by palaran »

Kueppers point
sorry cant rememer the correct spelling but its on the maps.
very good landbased spot
LIFE EVOLVES ON THE EDGE
User avatar
2rods
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 4918
Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:38 am
Location: Out fishing

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by 2rods »

Do a search! I posted a map a few years back with good info on it..

Best thing to do is be nice to the rangers.. Fitsy is the boss and woodsy and steve under him. All good lads too. They might point you right..
:cheers:

2RODS


Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

If I can't be a good example, then I will just have to serve as a horrible warning...

As John Wayne once said:

"Life's tough......It's even tougher if you're stupid."
.........
Basstad
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 495
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:58 pm
Contact:

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by Basstad »

Record point is a good starting place out the end where the tide rips through is your typical GT Queenie fest at times.......theres some rock/reefy areas just n/w of record that are worth a troll around some big cod and mixed reefies hang about there on the higher tides.
Caimen creek seems to be a non event for me atleast caught a few small jacks etc and seen heaps of milkys in there aswell.
Have caught a few mackeral in and around Essington and even had a 10kg macky free jump into the boat there one time which was fairly exiting at the time it fairly much scared the shitter out of me as it was snapping and going off on the floor of the boat as it was as you would imagine still fairly green at that stage.

Lots of trickys and longnose emps out round the entrance to Essington i don't have any marks anymore as the old navman crapped its dacks about 6 years ago now losing all waypoints......All in all the fishing over that way to me is about pelagics with the odd bonus trout thrown in now and again.
2fish
Bronze Member
Bronze Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 7:46 pm

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by 2fish »

Ben Jam, ya dont need pots, I was there a few years back and had a huge feed of crabs between 6 blokes. the sandy creek on the left bout 3 km's down from the boat ramp produded the goods, tide was out and the crabs were out on a sand bar, just had to wade out and select the ones you wanted and scoop up in your landing net. was the best and easiest crabbing ever. Told a mate about it 2 year ago and he had the same luck there when he went out that way. Just cant remember if the tide was on the out or coming back in.
Also is you go for a short drive past the generator camp area towards the pearl farms you cross a small creek that runs out of the swamp area, there is a rock ledge on the coast that holds good sized jacks. Have a great trip mate.
cuddlescooper
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 3116
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:23 pm
Location: Darwin

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by cuddlescooper »

If you cant find the crabs on the beach or in the rock holes and If you dont have pots tie a fish head as bait to big sinker on a line an leave it in the water. Pull it in slowly every so often the same as you would pots and use a spear or a scoop net to get the crabs.
User avatar
fish4me123
Seadog
Seadog
Posts: 393
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:23 am
Location: darwin

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by fish4me123 »

use a crab hooker and sharpen your eye sight. If you look for large holes under rocks or mangrove roots. If you get a muddie a new one will take its place in a tide or two. A spear is handy but you must eat crabs same day to avoid them spoiling. The fish head idea sounds good although I have never tried it as once you know the holes it's childs play. Take a sack so its easier to carry them and a big drum to boil them. I also carry fuel in drums. Refuel on coburg highway hide empty drums piick up on way back.
tight lines
takinapunt
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:53 pm
Location: Bees Creek

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by takinapunt »

Barrow bay below Record Point holds heaps of Barra around the high tides in the gutters & around the mangrove trees. Most rocky points down the bottom of the bay near Victoria Settlement are good for Jacks. If the weather is kind Orontees Reef is only a short run off the front & holds heaps of Pelagics. Check the charts as there are Pinnicles we used to get heaps of reef fish off over towards Sandy Is No 1. (pre GPS days so no co ordinates). Around Black Point & the bay near the old wharf holds plenty of fish at night. Good luck
User avatar
Ben Jam
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 1590
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:20 pm
Location: Darwin

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by Ben Jam »

Cheer's guys for all your information, I'm on the way out now. Yew.

Ben Jam.
----------------------------
-----------------------------
User avatar
Ben Jam
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 1590
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:20 pm
Location: Darwin

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by Ben Jam »

Got back yesterday, It blew its ass off the whole time. But I still got a lot of fish, but no crabs. I'll put up the photo's later.
----------------------------
-----------------------------
User avatar
Ben Jam
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 1590
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:20 pm
Location: Darwin

Re: Camping Cobourg Peninsula

Post by Ben Jam »

Well my dad and I had a really good time in Cobourg, as I said earlier it was pretty windy which made it hard and restricted us to certain areas.

In the end I took 100L of fuel which was heaps, I had 20L spare to play with by the end. I also took 60L of boat fuel which was on the money I came home with about half a tank.

The road was pretty bad in some areas especially between the boat ramp and the camp site. The last 100km had just been grated so it was quite good. It took us 8.5 hrs to get there and that was with quite a few stops to check the trailer have lunch.

The camp grounds are alot better than I thought they were going to be. The camp ground was clean and the facilities were good, there's hot showers, toilets and the sites are spread right out so people aren't living in each others pockets. The rangers there do a really good job of looking after the area.

Over the seven day we were there, we caught a large variety of fish, I didn't catch any that I would call trophy fish but I still had a great time and well worth the trip

There was bulk queenys, macks and trevs off record point or black point you could catch these fish at any part of the tide, this made for little effort at all and was a lot of fun.

We did try for barra with very little luck, the old boy dropped a nice one (high 80s maybe) at the boat. But like always the by-product was mangrove jack and golden snapper which Port Essington is not in short supply of. The water was pretty clear and the temp was around 25 deg so I really didn't have high hopes on catching one.

I gave the mud crabs a good crack with nothing to show for my effort :banghead: I was in barrow bay at low tide for about four hours (got stuck) and I didn't see jack poop. So as soon as I got back to Darwin I didn't waste anytime I grabbed my crab pots put them in shoal bay for and pulled out 8 crabs, all before the sun went down.

I think next time I'll give the mini mini's and crack.

Here's some pictures of the trip, no fishing pic's that will knock you socks off but you get the point.

Ben Jam.






P7210024.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
----------------------------
-----------------------------
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Camping & 4WD”