North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Afternoon all
Thinking of a camping and fishing trip in the next couple of weeks and was wondering about the maximum boat size possible to launch at the mouth of the finniss? Will be two boats - a 4.75m bluefin and 4.6m tabs, we both have reasonably capable fourbies. Would we be alright with these size boats or better to launch back at dundee?
Cheers
Cunno

I've done it with a Trailcraft 465.

launching is the easy bit,, I've done it with bigger boats, its just getting along the beach and across the creek at stingray head which is the tricky bit... once your there launching is a piece of piszz

Worst time of the year for dishing and camping at Finniss storms and dirty water !

I've done it with a 5.2m 90hp 4 stroke towed by a 2.8 hilux.. I learnt a couple of things. Launched at dundee on the high tide to be safe but the boys couldn't get through the creek for hour or so. Launching is easy, but I couldn't retrieve at low tide. Trailer wheels sink into mud holes and the bank is steeper and the trailer becomes one big anchor. Some smaller boats were getting skull dragged up onto good sand and winching onto trailer while unhiched from the 4x4. Another bloke towed me up the bank. Time the retrive for higher in the tide. Mates convinced me I would get out off the beach for the first 9km of beach driving then changed their mind just before stingray head as I drove the boat there and hadn't seen it. Too bad - I wasn't going back, sure enough boat wheels caught a track and went sideways and bogged in. Got the shovels out and let the tyres down. Looking up at the soft sand uphill at stingray I thought I had no chance and then a quad bike tour group turned up shaking their heads in dis belief of the stupidity. I picked a good line gunned it and went straight to the top of the hill no problems. Everybody was amazed including me. So pick your tides for the creek and the retrieve and take your recovery gear , be prepared to let the tyres down and pump them up again , take wood planks to help get out of sand bogs and pick your line up stingray stay on the wet gravelly bit on th low side to keep the speed up before hitting the soft sand. That was in late april, mates 85cm trolling the mouth was the winner. Barra classic in nitro was the only lure getting hit. Tour guides had them on every rod. Great camping on the beach and good fishing too.

Time your creek crossing and beach drive on dropping tide and launch/retreavals around top half of tide. Bigger the boat, smaller the window. Beware the creek claims a few cars a year. Waves from NW sea breeze can be difficult when tides up over sand banks at mouth too. Not the best time of year for the Finniss but best of luck.

I have done the beach launch with my boat 3 times, it a seajay 4.55m. i Always stop on the hard ground before the beach and walk the creek there as it changes. I have found to go on the dropping tide and go out a little bit to get past the creek then came back up onto the sand. When you start going dont stop. I stay in third gear high.

no worries thanks heaps.