North Australian FISH FINDER forums

I was thinking of planning a trip to Flat top banks later in the year. Any advice on the best tides, time of year (obviously build up but best time of it that anyone has found) and whether or not it is worth going that far anymore? Seems like its had a fair few people go out there and I haven't seen many reports on it since late 08' etc.

Cheers

It is a very hit and miss place. The sharks can make the trip a complete waste of time on occasions. If you strike it on a good day you can get some good red fish.

Weather wise I wouldn't go too late in the build up as it has a reputation for being a breeding ground for big storm fronts by mid to late October. The main shoal is fishable on biggish tides but easier on smaller tides giving you more options out of the shoal in deeper water. I wouldn't fish it it in any thing over 3m of movement and probably less.

Amen on be October storms

AM wrote:Amen on be October storms

Quite literally all joking aside. It's not the place you will find me in late October again once is enough.

Cheers for that information! I was already tossing up between flat top and timor box and to me it seems like the box has better fishing and weather wise not as hit and miss? If the weather doesn't look too good or its too far out to sea might just end up going up to the Cobourg area

Timor box, now that is a serious trip. FTB 120km Timor Box 350km + ,I would need a fuel barge out there plus it's about a nine hour run without stopping to refuel.

I'll just stick to going to groote from roper

Flat top doesn't compare even for a second on the box if you can make out there. IV fished it last two years in November. It's different weather pattern to flat top.

trevor schultz wrote:Flat top doesn't compare even for a second on the box if you can make out there. IV fished it last two years in November. It's different weather pattern to flat top.

Still got to pick your times to transit past wide Buthurst island.

That's true but if you are going to the box and are worried about the weather at bathurst then you probably should not be going to the box cause if you cop it out there your on your own and there's no where to hide

Yeah, that's the thing I'm not too sure of because being out 150nm+ from land and being in a few storms wouldn't be my cup of tea.. However I would be in a 35 footer


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JasonFaulkner wrote:Yeah, that's the thing I'm not too sure of because being out 150nm+ from land and being in a few storms wouldn't be my cup of tea.. However I would be in a 35 footer


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It doesn't matter if you are 50 mile or 150 mile. When it turns to poop it turns to poop and 50 miles will feel like a million miles from no where. Just be prepared with a sat phone, good safety gear and a reliable boat. Preferably twin engines or another vessel in the party. Usually storms only last a couple of hours and can be ridden out. The weather in the boxers is usually reasonably good late in the season but Bathurst/Flat Top can throw a spanner in the works and late every October a random knock em down storm to to form and rolls through to the West of Darwin. The storms will form late afternoon or early morning. Just plan to be either hard against the Island or well past them around those peak times.

Ps 35 footers aren't very big in bad weather. lol

cuddlescooper wrote:
Ps 35 footers aren't very big in bad weather. lol

Another amen to that. Unless that's 35 foot wide perhaps. Anyway that's the deal I have made with the almighty for trips west after 1st week of October any year.