North Australian FISH FINDER forums

There was a recent very brief discussion on the Buffalo Creek ramp over on Theo’s Fotofish thread, and rather than hijack his great posts, I thought I’d comment separately here.

I’ve been using the ramp for more than 45 years and IMO the ramp itself is as good as it has ever been.

Anyone that’s been launching there for any period of time to access the Bay however would be aware of the issue of the creek/channel moving. For more than 30 years the creek was reasonably stable, and back in the day there was no need for navigation markers as the channel was very well defined.

Maybe 15 years ago the original two markers were installed and within a year or two became useless as the ‘mouth’ moved East towards King Ck. From memory, the markers were moved a couple of times in an attempt to keep up with the by now quite rapidly moving sand bars.

About ten years ago we started to see a ‘new’ channel forming about half way out to the original mouth, and subsequently 3 or 4 years ago this became the ‘official’ entry/exit and the navigation markers were moved here as the original mouth became totally silted.

I recently had a quick blurt around to King Ck launching on a rising neap tide (3.3m to 5.1m).

Between the ramp and the start of the ‘new’ channel there are now numerous stretches of less than 300mm depth, and the channel itself appears to be very narrow, snaking between the numerous new markers with no consistent line. I struggled to get out on the mid incoming tide, and returning shortly after the 5.1 high tide, still brought up sand if deviating a meter off the channel.

After having no issues with using Buff Ck for 45+ years, I now have no confidence of exiting/entering on a falling tide, particularly if there’s any hint of swell.

1/. Does anyone have any theories as to why the creek (and Shoal Bay in general actually) is now silting/shifting so rapidly after 30 odd years of being reasonably stable (dredging harbour for gas ships?/”global warming”?/earth knocked off it’s axis??).

2/. I’d be reluctant to exit/return in darkness these days especially in an ugly sea, unless on a 5.5/6m high tide.
Are you guys still regularly fishing the bay (and after dark) having any issues?

The channel down the Howard River end where the Kaissis brothers had the property with a launch site many years ago was also quite mobile.

Yeah it's definitely a bit trickier with the multiple narrow channels. I get the feeling it is in transition phase at the moment i.e. waiting for a new channel to reveal itself. I don't like to come back on a dropping tide with rough water for that reason. I'm pretty cautious.
Coming in on a 3.4m rising tide is about as low as I'll go- the shallowest spot it quite close to the ramp and the bottom there is coral. I'm pretty sure I used to make it through at 2.9 when I regularly fished Meckitts in my first boat.

Hopefully we get a nice deep channel again!

Whilst I love what Shoal Bay has to offer I don’t fish it any more for a number of reasons including that channel in and out. I don’t know whats going on there but I’m also getting older and maybe a little wiser so am happy to put in the miles to fish elsewhere. Of course that might all change if petrol prices keep going up!

Yeah I understand. It's the other way around for me- I can go for a run in Shoal Bay, get some barra and know when I need to be back at the ramp and avoid spending a fortune on fuel. I'll get caught out at some point though