North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Yesterday I took my tinny out to Shady for the first time, and made a pretty stupid mistake.

I took some spare fuel and headed out to the mouth, seeing some massive crocs along the way. I'd never seen so many crocs (200+ i recon). I got out there and didn't really know what I was doing, so I trolled a little and then headed back casting into some spots I thought a baz would be. No luck so I headed back to the ramp. Even though I looked at willyweather and it looked like high tide was in the arvo I noticed the tide was getting pretty low so I started to get a little worried.

The last few bends before the ramp had a tonne of big crocs on the banks, and I was also starting to touch the bottom with my prop.. Brown pants time. I ended up getting to the ramp after dragging my tinny over the last 200m at the barrage. I felt frigging stupid. It could have gone really bad.

Could be worse, was a pic on social media of a bloke's big boat high and dry out that way.

Good that you posted, reminds people to watch the tides.

It's happened to all of us, sometime, somewhere.........

dead right blinky but as long as you live to tell the tale its all OK

cheers Craig

I've never been stuck at the ramp but I have turned up at the ramp with no water to launch twice a few years back.

These days I only ever use Willyweather and it's great and never misses. On neap tides with a building tide you will be able to use the ramp at approx half tide. But once Willyweather says high tide, you only have 40mins to use the ramp and have enough water to get out after that time.

That high tide at the ramp is accurate but also remember that once that water peaks, it has been running out at the mouth for approx 3hrs already. Hence you dont get long before the 1.5m of water at the ramp to drain out

Hope that makes sense

Cheers. I’ll definitely be more cautious next time

Great to see you having a crack at it Bucky and don't be harsh on yourself mate.

Most rivers are the same and behave like Lats said. - Shady is a lot shallower than most though up toward the ramp.

Time spent is time learned in the rivers and by the time you realise that the flow has stopped one way, it starts heading back the other within what seems like minutes.

We've all got the stories. I just hate winching the boat up from the very back of the trailer when I'm late.

It happens to us all. I appreciate the low tide phot's

Bucky, your not an idiot buddy, we have all had our bad experiences,thanks for sharing mate

Agreed, getting stuck somewhere at low tide is part of learning the ins and outs of the rivers up here. I’ve spent far too much time counting grains of sand over in Shoal Bay, not my finest moment!

Cheers,
Andrew

If you haven't been stuck at shoal bay for a tide your not fishing hard enough.

Don't sweat it Bucky007

Even the pilot boat has been stuck in the harbour, was a great pic in the NT news a few years back Google should find it

As I recall, or heard, the pilot was new and knew it all

Pays not big note I suppose.

Still remember a boat high and dry 200m on the mud flats going to Bleesers near the Dinah boat ramp. Out of Towner had walked the 200m to the channel going to the boat ramp and asked if I could help as I passed. Seriously Thought I could do something like tow him out.

yep been there done that a few times here in hervey bay as well ,buffaloe creek is another one to be careful with ,when living there it was interesting a few times coming in from the rock at night with prop turning upa bit of mud

i bet you were looking over your shoulder a few times while pushing the boat in :)