Wilderness Island : Kayak Heaven

Author: Shufoy

Category: Destinations

Created on Thursday, 27 May 2010 11:47

Written by Brett Ozanne

To say i'd been looking forward to this kayak fishing trip would've been an understatement. 6 months of looking at maps, talking to people who have been there, and checking out tackle was really starting to get to me, but by the Friday night of our Exmouth Trip, meeting Jim and Shane from the Island at the pub, and Scott and Daryl from Western Angler was the icing on the cake, and i was getting excited. On the saturday, we moved out of our pokey little Lighthouse cabin, and into the Ningaloo Novatel, and opulent luxury! Warm freshwater showers, which i took my entire kayak gear bag into, the boys were laughing as i carried rod holders, shark shields and sounders into the shower with me, washing a weeks salt buildup off them!

That afternoon we went to Shane's place and dropped off the kayaks, and any gear we could pre-load. Watching the yaks getting strapped to the front of the boat was certainly pushing me closer to kayak nirvana, and I had to consume much alchohol that night to enable a decent nights sleep!

We certainly wasted no time, and by the time the kayaks were offloaded on the beach, and most of the gear stowed, we were scurrying around settng up our yaks, and after a quick bite on the water heading south to Burnside Island for an afternoon session. We explored the eastern side of Burnside Island, throwing surface lures for all kinds of Trevally, Bream and Whiting. Taking in the scenery, and occasionally getting smashed by big prey, we eventually found ourselves on the southern end of the island on dusk, where the water came alive with fish for one of the hottest hour long sessions i have ever experienced! Reluctantly, we returned to base just after dark, where a superb meal was prepared by Daryl and our french maid Corin, and washed down with, you guessed it, Corona!!! My appetite for the week to come was well and truly wetted, and i eventually got to bed around 11pm, ready for a 6am start.

Day 2 brought more sublime weather conditions, and we decided to head south again to the same areas we hit last night. Many fish were boated over the day, and by the time we were met for lunch by shanes boat, we had scored  some crackers. Scotty had an epic battle with a meter plus Queenie, which i have on video that was a standout fish for the trip.

After lunch Scotty and i did a circumnavigation of Simpson Island, the next island south of Burnside, where we enjoyed the amazing scenery of 30' cliffs along the back edge, and more mangroves on the inside, truly spectacular! The rock wall produced a few more GT's, and Jacks, also ravenous Tusk fish that were smashing the poppers before i even managed a single bloop!!

Day 2 ended much the same as the rest of the week, a huge seafood feast, Chilli mud crabs if i remember correctly, and as Ningaloo Harry had also joined us today, he and i sat up till midnight drinking and chatting.

We decided to head north on tuesday, up and around the northern point of the island, down into the mangrove creek areas, and up along the flats, and rock bars across the front of Tent Island, and up to tent point. This was one of my best days, landing a nice GT that SMASHED a popper blooped up the edge of a large coral bombie, and giving me a workout that i'll never forget. After releasing this particular fish, i cast back to the same bombie, where what looked like a larger fish crunched my popper, sending it 6 foot in the air in a shower of spray!! I was impressed!!

The boat boys joined us for lunch again just off Tent Point, and Daryl dived for lobster while we enjoyed our roast sandwiches! We got back into it, and as the tide dropped, pulled up on a beautiful beach for a breather, before fishng our way back to camp, and another geat evening, great food, beer, and company.

So on the wednesay, we called a rest day, and Shane took us all out on his boat. The weather was awesome, with glass-offs all day, so we headed to Fly Island, and got off the boat for a stroll around the island throwing lures. As we cheated, wednesday doesn't deserve a full report, as it's corrupted by screaming motors, metallic hull slap and the stench of fuel. But i'll let the pics do the talking!!

A great day was had by all, and it really got me hot for some more yak fishing the next day!!

We awake Thursday morning to a fresh sou'wester brewing on dawn, and the smell of bacon and eggs! After a hearty breakfast, we are enthused enough to head into a headwind and find some shelter behind the islands. Hugging the mangroves, we cast an assortment of surface lures around for reward of small Trevally and the occasional Cod, we end up hiding from the wind well around the island, and along the rock walls and inside the little inlets behind the islands. We eventually meet Jimi for lunch, inside a little inlet, no more than 40m across, with a 3m opening!!