Australia Baby !!!!

[Jim_Risling]

Does anyone out there have any reco's on a good charter service out of Australia and a website..

Thanks in Advance..

JR

[Warren_Brantley]

I've only got the very, very bare basics on the area. I've not been there yet, but began studying the black marlin fishery. It appears to be the breeding grounds for black marlin.

A place to go online and start is www.moanacharters.com. Now that is just a minimal start. There are a huge number of online charter services. Go to Search and put in marlin, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Austrailia, etc; and or combinations.

They have a juvenile marlin season (small black marlin from 10 to 300 pounds) that runs from around March to November where they fish inside the Great Barrier Reef. They call this their light tackle season. Sails are also around then along with domestic species. The all inclusive boat cost seems to start around $1310 US a day and skies the limit with the online folks. The big gals are caught outside of the Reef and those charters are considerably higher. Go to www.cpgfa.asn.au for contacts for the "North Queensland Professional Game Fishing Association".

I've not yet looked at too many other available charters but the place looks to have hundreds of boats available so there should be a wide range of prices. The problem is finding them online. The Mom and Pop outfits that catch black marlin daily from a 35 Bertram are hard to find online. From pictures of boats at the marina at Cairns there is an abundance of fishing charters available of all lengths and amenities.

Some of the marinas around Cairns have their own charter web sites also and you have a better choice of prices there. Like Kona, Cabo and Venezuela (places I do fish) with time you'll link up with a captain who has an apartment that is affordable and a boat for half the price of everyone else. It takes a bit of searching, but it exists. (By the way, if you are wealthy forget all the stuff about looking for a good price; just go.)

Getting there is two grand and change out of Atlanta Airport (coach) and it takes a total travel time of about 27 hours (that includes layovers). The flight over arrives two days later than when you depart the states. Also there looks to be a flight needed within the country.

Summation: costs look to be two grand for the flight, one but more likely two grand a day for the boat, and then there is lodging and food. It's not for the faint of pocket. It absolutely is one of the best, if not the best, locations to consistently catch black marlin. The Australians have been protecting their billfish rigorously for many years and it has paid off with a magnificent fishery.

However, with prices like that it would many folks "down under." With arduous research and contacts you should be able to cut the charter and lodging costs in half. Hope that helps a little. WGB

[test]

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[c]

http://www.viking11.com/bill.htm

Your best bet by a mile. just go to this websit and see bill billson's capture record for yourself

[Ken_DOUGLAS]

Web site WWW.reelchase.com
I have fished with Captain Jim DALLING for over ten years, He is heavily booked for the heavy tackle season so get in early. Many skippers spend alot longer in Cairns ( because they live in Cairns and there operations are based in Cairns) and take bookings at top dollar rate when the fish have moved on. I am sure there are many other reputable charters, however I have never had any reason to go past Captain DALLING.

Regards Ken DOUGLAS

[George]

I haven't fished off Cairns and Lizards since the early 80's. That was when Oz was at it's finest. The best boats (45-58ft) were always arranged with 80-120 ft liveaboards and float plane service out of Cairns. But, the reef is the spot! Some of the baby marlin are caught around Cape Bowling Green. Look for ads in Marlin and SWS. Then do your research. Manytimes the only way to wrangle yourself onto a boat is when there's a sudden cancellation.