With the abundance and variety of fish in the many waterways and estuary systems, you will have no problem catching fish. The greatest challenge is deciding what fish you would like to sample for you evening meal.
Munupi Wilderness Lodge has the ultimate fishing experience for all levels of fisherman. With a diverse range of fishing types and locations, there isn’t a shortage of fish.
The mighty Barramundi (lates calcarifer) is Australia’s number one premier Sport fish and Munupi Lodge on Melville Island is the perfect place to find it. The Barramundi is an iconic fish of the Australian tropics filling the many fresh and salt water systems.
Also known as the Barra or Australian Seabass, Silver Barramundi, Palmer Perch and Giant Perch, fishing for the beautiful Australian Barramundi is a magnificently rewarding experience for all ages and skill level. Barramundi can grow to 1.8 metres in length with a weight of about 60 kg. Although the minimum catch is 50cm, a barra weighing 10 to 20 kg and a metre long isn’t uncommon.
In season, fish well over a metre are regular captures, and the barra is so prolific it can be targeted in various parts of our system all year round.
Tangling with the mighty Queenfish can be a memorable experience. Arguably the fastest of our commonly caught species, the Queenfish, or Skinny as it is known locally, takes flies and lures readily, and always provides a great fight, with spectacular jumps and powerful runs. They are a particularly renowned species on fly, and are commonly taken from around snags rock bars and out on the Bluewater.
Sometimes they can be seen schooling up smaller baitfish, and catches of 30 or 40 per hour are not uncommon. Occasionally you will tangle with big fish, that also tend to congregate in schools. These can grow as big as 1.5 metres, and are worthy opponents on light fishing gear.
There are numerous species of the Trevally family, the most common being the Giant Trevally. These are the “street-fighters ” of our game fish. Like the Queenfish, with whom they share a similar habitat inshore, they are prolific takers of all sorts of flies and lures. They prefer to slug it out deep, and a tussle with a big one can leave you with a very weak sensation in the arms, back and legs.
Although the Barramundi would be the most eagerly targeted, amongst locals the Threadfin Salmon and the often smaller Blue Salmon are as popular as a fighting fish. Though not quite as easy to find all year round, during the build up to the wet they are numerous, and their fight is faster and more acrobatic than even the barra.
The Apsley Straight is renowned for the quality of these fighting superstars, and an encounter with one of the big ones can also leave you weak at the knees. Of interest: there are several world records for Threadfin Salmon on fly in the 4kg, 6kg and 8kg tippet class that could readily be broken with Munupi fish!
The Dolphin Fish (Coryphaena hippurus), also known as Mahi Mahi or Dorado, are found in offshore waters and will present the Blue Water fishermen with a serious and practical lesson on why this dazzling fish is much sought after for it’s eating, along with it’s go hard capabilities.
Dolphin Fish are brilliantly coloured with iridescent blues, greens, yellow and orange colours that light up the when leaping from the water as they fight hard on your line. Excellent sport fish that are commonly taken on lures and live baits, and can be often found around floating objects such as wood, seaweed, fish buoys at sea.
Coral Trout, also known as Leopard Fish, range in colour from pink to red to brown, with small brilliant blue spots over the body and head. They grow to about 110cm and can weigh more than 20kg.
Large Coral Trout are generally located well offshore; although basically a bottom-dwelling fish, Coral Trout frequently cruise and hunt well off the seabed. Capable of sudden burst of speed make catching the Coral Trout an exciting challenge. There is no doubt that this fish is arguably the best tasting fishing in the ocean. They are a frequent catch in these parts and will often take a lure or jig.
The Golden Snapper, often called Goldie because of its beautiful gold colouring, is a superb table fish, which inhabits both inshore and offshore reefs and averages 4-10kg.
The tropical waters surrounding Melville and Bathurst islands are renowned for producing some huge Golden Snapper in the 10 kilo plus class. These fish are and are rarely caught more than a few kilometres from shore and can offer you the fight of a lifetime.
The Mangrove Jack is also up there as a scrapper. Members of the sea perch and pacific snapper family, the Mangrove Jack prefers the cover of rock bars and deep snags. The Jack is an ambush expert and would probably account for more lost lures than any other tropical fish!
The characteristic dash from cover and a speedy return with the lure in tow is about as exciting as it gets. Over a few yards the Mangrove Jack is as tough to stop, pound for pound, as any fish in the tropics.
Spanish Mackerel are most abundant in the latter half of the year. They too frequent waters around rocky headlands and exposed reefs, but also feed above shallow reefs next to deeper water.
Spanish mackerel have scores of narrow, vertical lines down the sides and are the largest of the Australian Mackerels. The largest can reach approximately 200 cm in length and weight up to 70 kg.
Jewfish, also known as Mulloway, are a popular local species, quite easy to catch considering their often huge size and renowned ability to pull your arms off.
A beautiful silvery blue or grey, and sometimes with a large black blotch at the upper part of the pectoral fin base, the Jewfish has a distinct long dorsal fin that is notched after the spines section. There are several Jewie holes close to Munupi Lodge. A popular evening pastime spent soaking bait while waiting for dinner to cook and the tide to change.
Estuarine Rock Cod and Coral Trout are wide-ranging reef species. The Estuarine ROck Cod is the most common cod found as deep as 60m in lagoons, mangroves and reefs. Both the Rock Cod and Coral Trout are non-schooling and are usually encountered whilst fishing for other reef species.
The coral trout, in particular, is a highly regarded table fish with beautiful firm, white flesh.
One of the special delicacies offered to the Munupi visitor is a meal of the succulent mud crab. Beware that this memorable experience can lead to an addiction whose symptoms include an excess of saliva in the mouth, and an almost insatiable desire to return to Munupi Wilderness Lodge!
Get the cultural experience of a lifetime and have a professional Munupi Guide show you a how to hook your own mud crabs from a hole. A adventure you will never forget.