# Successful Yak trip through the NT/Qld



## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

Just returned from 5.5 weeks of solo yakking a selection of NT/Qld waterways (my 8th successful trip there). Had one helluva adventure and an amazing experience. The fishing ranged between poor and great but each paddle was memorable and basking in the average 36C heat each day was a damn sight more enjoyable than putting up with the Sydney winter. Naturally, there were many crocs about with some rivers being worse than others but on this trip they weren't too aggressive and I wasn't charged or overly threatened. In fact, I experimented at times by hard paddling towards them to see what they'd do.

This trip was long, hard and extremely physical. Paddling on average 8hrs a day in sweltering heat really takes it out of you. The flies were annoyingly shocking during the day and at night the mozzies fierce. I finally called it quits after a fun day on the Roper River catching giant Sooty Grunter and having the odd smaller one being snatched by ferocious bull sharks (note - you would not believe how many bull sharks I saw in the freshwater areas of the NT, many kilometres from their tidal limit.)

Pictures and stories will follow once I sort through over 500 images and select those which I deem interesting enough for the AKFF.

Rick


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## bongorust (Jan 31, 2008)

5.5 weeks solo in croc infested waters? Eat your heart out Indianna Jones. We'll have to hear more about this adventure my friend & looking forward to it


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

does successful mean you survived?

really looking forward to see how you deal with crocs, theres been a bit of discussion here about them


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWYlYwjgAAAjXgAAQYAUAhBAAL6vegCAASGqfqnpGj9U2ppowQiGQZAADUlnd7fTYhiSkjmkaVVxCwvWHAnmSj0MS02xz4gyHfJMjulBMCRYqCryuPxdyRThQkIlYwjg=


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

what they ^ said 8)


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## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

Just post all 500......I wont complain. Looking forward to you starting your own Kayak Fishing Adventure tours through the NT..........


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## Grantos (Jan 28, 2008)

Rick, welcome back and glad you returned in one piece! 

Looking forward to sharing your adventures.


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## doubletrouble (Dec 6, 2007)

Picklemegrandma .... I'm gobsmacked !!! Are you for REAL ???
Either you are crazy, or a dead set heroic adventurer. ( or a little of both )
I'm hanging out to hear more about this, and to see the pics.
Glad you made it back alive to tell the tale.
Cheers


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## Sparkie (Jul 8, 2008)

You must have balls of steel,mate.
I would never dare paddle out in croc infested waters. I am in Bundaberg and the Burnett river is as "heroic" as I wan't to get for now. 
I will definitely keep an eye on this thread. Bring on the Piccies


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

wow charging the crocs in a kayak :twisted: :twisted: 
cant wait for the pics, and yeah 500 would be nice :lol:


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

Sounds like it would have the makings of a great article in Yak Fisher magazine.

Looking forward to the pictures,,i would like to see a photo charging a croc on a yak


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## Luke308 (Sep 5, 2007)

Balls???......you must have them!!!

My question is how many sets!!

What a feat.
Congrats!!

Can't wait to see your photos and read your experiences to them.

Sounds like you should quit your day job and become a Guide!!


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Like they said Murd, pics we want pics ;-)

bull sharks i can handle, crocs mate you on your own there. I reckon once they get use to a strange tuperware container wrapping your lunch.

Cheers Dave

BTW noticed you said fresh water, so are we talking salties or the fresh water crocs?


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## MrFaulty (May 15, 2008)

was it a bunch of day trips or a expedition type adventure, if the latter, let me know what the dates are for nest yeras trip and book me a spot - at leats if a croc is going to luch on a yak, there is a 50/50 chance that it will/wont be you that way!


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## Seasquirt (Jul 17, 2007)

Bring on the stories and pics ....... 10 chapter adventure even.


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## Swamp (Nov 20, 2007)

Respect!

For those who didn't see these... 
http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16124&hilit=murd
http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18475&hilit=murd
This isn't the first time this guy has done this!

Can't wait for the latest instalment


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## jaredluke (Nov 23, 2007)

Great stuff mate, I don't think I would be yakking up there in croc infested waters.


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Really looking forward to the next installment of the adventures of murd


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

Wow, so much interest! Look, I'm still sorting things out so please be patient. Piccies and stories are coming, okay! I'll probably have to break it down into a bunch of small posts otherwise the read will become too long and if people have questions/comments, even longer.

But, I can say this much for now. My travels encompass the Gulf of Carpentaria, an enormous expanse of Oz with oodles of yak-fishing opportunities in its rivers and billabongs. The yak allows me to fish areas that the stinkboaters can't access, especially the headwaters of rivers where the best fishing usually occurs (the Limmen Bight River was a recent classic example of this.)To the best of my knowledge many areas that I paddle are never fished/explored by yak or stinkboat. There are some rivers however that I 100% wont venture into. Places like Shady Camp, the South Alligator etc. The crocs there are ginormous and too used to people for my liking.

To answer some of the comments/questions on this post:

How do I deal with crocs? - I have learnt to understand them. I do carry a rifle however and as a last resort will use it to protect myself.

What species did I get? - Barra, queenfish, brown spotted cod, archer fish, tarpon, saratoga, mangrove jack, sooty grunter, bull shark, threadfin salmon plus several unknown species.

Thought about starting 'tours'? - Yes, many times. I paddle some amazing places and if the fishing isn't on I simply enjoy being in a part of the world that possibly no one has ever seen before. I would love to share those places with other people i.e. as a tour guide, but wonder whether it would lead to exploitation or not. There are also obvious risks involved so I don't know whether you could get insurance or not.

Any photos 'charging' a croc? - Sorry, no. I took some photos/video of some of the crocs but without a video zoom on the camera you only really get to hear my nervous voice!

Salties or freshies - Both. I was in still water and tidal. I encountered salties in both mediums.

Was it 'day trips' or 'expedition'? - I suppose a bit of both. I usually target a place, make camp near the water then do day trips from camp staying for as long as the fish are biting. I did do an expedition down one particular river however, camping for 2 nights high above the bank in primeval-type terrain to avoid the massive pigs running rampant along the shoreline. That particular part of the trip will be a post I think will create a lot of interest. More on this later but suffice to say that I have never paddled a more beautiful place in my life, an unexplored wilderness abounding in fish and wildlife.

Rick


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

wow cant wait for the pics & stories, looks like a well traveled kayak there Murd how long have you had it ?


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## bombora (Mar 8, 2006)

DY boys are tuff!!!!!! Awesome adventure Murd and like the rest super keen to see the pix. Mate can I ask, did you a few years ago (maybe a few more than a few years) occassionally paddle out from kiddies corner at DY Long Reef/butterbox? Asking cause whoever that was, prompted me to get off my arse and get a yak. Used to watch this guy from flat I rent on The Strand at DY and he usually came back with a lovely catch and I thought then, aha! that's much better than paddling round on an old long board bringing bleeding fish up toawrds my dainty white feet hanging over the sides! Do remember this fella coming back one time with some really solid silver trevs. I seem to remember (as sure as my dodgy memory allows) that this guy used a yak just like yours and same colour too. Anyway I feel like a pale sad office bound landlubber after reading your adventures.


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

bombora said:


> Mate can I ask, did you a few years ago (maybe a few more than a few years) occassionally paddle out from kiddies corner at DY Long Reef/butterbox?


Yeah I reckon it was. My first yak (the boat I take north) was a little green Sprite that I bought about 16.5 years ago. I used to launch it at the DY corner near the rocks and sometimes Longy surf beach/Butterbox (calm days only). I often bagged out on trevally while anchored over a little reef out from the poles on DY beach.

Small world, hey!


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## bombora (Mar 8, 2006)

Aha; yep saw the little green boat in the links to your pix further up this thread and old brain went: I wonder if that fella was........ So a belated thanks Murd for sparking the interest in yak fishing!!!!! Petite globe, yep! (PS thanks for tip on little reef out from poles ;-) )


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## efc (Sep 19, 2006)

HI Murd,
what an awesome trip mate, well done. You have to throw up some pics aswell.
I would like to go on a similar trip up north.
Would you be able to help me with locations, facilities, acommodation and equipment.

thanks heaps mate

Nick


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## samrota (Mar 27, 2008)

What a fantastic jouney, 5.5 weeks that's crazy. Can't wait til more reports and pictures to boot. Wow.


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