# Iluka 27th-3rd....bloody wind!



## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Came home early yesterday to escape the relentless wind and rain.  .

It was OK the first afternoon and the following morning after we got there, so I managed a couple of beach launches out to the deep blue sea. Didn't go too far as I was on my own and it was my first trip out in the open ocean. Not really knowing where to go in close and the stink boats being at least 5 kms away, I pottered around about a km out picking up a couple of under sized Squire and not much else.

Woody Head.........just north of Iluka.
Glassy conditions in close but once out it was a 1-2 mtrs swell. 









I fished the rivers and creeks around Iluka with not much success, a few flathead and Bream keepers, and plenty of smaller stuff.

Caught my first fish on a popper, which was a bit of fun, seeing the fish try and strike the lure and hooking up occasionally. 
No size to the fish but there were plenty of takers in the shallows.









Fished the Esk river next to the bridge on the way into Iluka, trying to escape the wind......but no escaping the rain....got drenched.
More small fishes, did manage to hook up to something large, I'm assuming it was a flat head, but it managed to wrap the leader around a sunken log and breaking the line and taking my new SX40 to....the bastard.

The ramp to the Esk River......the river it self is, tree lined, deep in places and about 50 mtrs wide. The water is brackish and brown stained with tea tree. Should be a few Bass around there somewhere. :? 









Headed north along the beach of Shark bay to a land locked 5 km long lake just behind the dunes in Booroora Park . Twas a beautiful spot, I had to myself. It ranged from 10 mtrs wide in places to about 80 mtrs in others, had big reed beds in areas and coffee rock drop offs in others. I managed to catch a couple of small Bream only but I saw mullet jumping and bigger fish lurking on the edges. Very unusual place in that it was salt water but not tidal, I'm sure there would be some bigger fish in there.

Oh damn the wrong track. :lol: 








The lake....worth a trip if your in the area.









Anyway with the forecast being more wind and rain and the kids being a pain we decided to pull the pin and head home. I did managed to get out in the yak a least once a day, but it wasn't very pleasant in the conditions.

Oh well there's always good old Redcliffe and the weather is looking good for tomorrow.


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## stonecold (Nov 5, 2006)

Wondered how you got on mate. Sounds like you had some fun. I've caught soapy jew under that very tree many years ago.


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## mattayogi (Feb 11, 2007)

Sounds like you got out a few times - must have a few brownie points, hey? 
I love Iluka! Usually visit once a year for a surf. 
Shame it was a little swelly at Woody. I've heard they get good mackerel out there.

Matt


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## Hard_Yakkin (May 23, 2007)

Bad luck on the conditions mate - I went to Lake Borumba instead of Rainbow Beach over the break. Went sown to Queens this arvo for a walk and looked very very snappery after the big blow.

cheers

Mick


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

Sounds like you had a nice time regardless of the weather. I love Iluka, it's a great place.


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## jaredluke (Nov 23, 2007)

Shame about the conditions it looks fishy there. Been very blowy and windy here around Redcliffe/Scarborough but as you said it looks promising tomorrow.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Paul everyone is cheesed off with the weather after so long a spell of lousy, but Iluka is as good a spot as any to kill time.

Since buying the yak have always had a yen to try up the Esk, but to this point have only beach and rock fished on the past visits..

All the best for 2008 mate


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## EstuaryGirl (Oct 28, 2007)

Great report R-W-T-Y....
Spent 10 days down at Iluka 2 yrs ago (B.Y days) :lol: Am looking forward to trying the yak this time down.Am fishing my way down the week before SWR and planning on calling into for a few days.I remember a great pub in town overlooking the water....beaut beer and great food.!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Shame about the weather though.


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Yeah Ilukas a great place to be any time, great pub, still quiet and undeveloped and plenty of options for fishing, but when you got 25 kt+ winds it gets a bit trying. I was paddling back to the little ramp at the caravan park going flat strap in pouring rain and looking at the GPS seeing I was doing less than 1km per hr....  .I will be there again next Christmas, might even try and stay at Woody head during the year.

The land locked lake is called Jerusalem Creek in the Bunjalung National Park, near Black Rock....

Hey Dodge if you pull in at that little side entrance after the bridge, over the Esk river, on the way to Iluka and paddle down stream about a half a km. you come to a spot where there are a couple of small Islands and sand banks with gutters either side. Well wort a try.....and if you find a big flatty with a SX40 hanging out of its lip.......its bloody mine. 

Glad we left yesterday looks like there is quite a bit of flooding down that way.


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

ar-we-ther-yet said:


> Glad we left yesterday looks like there is quite a bit of flooding down that way.


Back when I was in primary school, we were on holidays there at Easter and it rained and rained. Ended up getting flooded in for 5 additional days which was awesome to miss out on school, just a shame we couldn't do anything outside cause of the rain.


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Sorry Crushie and I didnt look you up in Iluka, but we never took the yaks off the car. Arrived Sat and left early on Monday. I spent almost the entire three days banging in tent pegs, again and again, trying to keep the tents from blowing away. We could only get into the caravan park at Browns Rocks and hence never made it into Iluka much. The wind was unbelievable. Will definitely make a trip back there in the next month or two. Woody Head looks like the perfect launch with reefs just off shore and no surf much to negotiate.


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

I've kayaked in my old bass the length of the Esk from that bridge put in...good for flatties,whiting at the mouth [and largely bass upstream according to mates]....but it's a dead river i reckon...try the pro boat bays next time-no wind,heapsa fish


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## ausbass (Feb 15, 2007)

yeah the esk has some bass and eps in it.
so where abouts is the lake you discovered, it may just be jerusalem creek. 
woody head is a hotspot for mackeral in feb-april. 
what did you get the snapper on???


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

aus_bass said:


> so where abouts is the lake you discovered, it may just be jerusalem creek.


Yes it is jerusalem creek, I found out the name on second post......I dont know how well it fishes put its a nice place for a paddle.



aus_bass said:


> what did you get the snapper on???


Jackalls......but the fish were only small.


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## ausbass (Feb 15, 2007)

ar-we-ther-yet said:


> Jackalls


Like the bibless minnows?

Yeah, i have fished Jerusalem creek for flatties with SP's, from the shore, but nothing really to be excited about.
Though, when the flood rains come (like the past week/s) it opens to the sea and the jew go nuts as the mullet get washed out from it.

By the way how did you get from Illuka to Jerusalem Creek. Drive along Shark Bay? Because the only entry I know of from the road is at Woodburn (old highway). then did you walk the kayak from the campsite, because i thought you can't drive past the campsite northwards (NPWS legislation).


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