# Swains Reef



## 61falcon (Oct 25, 2012)

G,Day All,
Does anybody know is Swains Reef is subject to the Annual Coral Reef Fin Fish closure?
kind regards
Paul


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

I believe that the closure extends to the eastern boundary of the GBR.
So you would have to be much closer to Saumarez reef to be out of the closure area.

See this map.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Just ring one of the charter operators from Gladstone that fish this area, they will be able to tell you. They operate under different bag restrictions with their extended charters so may have other modified rules and regs.


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

Here's some more info

"Coral reef fin fish

Coral reef fin fish closure dates for 2013 are midnight 1 October to midnight 6 October 2013, and midnight 30 October to midnight 4 November 2013.

Tidal waters within the following boundary are closed waters for coral reef fin fish:

from the northern tip of Cape York along latitude 10°41' south
to longitude 145° east
to latitude 13° south, longitude 145° east
to latitude 15° south, longitude 146° east
to latitude 17°30' south, longitude 147° east
to latitude 21° south, longitude 152°55' east
to latitude 24°30' south, longitude 154° east
to latitude 24°50' south, longitude 154° east along latitude 24°50' south to the mainland shore along the shore to the northern tip of Cape York at latitude 10°41' south."

From this page http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/rules-regulations/closed-seasons-tidal-waters


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

Indeed it is, have done 3 charters - two for seven days and one for 10 days.

It is an awesome experience.


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## 61falcon (Oct 25, 2012)

Thanks for the information. I am going on my 1st Swain's trip from the 5th-12th Oct, so looks like we will have to chase some pelagics and crays on our first day of fishing  .Will be good to wet some Head Start lures. Any advise on Swains would be greatly welcome.
Regards Paul


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

As per Salti's comments.

Your hands will be stuffed after a few days - consider gloves to minimise the spikes & cuts.
Though on my trips, I never had the need for a sea anchor - we would either troll from the dories, or drop anchor.
For trolling I have had good success with River2Sea bibless, Halco Laser Pros 190DD (red/white + any colour you like), plus the typical Marlin & Tuna skirted lures (the get Marlin & Sails) on occasion.

All lures should have wire for part of the leader - say about 6 foot of fluorocarbon then 1 foot of multistrand wire.
You can get away without the wire, but you will lose lures.

If fishing from the mothership (while not underway), send out a dead gar (bring your own) under a balloon - seen a lot of big Spaniards caught out there.

What charter are you going out on and what fishing gear are you taking?

Cheers, Jeff


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Hand liners will outfish the guys with rods 10-1. Don't knock it till you try it


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## 61falcon (Oct 25, 2012)

The boat we are going on is the MV Boobie Bird. It has 6 tenders all with sounders and 12 channel GPS receiver hand held marine radios. The group of guys i am going with have been doing this trip annualy for years so i was lucky to get a spot.
I was lucky enough to work on a charter boat in WA for a few years with the Top Tag n Release Captain for Indian Ocean for the last 1o yrs for Black Marlin(used to T&R approx 60-70 Blacks/yr). We would occasionaly do Charters to the Monte Bello Island witch would be the best fishing destination that I have ever fished. I think on one of the 1 week charters we caught 36 different species of fish with marlin up to 280kg & mackeral over 30kgs. I will be happy if the fishing at Swain's is as half as good as the Monte's.
I am probably looking at taking just 2 rods with me, a overhead rod for fishing off the mothership & also a heavy spin rod that i used to use for throwing big poppers at huge GT's. I will be able to use the spin rod also for floating pillie & also for trolling some garfish,mullet & pillies on Head Start Lures( i highly reccomend these have caught everything from mackeral, wahoo, mahi mahi to marlin). From the tenders I will probably just use handlines as Bigkev has said.
The guy that has organised it has got 1000,s of hooks, hand lines, gloves & bike tubes.
Salticrak i will definatly have a few beers for ya as i am told that they take 40 ctns & a few kegs for the week.  
Cheers Paul


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

On my trips, I took a 15-24kg overhead with a TLD 30 for trolling from the mothership & dory,
1 overhead Jig rod, and a 7-15kg spinning setup.

The jig rod doubles for bait fishing, and the spinning outfit was good for casting unweighted pilchards
into the reef gutters for Trout & Sweetlip (as well as popping).

I was dusted many, many times on the deeper reefs, a heavy mono handline will help there 

Also take a length of cord you can use as lanyards - on the motherships rods are usually stored in rod-holders along the side,
and there have been a few times where someone going to take their rod out of the holder in haste has sent the neighboring rod into the drink.
Though as you have charter boat experience, you probably know all this 

Cheers, Jeff


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2013)

salticrak said:


> Mv Boobie is a good ship.


So when do we go salti :twisted:


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

nad97 said:


> salticrak said:
> 
> 
> > Mv Boobie is a good ship.
> ...


I'm in. Can't do September 2014 but keep me in mind.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

I went out on the Booby bird, sounds like you have an established set of sea legs which is a bonus as that boat rocks and rolls like you wouldn't believe. Imagine a wine cork floating for a comparison

A little bit of useless trivia about this boat. Originally it was built for fishing for southern bluefin tuna in south Australia. Apparently it got rolled in big seas and was promptly retired as not fit for purpose. It was then bought by someone in Gladstone and set up to fish these swains charters, but to try and counter its rolling they have filled the hull with something like 9 tonne of concrete as ballast, pretty amazing stuff (well I thought so anyway).

The pro live trout guys give the place a flogging out there but it's still spectacular and some of the best fishing I have ever experienced. Even if it doesn't meet your expectations it will still be better than being at work with the rest of us.

Kev


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