Off the coast of north-western Australia lies a group of island rich in history, natural resources, unspoiled nature - and epic fishing experiences.  This group of islands is known as the Montebello Islands, the locals call them the Monties.

Blue Juice Charters has been fishing the Montebello Islands since 2009 and they offer a fantastic opportunity to fish and see an amazing part of Australia; one that is full of fish, rugged Australian beauty, mother nature at her absolute best, history and… more fish.

1. THE ONCE A YEAR / ONCE A LIFETIME TRIP

Every angler has fishing plans for ‘one day’ where “one day I’ll fish an exotic location with challenging fishing, a couple of mates and get a load of photos of good times”.  Some people have budgets that allow ‘one day’ plans to happen frequently while others can only appreciate them infrequently.  Fishing the Monties is an experience that can easily make this bucket list item – whether it’s a once-off or the annual boys trip, and there are plenty of reasons why this is the case… continue reading:

2. EPIC FISHING EXPERIENCES

Let’s not muck around and cut to the chase with the main reason - there is simply no limit to the variety or styles of angling you can use when fishing with Blue Juice in these waters.  If you want to troll - do you want to try with skirts, diving lures or rigged up baits and do you want to target mackerel, billfish or tuna? If you want to fish deep - do you want to use bait, jigs or big plastics?  If you’re around the Islands and want to fish skinny water for tackle busting coral trout or mangrove jack you have to decide on whether to use plastics, minnows, poppers, stickbaits, jigs or just staying with bait.

Example 1: jigging in 40m of water and having rods bent and drags pulled for over an hour by big spangled emperor, goldspot and brassy trevally and rankin cod mixed up with a splash of Spanish and shark mackerel caught on descending jigs.  Example 2: trolling a renown spot for big Spanish mackerel and hooking up before the first lure was out far enough to set the rod down. This was followed by over two hours of trolling mayhem which included double and triple hook-ups, spectacular aerial action, screaming Tiagras and over thirty toothy mackerel landed and released. Example 3: bottom fishing for quality table fish – landing big coral trout, red emps, spanglies and rankin cod – from the first drop. Example 4: trolling for billfish on the way home – hooking four, landing one plus numerous tuna including a highly prized, drag pulling yellowfin tuna.

These sessions have since been talked about, and slightly expanded on, every time we reminisce on the good times held over this five-day experience.

3. FISHING WITH MATES / NEW FRIENDS

The benefits of doing a charter running over a number of days are incredible and are so much more than just catching quality fish.  There are fantastic learning experiences which come with an intensive 5-day fishing only trip where you can practically fish for 24 hours each day.  These experiences take your fishing knowledge to the next level. 

4. MOTHER NATURE AT HER BEST

One thing you won't find on the Monties is much greenery.  The islands take a hiding from mother nature - the shrubs are low, most rocks exposed to any sort of swell are pockmarked and so sharp that to fall on them would be messy.  Where the tidal currents rip through as the water pours out from between the islands, exposed rocks and outcrops are worn away.  All that raw nature takes your breath away, it's incredible. 

In between all that raw island beauty you find clear water and spectacular reefs all asking to have poppers, stickbaits and shallow diving lures skimmed across them.  Heading offshore you can expect your day to be punctuated with frequent whale breaches, bait feeding frenzies and the sight of lost mackerel getting airborne chasing their prey.  All this is found around an archipelago where history remembers it for atomic bomb testing in the 1950s.


5. KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA

Blue Juice is a Perth-based fishing charter company which runs a range of charter boat services off the coast of Western Australia.  Fishing-wise, they cover the local Perth area, run charters out to the Abrolhos Islands 400kms north of Perth, and their top-shelf charter is a five day / six night session in the waters around the Montebello Islands.

Blue Juice’s boat Bluewater steams out from Exmouth, a small town at the top of the Ningaloo Reef about halfway up the coast of Western Australia.  Flights run directly from Perth to Exmouth.

The Bluewater makes its way out to the Monties through the night so when you wake on the first morning the boat is steaming, the game rods are ready to put out and breakfast is on the table.  What a great way to get started – with Vegemite toast and a coffee waiting for a Tiagra to start screaming!

#News #Fishing #North #Epic #Deep