21 stripes in one day on Broadbill
21 stripes in one day on Broadbill

Glenn Hunter\'s Billfisher on a hot striped marlin
Glenn Hunter\'s Billfisher on a hot striped marlin

 

PT STEPHENS 2009

 

"ONE OF THE BEST MARLIN FISHERIES IN THE WORLD" by Captain Ross Hunter

 

Having fished these amazing waters for over three decades I am convinced that this magnificently picturesque place is one of the most productive marlin fisheries in the world and for us lucky New south Welshman, it's right on our door step.

Imagine catches of 16,18 and 21 marlin in a day or 248 for a season that is world class by anyone's standards.

The average size of a Pt Stephens striped is around 80kg and these double figure, per day numbers are achieved by the charter fleet every season from January to late April.

Each summer season there are many charter boats that travel from as far as Cairns to the north and Bateman Bay to the south to join us locals at Pt Stephens.

These boats target the abundant stocks of blacks; blues (and the most predominant marlin) the striped on all types of tackle, be-it fly-fishing, spear fishing or conventional tackle.

 

Us Captains love the place, not just for its beauty in landscape but also for its camaraderie.

The charter industry works well in this Port, there is a lot of harmony between skippers and that always works well, no petty jealousies, just a bunch of likeminded skippers wanting to catch fish,

Many of us not seeing each other for most of the year then catching up for a couple of months doin' what we do best, catching marlin.

 

In the long run "Happy customers, smiles on dials that's what I'm talkin' about". And we get that from catching marlin and we work together to achieve that end result for our clients

 

I recall Jim Dalling calling me up and saying from his vantage point on the tower of "Reel Chase" "Come over here Roscoe there's a bunch of stripes on a bait ball'.

 

We caught several fish in a couple of hours, both of us going backwards chasing a hot fish, most of the time.

 

However it is not just the brilliant marlin fishing, it is also the superb scenery of the place that I never get sick of looking at, it really is a breathtaking port to leave from and then come home to after a busy days fishing.

The entrance to the port is made up of Headlands and Islands that are remnants of an extinct volcano from a long forgotten dinosaur era.

The highest mountain to the south Tomaree forms an embattlement that protects the mariners from bad weather, making the port a most safe passage for our boats

To the north Yaccabah with its picturesque, almost vertical mountainous slopes and giant wind eroded gorges that the sea pounds into with great force, sending plumes of spray forever skyward.

Always a most spectacular sight as we steam to the bait grounds at first light.

The colours of these beautiful steeped cliffs changes constantly with sunlight, depending on the light of the day.

Then there's Cabbage Tree Island with its western rain forest and gorges full of cabbage trees, home of the tiny Gould's Petrel and a resident family of white-bellied sea eagles.

To the south Little Island and Boondelbah Island they all form the breathtaking oceanic entrance to the Port.

 

Over the years there have been many fishing milestones, Broadbill's twenty-one marlin in a day in February 2005.

A day when a bait ball was found with an estimated 80 striped marlin working it up all day.

All we had to do was to back up to it, throw two live baits in and immediately hook up a double on stripes.

There also has been many World and Australian records on all kinds of tackle all caught from this world-class fishery.

The area constantly produces record catches of stripes and juvenile black marlin (fish to 150kg) and some "honker" blue marlin up to 350kg

But there are other species that are targeted and they are mahis, yellowfin and cobia and they come in XXXOS size as well.

Pt. Stephens hosts the largest tournament in the Southern Hemisphere 'The NSW Interclub" 250 boats turn up and fill the port in February each year. To compete in this extremely well organised event. Is a busy and most exciting affair.

Local boat "Born Free" won in '07 with Captain Tim Dean at the helm.

It is a most spectacular sight when all these boats from 6 metre trailer boats to 50metre fuel guzzling battlewagons gather together to fish these waters.

 

If it is a fisherman's holiday you want and you also wouldn't mind coming back with "Your arms dangling like those of an ape from the stretching they'll get during your stay" then visit us at

 

PT.STEPHENS you will not be disappointed.

 

Visit www.gamefishingcharters.com.au and go in to Fishing Adventure Packages for more details on costs etc.

 

About The Author: Ross Hunter

Company: Ross Hunter's gamefishingcharters p/l

Area Reporting: sydney

Bio: Father and son Captains Ross and Glenn Hunter operate their most respected gamefishing vessels Billfisher and Broadbill out of Sydney and Pt Stephens (approx 100 nm north of Sydney)They have been professional skippers for 20 years and have pretty much caught or hold records for most gamefish caught in our waters. The species are blue, black and striped marlin, spearfish,wahoo, mahis then in winter gut busting yellowfin, bluefin and makos.Some of their achievements can be viewed on their excellent web site www.gamefishingcharters.com.au They specialize in marlin in the summer and yellowfin in the winter. Catches of up to 21 marlin in a day have been recorded.

02 9534 2378
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Fishing Guide Ross Hunter