Arafura Bluewater Charters
Arafura Bluewater Charters has been operating in Darwin from Cullen Bay for over a decade. They specialise in bluewater reef and game fishing charters, catering for local, interstate and international fishing enthusiasts on offshore fishing charters.
Boats
Owner operator Steve Compain has over 26 years experience fishing the NT waters and searched the nation for the perfect bluewater vessel. He uses “Mark Ellis Design” vessels. All vessels are in NT survey, and well maintained and cleaned.
Wai Nawana
Wai Nawana was launched May 2010 … she is a 52′ custom-built Mark Ellis-design vessel built in Fremantle, WA.
Tere Tiki
Tere Tiki is 42′ Precision Randall fishing vessel. Tere Tiki had a full face lift in 2006, including a new 540 hp Cummins.
Wai Tui
Wai Tui was custom built in July 2006, perfect for NT bluewater fishing.
Wai Adi
Wai Adi was launched in May 2008, She is a sister ship to Wai Tui, with the addition of an air-conditioner.
Arafura’s liveaboard charters offer the ultimate fishing experience in the Top End and have proven successful not only with TV show hosts, but the vast majority of bookings being repeat business with clients booking for the next year and beyond.
Liveaboard charters depart at 2000 hrs. Meet the Wai Nawana (outside the lock gates) at the Cullen Bay Ferry Terminal at 1945. Be greeted by Arafura’s friendly crew and stow your gear in their air conditioned accommodation. Then settle in for a few drinks and meet the rest of the group, before getting your head down for the night and wake at the fishing grounds ready for a bacon and egg sandwich a cuppa and some awesome fishing action.
2 Day Trip
The two-day charters are usually to the Peron Islands area, approx 80nm west-south-west of Darwin. The clearer water in this area is home to the red emperor, coral trout, golden snapper, tuskfish, the mighty black jewfish, cod, and also a variety of pelagic fish, including trevally, spanish mackerel, tuna and sailfish.
This area has proved popular with several TV fishing personalities, including “I Fish” with Paul Worstling, “Hooked” with Dave Butfeild and Jason Kennedy from “Fishing Trips” has also “Stopped the bus” in these fish rich waters returning regularly on the 2-3 day charters to enjoy a taste of what the territory has to offer. Flat Top Banks and the Tiwi Islands are also possible on the 2 day charters however this is dependent on tides and weather conditions.
3 Day Trip
These charters open up a huge area of remote Territory fishing depending on weather, the time of year and tidal movement. Flat Top Bank nautical miles from Darwin is one option for the neaps (small tidal movement) and is home to huge mangrove jacks, red emperor, tricky snapper, giant trevally, spanish mackerel, with a stop at Cape Fourcroy on Bathurst Island for a session on golden snapper and black jewfish on the way home.
One the larger tides Arafura heads past the Peron Islands to the remote fish-rich grounds near Cape Scott, Emu Reef and Cape Ford, again home to red emperor, golden snapper, tricky snapper, jewfish, tuskfish and coral trout, with some trolling thrown in to give the arms a rest, and the chance to tussle with spanish mackerel, or land a trophy sailfish.
4 or 5 Day Trips
For the adventurous fisho a long steam through the night some 170nm puts you in international waters. Fishing the remote Tassie, Evans or Flinders shoals, these trips are limited to the calmest times of the year and specific tides. The fishing is world class, with fine table fish in abundance, and awe-inspiring sportsfish. Exotic species like powerful dogtooth tuna, blue trevally and wahoo, all this between the main game, goldband snapper, small and largemouth nannygai, red emperor, longnose emperor, coral trout, coronation trout, trout cod and a myriad of other species. There have been encounters with sailfish and black marlin. Again on the last morning tides permitting a stop at Cape Fourcroy on the way home for a black jewfish if your arms still work.
All tackle is provided however if you wish to bring your own gear a minimum of 50lb braid is suggested, a good jigging outfit and some Gulp soft plastics. Fillets can be taken home in the plane in an approved 10kg box.
For more information go here www.arafurablue.com.au