GROOTE EYLANDT
Mothership/ Live Aboard

“ESCAPADE” is our new 50 foot addition to the Escape Sportfishing and Wilderness Lodge Fleet. It was originally designed as a live aboard dive boat to do extended charters to the Great Barrier Reef. The Aluminium displacement hull will act as the perfect home away from home for up to 8 anglers and 3 crew for extended Barramundi trips to the remote Roper River. The live aboard will also act as overnight accommodation for charters to the more remote regions around Groote Eylandt and the many Islands that make up the archipelago.

Groote Eylandt is so large that we simply can’t get to some of the more remote areas of coastline, bommies, bays and reef systems in our single day charters. “Escapade” will allow our guests the opportunity to mix up their trip by staying 1, 2 or 3 days aboard the vessel, taking away the need to venture back to the lodge at the end of day 1. Escapade will be our Escape Lodge on the water, enabling keen anglers to experience the full wonders of this magnificent fishing paradise. The fishing grounds that we will be able to explore will have hardly seen a lure and will be unchartered in many cases providing unmatched adventure. Many areas we visit will have never been fished, as we chase numerous species commonly caught around the many islands. Visit our picture page on our website to see what fish we regularly encounter.    

The Roper River trips will be available in April and May 09 chasing the huge Barra at the tail end of the wet season. The Roper River lies 60 nautical miles from the bottom of Groote Eylandt and will be a 5 hour trip to our anchorage. Barramundi and the NT go hand in hand and  anglers will have a great chance to fish these remote waters in style. “Escapade” is air conditioned with all the modern conveniences to ensure that your trip is an enjoyable one.
We will be exploring this region over the coming months and each month we will have a detailed report in our Newsletter keeping everyone up to speed on our adventures.

“Escapade” will be available for charters or overnight accommodation each month for guests of our Lodge. Guests will be required to organise overnight accommodation in advance for a night or two onboard, or pre book “Escapade” on one of our monthly expeditions.

From October “Escapade will float between chasing the “build up” Barramundi of the Roper River and Blue Mud Bay, to extended Bluewater trips targeting Sailfish, Marlin and countless other reef and pelagic species along the southern more remote reaches of the Island. Again advance bookings will need to be made to ensure your place on board.

If anglers are keen to target one species more than another then our live aboard will allow access, weather permitted to the best fishing grounds. “Escapade” opens up a whole new fishing playground for our Escape Sportfishing Lodge. For more info on how you can book a trip on board to fish the mighty Roper River or chase awesome bluewater species from our new live aboard, contact Carolyn on 0400596699 or visit our website for more details.

ROPER RIVER BARRA EXPEDITIONS

The Roper River lies 100km SW of Groote Eylandt. It is a massive river system meandering some 250km before reaching the Gulf of Carpentaria. The famous Roper Bar separates the freshwater upper reaches from the tidal saltwater influence. The saltwater is where we concentrate our fishing chasing Barramundi that can be caught over the 30kg mark. The Roper, Towns, and Limmen Bight are just three of the major rivers we target, and the fishing around the mouth and tidal creeks can be sensational.
We look to start our live aboard fishing expeditions each year in March with 8 trips available over the peak run off period of March, April and May. Escapade will anchor as close to the action as possible providing anglers the chance to spend optimum time at the key Barra hot spots.

• Cast Lures and troll for metre plus Barra at the prime times of the year.
• There is great run off to be fished, as the fresh water resides off the flood plains and drains back into the gulf.
• Poppers can be used to target the bigger aggressive fish.
• Shallow running lures like “Bombers” tricked up with quality gamakatsu hooks and rings will usually snare the biggest fish.
• With millions of baitfish washing back from their shallow breeding grounds into the main system, fishing these gutters at the right time will have you catching many Barra of all sizes.
• When the weathers hot so is the Barra fishing.
• Mud Crabs can be prolific in the warmer months.