Bugatti

[Tony Warnett]

Guys,

Off to Bugatti start of March there is lots of Trip Reports I have viewed but none in March is there a reason for...this as March is usually the hottest month for GT action around the globe.

Targeting GT on topwater what is the preference color for artificial's for this area.

Also Jigging for Doggies what are the depth ranges for this please.

Thanks.

[Jay Burgess]

I don't really think there's a reason. Nomad used to be the main operator that fished there and I know that they just fished other destinations in March. Dogtooth are quite rare there as well.

As for colours. Depends on the day of the week.

[Tony Warnett]

The crew that fished it last September did well on the Doggies especially on the cheaper no name brands in particular Williamson in Pink.

With the hotter months obviously the water temperature rises bringing species like GT out of the depths.

Color is important as the migratory species like Yellow Fin Slimmey Mackerel and Juvenile Mackerel etc are target bait by Predators depending on season and water temperature currents.

My questions was more raised at people that had been there during March not general as there are lots of trip reports for Bugatti 

Watching Brandon yesterday with some Youtube footage from 2012 got the blood pressure up  .
 
We will be fishing from a 40 Ft Obrien on a private charter organized through Sea Fever Sportsfishing.

Just trying to limit the amount of gear.

[Brandon Khoo]

Tony, my personal view is you will get great fishing there pretty much throughout the year as long as condititons are decent. I haven't been there in Macrch but I have been there in April through to about August. It really is all about conditions based on my experience

[Tony Warnett]

Thanks Brandon.

Looking forward to its one place that has been on the Bucket List for some time  .

[Brandon Khoo]

Good luck there - you might have piqued my interest as well in that charter operator as I wasn't aware of them before so very much looking forward to your report on your trip. I haven't found another operator for the location since Nomad stopped fishing it.

On your other questions. With the exception of one late afternoon when all they would take was a black popper (just weird), I have never found a colour preference in that location. What I would do is ensure I have variation in lures. At different times, they have favoured poppers, surface stickbaits, sinking stickbaits or pencils. In terms of size and weight, their primary food source is fusiliers. You won't go too far wrong with lures in the 100-180g category. Find the fusiliers and you find the fish there.

[Tony Warnett]

Taking a Heavy Popping outfit (Fisherman BG Jack) for 180+ Poppers Brandon have found from previous experience both in QLD & WA that large commotion has scarred or shied GT away but will still Bomb away early morning late afternoon with the Naval Guns.
 
Stickbaits: Strategic Angler/FCL CSP/Orion Plug Tropic/Nature Boy Surfish/ASWB in natural coloration.

Poppers: Glide 180 Craft Bait GT 3 - 170 & 190 Fisherman Paro Paro and Long Pens and Fisherman HP's always take a couple of Black once tried you never go back 

Sounds like Exmouth you can mark the Fusies through the day on the plotter then tide change and so does the activity.

Ash (Skipper) was more excited to go back than some of the anglers he loves GT with a passion that can only be determined after you fish aboard always going the extra distance to make sure you get hooked up!

Looking forward to posting the full report.

[Doug Lindsay]

Hey guys, I haven't posted here for a long time, but I was on the September trip to Bugatti and will be on the March mission too. We had a great time on Bugatti 1.0 and I'm sure Bugatti 2.0 will be better!
There's a good chance (weather dependant) that I'm also dragging my Haines centre along as a dory, so that will open up some shallow ground opportunities as well. As Tony said, we did pretty well in the Dogtooth just outside and this suprised me. Admittedly only school sized fish, but still good fun on mid range tackle. Short, pink jigs were the standout performers on these guys. We had a serious jigging guy on board with all the options, but it was cheap Williamson jigs that did the damage time after time.
From my experience of trips up and down the GBR, Bugatti has the most life at anchor too. Every afternoon, as soon as the boat settled , there would be life at the stern. Whether it was Lemon sharks, GTs or huge Grouper (or all of them) it was really remarkable. Our usual gig, at anchor late afternoon, is to pull out the 10lb gear and chase Spangled Emporer, but at Bugatti, every small fish got nailed on the way in! Without exception!
Cool place and looking forward to learning more from Tony.

[Jay Burgess]

Watching with interest as well, haven't seen a trip report from this location for quite some time.