The 12Hr MEGA deep sea Sunshine Coast fishing charter.
Our lengthy 12-hour Sunshine Coast charters – also known as our MEGA day trips -are the ultimate way to experience true, hardcore, Deep Sea Fishing, off the Sunshine Coast. These trips enable us to reach more distant fishing locations only in range on trips of this sort of duration. Too far for the vast majority of recreational/private boats, and even difficult for commercial charters that don’t have the same size as Crusader 1. This all means less fishing pressure, making this is an experienced offshore anglers ideal trip!
We only recommend this length of trip to those guests with a solid amount of experience in Deep Sea Fishing. The very long duration of this length of deep sea fishing charter allows for an enormous amount of time for fishing Vs Travelling. In general we will travel up to 35nm offshore on this charter. Less experienced fishing enthusiasts should strongly consider shorter duration charters if at all possible. The deeper waters, stronger currents and often much larger fish normally pose a far greater challenge, which can make for a difficult day if you have not had experience with less extreme conditions at sea before. On these “hardcore” fishing charters experience and skill plays a huge role in determining overall success!
To get such experience, less experienced fishing enthusiasts should strongly consider shorter duration charters if at all possible. Perhaps our 5 hour , 7 hour, or our 9 hour charters are a better fit in such cases! Although we will never enforce these guidelines on any of our guests, we believe we should always offer you the charter we believe is most likely best suited to the experience you are looking for! In the end the decision remains yours of course.
Our MEGA Sunshine Coast fishing charters include a BBQ lunch!
For a detailed “itinerary” for this charter and to see what is and isn’t included please click on the “Itinerary” tab.
- All legal fish are your to keep, return or share. Bag and size limits obviously apply and are strictly adhered to. All kept fish will be “Gutted and gilled” for you by our crew, bagged and put on ice for you to take home at the end of the charter.
- All legal (size and gender) spanner crabs caught are cooked, iced and shared between passengers interested in trying them!
- Use of fishing equipment and bait is included (you are of course welcome to bring your own if you prefer).
Our Terms and conditions are available on this webpage ( Click here to view them now ) and will also be emailed to you as part of the booking confirmation.
The “Coast Guard & Boat Ramp” Pontoon (located between the 2 boat ramps),
51 Parkyn Parade Mooloolaba Qld.
(Click on the RED 
icon on the above map for more information)
We depart from the “Coast Guard & Boat Ramp” Pontoon. (Pontoon is located between the 2 boat ramps).
For a GPS use 51 Parkyn Parade Mooloolaba Qld. These are the units across the road from the ramp.
Please DO NOT park your car in the Boat trailer areas here but rather find a park along Parkyn Parade where parking is free and unlimited in time. Cars parked incorrectly in the Boat ramp car park are likely to be towed.
Once parked please wait at the top of the ramp to the pontoon until instructed by the crew that it is safe to come down the ramp and board the vessel.
Key Details:
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | The Coast Guard Pontoon, 50 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba ( Sunshine Coast ), Queensland. Australia | ||||
| DEPARTURE AND RETURN TIMES | Sunrise: 5.30AM Departure & 5.30PM Return | ||||
| DEPARTURE NOTE | Please arrive 30 minutes prior for a prompt departure. | ||||
| WHAT TO WEAR & BRING | Comfortable clothing, enclosed shoes, hat and sunglasses. Bring a rain jacket just in case. Alcohol is on a BYO basis. | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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1
Departure
Please arrive 20 to 30 minutes PRIOR to your noted departure time. The vessels will depart on time should you be late and we have note heard from you!
Ensure you have enough time to find a car park if needed.
Please DO NOT bring empty eskies aboard. The crew will bag and ice your fish and your crabs (separately) for you so that you can take them to your can and easily place them in a waiting esky there.
Early charters have Morning Coffee and tea provided aboard. (We know how hard it can be to find a coffee at 5AM!)
Please do not wait on the pontoon itself as the crew will be mooring the vessel on its arrival and we safety is paramount for all.
2
Boarding
Once securely and safely moored, the crew will ask you to board the vessel. Make your way up towards the cabin, placing any bags in the locker seat that will be open and waiting.
3
Registering
We are heading out to sea so each and every person aboard must sign in on the ship register, and marked off by the crew. To this end see the skipper (at the cabin window) and he will indicate the passenger log for you to comnplete. Have a balance to pay for the day? This is where and when you do that part too.
4
Relax
Once the paperwork has been done for you, make yourself a coffee or tea (all waiting for you on the large table) and have a look about the boat to get comfortable. The Coffee and tea will be put away by the crew as we exit the river so make sure you have yours well before that!
5
Safety First
As required by maritime legislation, the crew will have to do a safety briefing before we hit the open ocean. Much like on a plane any time you fly, we do need your attention for the couple of minutes it takes. We all hope and expect the information we are providing never to be needed, but its always best to be forewarned and prepared.
6
Pushing off
One of the few times we need you to be seated, out of the way of lines and other items. Just until the crew have cleared them away and the skipper is heading forward.
7
Crossing the Bar
Recognised in maritime as one of the potentially more dangerous things that happens aboard a vessel, this is the 2nd time the crew will ask everyone to be seated. Once through (It only takes a minute or 2) the ocean conditions will take effect.
8
Setting the crab traps
On a 11Hr trip the initial “steam” is normally about 90 minutes. The vessel will then slow down to a gentle cruise speed (about 8 knots) and the crew will set the crab traps from the rear of the vessel. This will take all of 5 minutes before the skipper is able to speed up again for another 5 or 10 minutes to the first fishing location.
9
Fishing!
The first of what will normally be 3 or 4 different locations. The crew will provide everyone will a quick demonstration of how to put bait on, how to drop your lines and other relevant areas of using the fishing equipment. Of course if you are still unsure just ask for help! Thats why we have more crew that most other charters aboard!
10
Return
On a 11 Hr charter you will normally have about 9 hours of actual fishing time not taking into account the move from location to location, not taking into account the time you may take to have lunch/dinner. On the return trip an additional 15 to 20 minutes is needed to collect the crab traps we set on the way out. The crew will haul these aboard, and passengers are encouraged to get involved in the collection of the crabs and the sorting of them. No need to be frightened as Spanner Crabs are very docile and really cannot harm you (unlike their mud cousins). Its a fun experience and one you may never have the opportunity to do again. The crabs that pass the sorting process are then cooked aboard by the crew and put on ice. Depending on the number of crabs caught, they will be bagged and shared between interested passengers, or made available for eating on the remainder of the return voyage.
11
Back home
Of course as we re-enter the bar, and during the mooring of the vessel, the crew will ask all passengers to be seated again for safety. Once moored securely, the crew will retrieve the fish caught and the crabs, and hand them out based on the tagging done at the time of catching them. All your fish and crabs will be in plastic bags (never mix cooked with fresh) with ice to keep them cold. The crew will also demonstrate the quick and easy way you can prepare the crabs for eating (SO much easier than other crabs!) Once you have your seafood bounty you are free to disembark the vessel.
Tour Reviews
“Can’t wait to return!”
Reviewed on trip advisor on the 7 April
After being cancelled initially because of weather, the staff at Sunshine Coast Afloat’s Fish n Crab Charters made sure we were booked on an alternative trip. So glad they did because we had a blast! The crew, the boat the weather, the food, the fishing. Everything was awesome!
[email protected]
49.193.51.227
“Splashing! ”
Reviewed on trip advisor on the 7 April via mobile
Been on lots of fishing charters before but this really is a special company! Their service is simply amazing. And the boat and fishing tackle is well above what we have been on before. We have found our go to charter!
“A great day out”
Reviewed on trip advisor on the 27 July
I thoroughly recommend using Sunshine Coast Afloat’s Fish n Crab Charters as they provided our group with an excellent fishing platform, good tackle, a great crew and plenty of food. Everyone caught fish and a great time was had by all.
Well done, we will be back.
Greg
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