There is something positively eerie about fishing the remote Montebello Islands, north of Western Australia.

The place achieved notoriety in the 1950s as the site for the first British atomic bomb testing. Three bombs were detonated at the islands, causing widespread damage to the fauna and fish stocks. But what wasn't so obvious - not until much later, anyway - was the damage these tests had also inflicted on the health of the servicemen stationed at the islands, whose only protection was to turn their backs to the huge mushroom clouds spiralling out and upwards.

It's not only atomic bombs and the twisted steel relics dotting the islands that make the place somewhat foreboding, however. Nearby Tryal rocks is the site of Australia's first recorded shipwreck. In 1622, the East India Company's vessel Tryal slammed into the rocks that now bear its name, resulting in a huge loss of life.

It is strange, then, that the British and Australian governments claimed the Montebello islands, as they were regarded at the time, as remote and desolate - far removed from the population masses and of little , if any, value. It's remarkable how 50 intervening years have changed attitudes so much.

Now the entire Montebello archipelago and the nearby Barrow Island are about to be declared a marine park, due to their ‘high conservation values'.

BOMBS AND SHIPWRECKS
British nuclear tests were carried out at the Montebellos between 1952 and 1956, after which they were relocated to Maralinga in South Australia.

On October 3, 1952, a 25-kiloton bomb was detonated inside HMS Plym - a frigate anchored in 12m of water just off Trimouille Island. The explosion left a crater 305m across and 6m deep, and it's readily seen on a depthsounder and clearly visible in aerial photos.

Although the ship was vaporised, part of the mast landed on the beach and can still be seen today at low tide.

In 1956, a 15-kiloton bomb was detonated on Trimouille Island, followed by a much larger 98-kiloton beast exploded on Alpha Island. Remains in the form of scrap metal, observation posts and roads can still be found on some of the islands. Cairns mark the ‘ground zero' sites.

On the May 25, 1622, the Tryal - captained by John Brooke - struck a reef lying about eight nautical miles off what was then known as North West Island. According to Jack Loney, author of Wrecks on the Western Australian Coast, Brooke was reported to have deserted his ship and crew by lowering himself into a skiff with nine men and his cabin boy, and heading for what is now known as Indonesia.

Thomas Bright, the first mate, launched the longboat with 36 aboard, and apparently the remaining 143 passengers and crew were left to perish. Both the skiff and longboat made it to Indonesia. It wasn't until 1969 that divers located the Tryal's remains.

TOPOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
The Montebellos consist of 265 low-lying limestone and sandstone islands, irregular with convoluted shorelines with fringing barrier reefs and dissected by channels, lagoons and intertidal bays. Part of its attraction is its high biodiversity, with extensive mudflats, seaweed/seagrass beds and mangrove communities - a rarity on offshore island lagoon systems.

Part of the Montebellos' attraction is that they are located far enough offshore to prevent undue fishing pressure - yet not so far as to be an insurmountable distance, logistics wise, for most trailerboats and charterboats.

The islands can be accessed from either Dampier or Onslow (around 130km away) or Exmouth (around 200km) in Western Australia.

I joined Neil and Ben Patrick of Halco lures fame at the Exmouth marina before heading north-east for the Montebellos. Our original plan was to fish and island-hop our way to Peak and Surrurier Islands, and then spend some time at Barrow Island. However, strong winds and a lack of good anchorages had us steaming past Barrow for the Montebellos.

A quick fish at Peak Island saw plenty of action in the pelagic department. There are good drop-offs located just offshore where pelagics regularly patrol, while the island's shallows can be productive for giant trevally on poppers.

There was no shortage of Spanish and shark mackerel (large-scale tuna) - our Laser 190 minnows were hammered on a constant basis for a couple of hours before the bite slowed on low tide. We steamed a short distance (eight miles) to the protected anchorage of Surrurier Island in readiness for the next day's lengthy run to the Montebellos.

Upon reaching the southern part of Barrow Island, we gained some respite from the constant 20kt of wind. Humpback whales and their young calves were prolific, on their southern migratory run after spending winter in the Kimberley.

Bird activity was relatively quiet until we reached the northern end of Barrow Island and opposite the Lowendal Islands (a small group located in shallow shoal-laden water between Barrow and the Montebellos). As far as the eye could see, terns were following visible schools of longtail tuna and shark mackerel.

Resisting the urge to put out any lines, as locating a safe anchorage was the number-one priority, we negotiated our way through the shallow and uncharted waters on a dropping tide - always a tense time - before dropping into Claret Bay at the southern end of the Montebellos. This is also the site for Montebello Sea Safaris, a houseboat fishing operation which relies primarily on bottom fishing for its business.

NICE NAMES, LOLLY LEGS
The marine surveyors who originally named the various features of the Montebellos must have liked the odd drink. The following alcohol-related names appear on the chart: Claret Bay; Rum Cove; Sherry and Brandy Lagoons; Hock, Whiskey, Stout, Geneva, Cider, Champagne, Chartreuse, Burgundy, Chianti, Drambuie, Moselle and Sach bays.

It makes an interesting change from the normal early French and English dukes and kings!

Towering above Claret Bay in a field of purple-coloured mulla mulla flowers and giant termite mounds are the derelict remains of the main control centre for the British nuclear tests. The metal is still radioactive, and it is advised not to touch!

It is somewhat surprising that anything remains of the post, given that the Montebellos are subject, on a regular basis, to the most powerful cyclones on the Australian coast. It is hard to reconcile how these beautiful islands - in a harsh, wild sense - could have been used as a bombsite and are now on the verge of becoming a marine park.

The attraction of the Montebellos, other than their history and biodiversity, is the wide range of fishing options available. No matter which direction the wind is blowing, there is always a lee shore. Additionally, there is good fishing among the labyrinth of island channels for high-quality species such as coral trout and jumbo mangrove jacks, as well as crayfish from the many coral lumps.

If it's blowing from the west, it's a simple matter of fishing the east side, or visa versa. Alternatively, you can pursue jacks inside the islands.

NORTH WEST ISLAND
At the northern end of the Montebellos is North West Island - a haven for nesting green and leatherback turtles inside the lagoons' placid waters. It's also a melting pot of fringing reefs, coral bommies and strong currents on the seaward side.

Not surprisingly, these conditions act as a giant magnet for pelagic fish.

Care needs to be exercised when fishing this area, as not only do rough seas often prevail, but there are also many perils, including a cluster of three mostly submerged bommies.

Trolling along the reef edge and bommies resulted in constant multiple hook-ups on Spanish, shark and broad-barred mackerel, barracuda, giant trevally and thumping queenfish. Casting poppers into the wash was a chore from the foredeck.

Fellow angler Ben hurt his ribs as he slipped on the foredeck, while I was nearly catapulted over the side twice in the maelstrom, forcing us to revert to casting poppers from the cockpit - a much easier and safer proposition.

We caught GTs, although we never found them in the Volkswagen-sized class despite the seemingly ideal spots.

Incredibly, in an afternoon session, we released 70 fish - mostly Spanish macks plus a raft of other sundry species. Halco was testing out some of its new colour range, and the King Brown 190 Laser Pro was the undisputed top dog.

It's good to see a lure manufacturer actually investing some real sea time into product development rather than simply relying on sterile tank testing to develop its lures' effectiveness.

EASTERN TRIMOUILLE ISLAND
On a previous trip to the Montebellos, we came across an unnamed reef (later unofficially named Halco Reef due to the high loss of lures) loaded with big chinamen fish in excess of 13kg.

On a pound-for-pound basis, these often despised species (in Queensland waters, at least, due to ciguatera poisoning fears) are one of the toughest fighting fish that swim. Not only are they tough fighters, but they also have a mean streak - often ploughing to the bottom to cut off anglers.

On our previous trip, we found them in 8-12m of water, with the deep slow-trolling Crazy Deep 150 Scorpions being the only lures able to illicit a strike from that depth. Unfortunately on this trip the chinamen were absent, so we had to be content with catching a procession of shark mackerel, some Spaniards and gold spot trevally.

The shark mackerel actually became a real pest, though, so we left to try out different country.

SOUTHERN TRIMOUILLE
A smattering of islands south of Trimouille denotes the south-eastern entrance to the inner archipelago. Not surprisingly, fish tend to congregate in this area.

It also contains a large number of coral bommies, most of which are loaded with coral trout of good size (2-5kg average). Trolling 125mm and 150mm scorpions over the bommies worked a treat, especially on the incoming tide. The trout preferred bright fluoro-coloured lures compared to natural-coloured patterns.

At times, our lures were nailed by the ubiquitous shark mackerel, which were becoming a real nuisance. So too, but to a much lesser extent, did gold spot and golden trevally.

At one stage, we explored several of the coral lumps with scuba gear and found a healthy fish population including trout, ornate crays and big mangrove jacks. Bagging a feed of crays was never a problem. Large numbers of fusiliers - prime trevally tucker - were also swarming like bees around the bommies.

TRYAL ROCKS
If we thought the fishing around North West Island's extremities was hot, then the action at Tryal Rocks was simply blistering!

Approaching the islands was daunting, with wild water breaking all over the horizon. I spared a thought for the poor souls on the Tryal who ploughed into the reef in the dead of night on a benign sea.

As we steamed closer, a number of low-lying reef systems could be clearly seen rising above the sea's surface with relentless waves crashing over them. To say that some care was needed in the navigation department was an understatement!

From the moment our lures hit the water, the bite was frenzied. With three anglers fishing, it was unusual not to have a treble hook-up for the entire time of our visit to this particular area. Quite often, a fish would dislodge the hooks only to be replaced by another!

Most were good-sized Spaniards in the 30-45lb range. Thankfully the pesky shark mackerel were less prolific.

One particularly big Spaniard - the biggest I have ever hooked - took me past the backing before finally being subdued. It would have been easy just to gaff it and haul it aboard, but we were keen to get some nice images; so instead, a small jaw gaff was deployed.

Unfortunately in the process the hook ripped out of the King Brown coloured Laser Pro. Neil Patrick's estimate of 70lb-plus seemed pretty well spot on.

I didn't have long to feel disappointed, as a nice wahoo of 50lb-plus nailed the King Brown. It went like a cut cat, with plenty of long runs; and when closer to the boat, it shook its head continuously.

Thankfully this one was landed. I must have been standing on the correct side of the boat, as I hooked up on another two. At one stage I even saw a school of wahoo swim by; their vertical neon flank bars clearly visible in the clear conditions.

The wash around the reefs looked like ideal GT country, but surprisingly Ben was the only one to score. Giant long toms, some 4ft long, became a real pest in the shallows.

It was a brilliant day's fishing, and we steamed for our anchorage near Alpha Island with sore arms and hands. It was rare to travel for more than a minute without getting a hook-up.

INSIDE THE ISLANDS
As the tides were approaching neaps (small movement) we didn't need to be so concerned about the depth of water under the keel when selecting an overnight anchorage.

On springs, strict care needs to be paid to this, as large areas dry out towards the low. Anchoring in the channels that dissect the islands is not a good option given the fast current that prevails.

Anchoring in the current is fine, except when the wind comes up. This can cause the boat to lay side-on and prevent a good night's sleep.
Navigating inside the islands is fraught with hazards. Other than numerous sandbars, there are minefields of coral bommies. It is also necessary to navigate around extensive lines of pearl shell panels, which crisscross many of the bays.

And if that's not enough, most of the inside waters are unsurveyed!

Alpha Island is well worth a visit to observe the site of the biggest nuclear detonation. Warning signs on the beach advise that it is a radiation and health risk to stay on the island for more than one hour.

Similar signs appear on Trimouille island. A cement cairn denotes the ‘ground zero' site - suitably inscribed with warnings. You certainly feel for the poor ‘guinea pig' servicemen who died prematurely because of a lack of appropriate protection and subsequent radiation poisoning.

I'M ALRIGHT, MANGROVE JACK
The highlight of fishing within the archipelago is the mega-sized mangrove jacks that haunt the channels and rocky points. On the mainland coastline, jacks rarely exceed 2-3kg; but here they average 5-6kg!

Small channels that separate islands are prime locations for the jacks. On every one of my three visits to the islands, mega-sized jacks have always been located. Twelve years ago I was fortunate enough to catch jacks to 5.6kg on a 6in Nilsmaster lure fishing from a 12ft tinnie. This trip, I managed to exceed this feat.

The channel I had in mind becomes landlocked towards low water. Although it was a neap tide, we still needed to depart at first light to reach the channel, and trap ourselves for several hours to await the flood tide before being able to exit again.

We nearly didn't make it! Within 500m of the channel, we endured half an hour of pushing the boat through the coral-laden shallows. Thongs and bare feet are not a good mix in stonefish country! After much effort and bottom scraping, we did finally make it - and luckily without any stonefish incidents!

A few quick trolls on the very short run (perhaps 100m) produced some chinamen fish and spangled emperor - but no jacks. But what I have found in the past is that they respond well to unweighted pilchards.

Anchoring on the lagoon's coral edge, it didn't take long to wake up the jacks. The first one hooked was a hooter, but unfortunately the hooks pulled as the net was readied. Minutes later I landed a monster, weighing in at over 6kg! It was enormously fat and broad through the shoulders.

Biggles, in the second dinghy, landed one of 5kg to add to his jack of similar size taken the evening before when casting a fluoro-green 125mm Scorpion among the rocks. Biggles also lost a mega fish that took him into the shallows and around a coral bommie.

Fish such as Spanish flag, red throat and spangled emperor became a pest with the jack bite drying up. From past encounters, I have found that you normally catch two or three and then the bite shuts down. Time to try something different.

When fishing the Amazon region for big peacock bass, I was impressed by the effectiveness of the rattle jig (a half-ounce lead-head jig with an extended tail tied on a short leader). Since returning to Australia, they have outfished other lures (including softheads) on barramundi during the wet season runoff. The other attraction is they are almost indestructible.

But would they work on the jacks?

Matched with a two-piece Loomis travel rod (STR 783-2) and a Sedona 2000FA threadline and 20lb Platypus braid, I cast out into the channel close to some rocks and slowly yo-yoed the jig back. It was quickly slammed by a big jack, and after a spirited fight another 6kg brute was netted!

It made my day - and on a jig to boot! The boys at Halco have been so impressed with the Amazon jig (Neil was on the Amazon trip) that they intend to market one in the very near future - perhaps by the time you read this article!

ODDS AND ENDNOTES
We caught fish in a whole host of other locations - too numerous to detail here. One highlight was watching Spaniards launch themselves 30-odd-feet into the air, where they had balled up a bait school along a floating weed line. Needless to say, we experienced another red-hot mackie bite.

We did look for marlin one afternoon on the continental shelf drop-off about 20nm to the west. The late Sir Garrick Agnew - the man who has caught more 1000lb marlin than anyone else - had mentioned this area to Neil as a likely marlin spot.

We managed to put in three hours of trolling but didn't raise any. We only scratched the surface. I'm sure in the right conditions and time of year it would fire for marlin.

Then there is an area to the north called Rankin Bank, which an old commercial fishing mate of mine told me was always loaded with small blacks in winter. We didn't manage to make it there, though. Time got away, as it often does...

The Montebello Islands really are like a different world. Rugged, yet beautiful in their own way - and with a chequered past.
Once thought of as useless islands at the end of the earth, the Montebellos are only now being appreciated for what they really are: a starkly unique haven of incredible biodiversity.