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MOTHERSHIPPING CHARTERS

The Thrill of the Chase.
The Art of Luxury.

Mothershipping with Morris Nautical

Mothershipping on the Great Barrier Reef at a level few can match. Fish by day aboard M.V. Gambler, Australia’s newest custom game fishing vessel, and return each evening to your own superyacht. From the Ribbon Reefs to the Coral Sea, this is how the fish of a lifetime should be pursued.

Morris Nautical offers the complete mothership experience: M.V. Gambler paired with M.Y. Flying Fish, M.Y. Beluga or M.Y. Northern Escape as your home on the water. Charter with exclusive access to expedition-style adventures, world-class fishing and expert crew to guide you to your best catch yet.

Discover M.V. Gambler

M.Y. Beluga with M.V. Gambler mothershipping on the Ribbon Reefs

How it works

Choose your mothership

Select M.Y. Flying Fish (8 guests), M.Y. Beluga (10 guests) or M.Y. Northern Escape (12 guests) as your floating base, with private chef, luxury cabins and full crew.

Fish aboard Gambler

Each morning Gambler and her crew take your anglers to the grounds.

Return to luxury

Evenings are for hot showers, sunset drinks, fine dining and swapping stories, before moving to fresh grounds overnight.

Gambler brings the speed, tackle and crew to put you on the fish. Your mothership brings the comfort, cuisine and space to make every evening memorable. Together, they unlock remote grounds from the Ribbon Reefs to the Coral Sea that are simply out of reach on a day trip.

Make an enquiry
Choose your mothership
Choose your preferred luxury vessel to charter

M.Y. BELUGA

Length: 35m
Guests: 10 in 5 cabins
Mooring: Cairns, Queensland. Cruising Area: Queensland and South Pacific Cruising New Zealand from January to April 2027

M.Y. FLYING FISH

Length: 32m
Guests: 8 in 4 cabins
Mooring: Cairns, Queensland
Cruising Area: Queensland

M.Y. NORTHERN ESCAPE

Length: 41m
Guests: 12 in 5 cabins
Mooring: Cairns, Queensland
Cruising Area: Queensland and South Pacific

Ways to Fish the Great Barrier Reef

The Best of Both Worlds

M.V. Gambler with Your Mothership

Fish by day. Return to your superyacht by night.

At first light, Gambler takes your anglers to the grounds while your mothership moves to the next anchorage. Each evening you step back aboard M.Y. Beluga, M.Y. Flying Fish or M.Y. Northern Escape for a hot shower, a chef-prepared meal and your luxurious superyacht cabin.

Where we fish:

  • Linden Bank
  • The Ribbon Reefs
  • Lizard Island

M.V. Gambler landing a Black Marlin

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Extended Expeditions

Remote waters, rarely fished.

Over four or more days, M.V. Gambler and her mothership range north from the Ribbon Reefs towards Cape York, or east to the remote reefs and seamounts of the Coral Sea.  We shape every route around the season, the conditions and what’s biting.

Grounds we can reach:

  • Osprey Reef and Bougainville Reef
  • The Coral Sea seamounts
  • Hope Island and Princess Charlotte Bay
  • Cape York
  • The Ribbon Reefs including Lizard Island

Ideal for serious anglers chasing heavy-tackle black marlin, giant dogtooth tuna around Osprey Reef, or bluewater fishing far from other boats.

Chartering M.Y. Beluga with M.V. Gambler and two other game boats

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Heli-Fish the Reef

The fly-in charter

Fly from Cairns in your private helicopter, landing on the Reef, where your yacht and M.V. Gambler are waiting. Spend your days fishing grounds such as Linden Bank, Jenny Louise Shoal and Baines Patches, or further north along the Ribbon Reefs, then fly home.

Extend your adventure from the reef to the outback:

After days on the water, continue by helicopter to Mt Mulligan Lodge, named one of Robb Report’s 50 Greatest Luxury Hotels on Earth, where the rugged escarpment meets starry skies. The perfect finale to your days fishing on the Great Barrier Reef.

Helicopter charter to fish the Great Barrier Reef

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Charter Inclusions

Everything you need to fish without compromise.

  • Exclusive use of the crewed M.V. Gambler
  • Full Shimano tackle on custom Ian Miller rods, from Tiagra 130s for marlin to Stellas for topwater
  • Bait, lures and tackle
  • Your private chef, cooking for guests and crew

 

Make it yours:

  • A second game boat or chase boat alongside
  • Scuba diving on the Reef’s best sites
  • A photography and drone package
  • A premium beverage package, or bring your own
  • Additional guests
  • Vessel relocation
  • Helicopter charters
  • Ocean to Outback – add a stay at Mt Mulligan Lodge
  • Ocean to Island – add a stay at Pelorus Private Island or Orpheus Island Lodge

Every charter is tailored to your vessel, party, dates and itinerary. Please contact our team for a proposal. 

M.Y Northern Escape at Lizard Island

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When to come

September to December: black marlin season

Each spring, giant black marlin gather off Cairns, and these grounds have produced record-breaking fish for decades. This is the season to chase a black marlin over 1,000 pounds on heavy tackle. Dates book out early, and 2027 is filling fast.

January to August: the rest of the Reef

Outside marlin season, the fishing is still exceptional. Cast poppers and stickbaits for giant trevally, troll the drop-offs for Spanish mackerel, wahoo and tuna, and drop to the reef for coral trout and red emperor. In winter, dwarf minke whales visit the Ribbon Reefs.

M.V. Gambler on the Great Barrier Reef

Make an enquiry

Start planning your next adventure.
+61 (0)7 4777 7377 or [email protected]

Contact our team

Start planning your next adventure by completing the form or contacting us on:

+61 (0)7 4777 7377 or [email protected]

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