Hooked up
Whether you’re trolling for a big barra on the Daly, flicking a plastic into the lilies on a Kakadu billabong,g, or chasing macs on the blue water, we’ve got you covered
There is a break after days of heavy rain and the catchments are full. Everyone wants to go run-off fishing. On the big rivers, downstream locations will be the place to be, where the water falls below the banks. There is too much water around for good upstream fishing.
Fishos will need to keep an eye on the NT roads website.
Last week the Shady Camp, Daly and Gunn Point roads had flood damage.
The Shady Camp road was being repaired as I write.
The Adelaide River will be popular this weekend as there have been good reports, and it is always accessible thanks to its sealed road access.
There is an inland sea on the South and East Alligator River catchments.
Fishos have been discussing taking long sea trips to the river mouths to avoid road closures, but you really must pick good weather to do this.
Going around the likes of Cape Hotham in bad weather can be a nasty experience, as it is shallow and the current rips around it.
A low-pressure system has brought muchneeded rain to the lower Gulf of Carpentaria, but it has taken the Top End’s weather with it.
This is probably a good thing, as any more rain on top of what has fallen may have threatened communities and caused greater road damage.
What is needed now is for the monsoon to reform after a short break, to keep the floodplains full and the rivers flooded for a few more weeks.
In reports, Craig’s Fishing Warehouse’s Mal Strong said closed roads would slow people down for a while.
“Aside from barra, there have been a few snapper in the harbour, and there have been barra caught in Buffalo Creek on fizzers,” he said.
“But the bluewater scene is out. It has been too rough, it has been blowing for days and the forecast for the weekend is not much better.
“Most people are waiting now. They will head to Shady Camp when the road opens.
“The Adelaide River or Shady Camp will be the choices — the Adelaide River has been fishing all right for barra.
“The best culvert has been the one at the South Alligator River, and the ones around Jabiru.”
Fishing and Outdoor World’s Ronald Voukolos said there was water everywhere.
“People are mad keen to hit Shady Camp this weekend,” he said.
“Last weekend there was three metres of water over the South Alligator River floodplain.
“A mate went downstream on the Adelaide and got three fish and he reported seeing plenty of bait, but he said some of the run-offs were still dirty.
“There was also a 116cm fish caught on the Adelaide.
“There are jewies kicking around the harbour, some good ones, a couple close to 130cm long.
“There have been some fish coming out of the culverts, especially the South Alligator River culvert.
“It will be interesting to see how many fish are in the systems.
“We could have not asked for a better Wet so far in terms of localised catchment rain.”
Katherine Rod and Rifle’s Warren de With said the Daly River was very high.
“You’d have to fish it down near the mouth this week because the creeks will be flowing backwards further up,” he said. “But the road in is closed. “The South, the Adelaide, they are the rivers where people will be going for a look.
“You are going to have fish downstream where there is more tidal influence.
“Last week there were great barra caught on the Roper River culverts, including four over a metre, the biggest at 105cm.
“And surprisingly they were dark fish that looked like they had travelled down from billabongs somewhere. They were caught on the upstream side of the culvert.
“There have been other fish in the 90cm range caught in Roper culverts.
“The million dollar question is that no one knows how many barra will show up in the rivers after this big Wet.
“We have had four years of poor wet seasons.
“But there were plenty of smaller fish caught at the Barra Classics and the Nationals the past two years, so it could be really good.
“The rivers are now going to drop because of the system in the Gulf. There is going to be a break in the weather pattern for a while, this will be a fishing window.
“The break in the weather is good as any more rain and it could have flooded communities.
“You could not have asked for a better scripting so far, we have been getting enough water but without the damage, it has been the perfect start.
“The Katherine River is around 7m and we want it to stay there for a while.
“Hopefully this year we will see a lot of the migrating small barra turn up in the Katherine.”
On fishingterrritory.com forums, the FFF Seadogs online brag mat competition’s February round is under way, with a MotorGuide Xi5 electric motor and more up for grabs.
“The best culvert has been the one at the South Alligator River”