Neat times ahead as neap
NEAP tides this week should be good for another look at Shoal Bay, if the wind holds off.
The bay produced some cracking barra earlier in the build-up, including the last set of neap tides.
The neaps will also be good for chasing bluewater fish, with good snapper fishing being reported in Darwin Harbour.
Leaders Creek and Saltwater Arm will be worth a look, and the Vernon Islands for the bluewater buffs.
The Finniss River might also be worth a trip.
Continued early rain has brought more cheer, let’s hope it keeps falling.
The Daly River is up a little and producing a few fish.
In reports, Katherine Rod and Rifle’s Warren de With said he went down the Roper River last week.
‘‘ The fishing wasn’t too bad despite the lack of rain,’’ he said.
‘‘We went to Port Roper and caught a few fish, the biggest barra going 105cm.
‘‘There was no run-off, we were just trolling rockbars and the like.
‘‘We didn’t really catch any other species except for two big groper.
‘‘ There are some huge groper there, some of them just steamroll you — any- thing over 30kg there is no hope of turning them on barra gear.
‘‘We had one on for 45 minutes but couldn’t get it up.
‘‘The Gulf of Carpentaria rivers seem to hold big numbers of groper. There were no threadies about , but we got two blue salmon.
‘‘We also got some great weather, we thought we would be smashed but it was not so.
‘‘There has been some rain out there but not to the same extent as Katherine township. The Victoria River has been getting really good early rain, which will get the ground soaked.
‘‘The Katherine River is up about half a metre, with good rain in town.
‘‘November has been the highest rainfall on my home rain gauge in Katherine since I have been keeping records.
‘‘December has been even better, it is a great start.’’
Fishing and Outdoor World’s Jason Deigan said that last week had been mostly quiet.
‘‘The rain has been really good though, continuing on from a good November,’’ he said.
‘‘ The Daly River is certainly running well and with a few fish being caught, nothing too big yet but lots of smaller fish and boofs reported.