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ARNHEMLAND BARRAMUNDI NATURE LODGE

Spanish mackerel up to 10 kg have been caught at both Lee Point and East Point, so it’s fair to expect to see the bigger macs moving in closer to shore over the next couple of weeks, partly as a result of the enhanced food chain stirred up by the rough weather.

As far as barra are concerned, the cooler, windy conditions are having only a minor impact on river and billabong barra.

Water temperatures in the billabongs are certainly falling but, in the case of at least Corroboree, there are plenty of willing barra to be caught, and amongst them a strong representation of 70-75 cm fish.

A plausible reason why the barra are biting well even though temperatures are down is the total absence of lily pads.

It’s been years since Corroboree has been subjected to a long and sustained wet season like the one just passed, and this has resulted in the eradication of the lilies and more-easily-accessible barramundi and saratoga .

Mind you, the cooler water often makes the barra less aggressive and they will often just bump a lure or strike half-heartedly making them more difficult to hook up.

This is the time when smaller lures like the RMG Scorpion 58, Reidy’s Little Lucifer and Classic 65 come into their own on the billabongs.

Work these lures with plenty of vigorous jigging over the weed beds and in areas where the water is shallower and exposed to the warming sun.

Make sure the hooks on these little lures are kept razor sharp.

Corroboree in particular responds well to this technique.

Mind you, lightly-weighted soft plastics are also the go for the lagoons, especially when cast into gaps and either retrieved slowly or “lolly-popped” to the boat.

The Daly is still the best of the tidal rivers to fish, but closer to Darwin , there have been good saltwater barra caught in Shoal Bay and up the Howard River and Hope Inlet .

The tides this weekend are quite good for barra at Shoal Bay , and not bad either for chasing up a feed of mudcrab.

Surprisingly, Magela Creek downriver on the East Alligator is producing plenty of barra for anglers trolling the bends up inside.

Dundee Beach has been fishing well for shore-based anglers, and barra to 90 cm are hanging around Chan Rock and the mouth of the Finniss River .

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It’s not too late to apply for funding under the Commonwealth Recreational Fishing
Community Grants Program, with applications closing on 28 July.

So far this year, AFANT and two other Territory organisations have received grants under the program totaling about $150 000.
The program will invest in the following areas of activity as they relate to
recreational fishing:
(a) for improvements to infrastructure, including roads, tracks and paths
used by recreational fishers to access fishing spots;
(b) to support local initiatives to enhance recreational fishing, such as
restocking fish in inland waterways;
(c) to protect the environment at the water's edge by, for example,
protecting sensitive habitats;
(d) to establish and upgrade volunteer marine and freshwater rescue groups
and associated infrastructure; and
(e) for education and awareness raising projects such as biofouling, aquatic
pest translocation, increasing survival rates of released fish, and
sensitive species.
Applicants must be able to contribute at least half the total cost of the project
in cash and/or in-kind, and can bring other contributors to help with the
matching contribution.

An in-kind contribution may include volunteer labour, use of equipment,
machinery and materials, and expertise and time donated by relevant experts.
All the information you need is on the web at www.daff.gov.au/recfishinggrants and you can give
AFANT Executive Director, Chris Makepeace, a call (89456455) if you have any questions or need any help with getting an application together.