FISHING
NEWS FROM NORTH AUSTRALIA
With Alex Julius - 18 May2006
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It's only early in the Dry, but the bluewater pelagic scene around Darwin has already started to fire.
The wind has been gusty in the morning, and calming later in the day, making an afternoon on the bluewater very attractive.
There have been reports of mackerel off Lee Point, and tuna schools have been smashing up bait on the surface off the Nightcliff and Casuarina foreshores.
The tuna are travelling in small schools, and not staying on the surface for long. In order to catch one, look for surface splashes and working birds and charge over at full noise.
Be sure not to drive straight into the school and put them down, but pull up short and coast towards the feeding fish.
Small metal baitfish profiles or feather jigs are the most common lure choice. Cast out across or into the feeding tuna and retrieve the lure at full speed.
Try and get it skipping on the surface — you can't wind too fast for a tuna. High-speed spin gear is the best tackle to use for a day out chasing these pelagic speedsters, and there are some high-speed overheads that will do the job as well.
When the fish are not feeding visibly on the surface, try trolling minnow lures as fast as you can without the lures blowing out of the water. Skirted lures are very effective on tuna, but the presence of toothy critters like macks in the area can make this a very expensive approach up here!
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ARNHEMLAND BARRAMUNDI NATURE LODGE
 Steve Shenfield caught this beauty in the Daly, while competing in the Barra Nationals.
Glenn Hubble hooked into some good-sized tuna out on the bluewater. |
Paula Timson is new to barra fishing — this 105cm barra from Shady camp was only her third capture ever!
The jewies are still biting like crazy on the offshore reefs, with big hauls from the Fenton Patches.
Steve Compain from Arafura Bluewater Charters has also been putting clients onto some big golden snapper and other reefies.
Charles Point has continued to produce excellent catches of jewies on local squid baits and metal jigs.
A couple of anglers travelled to the Vernons and were rewarded with mackerel and some big GTs.
The crabbing is sensational at the moment in both Shoal Bay and Bynoe Harbour.
A friend of Got One's Craig Grosvenor took only one dilly pot to Buffalo Creek during the week and pulled ten big bucks in just 45 minutes!
Wazza from Fishing and Outdoor World had a look at Shady on the weekend, and caught a few smaller barra and some threadfin salmon. There have been a few larger barra over a metre caught down towards the mouth, but there is a fair bit of water between fish at the moment.
Dave Lovegrove fished the Adelaide River with his mate John, and they worked hard for 5 barra to 60 cm.
The Adelaide is beginning to warm up now that the river has dropped lower, but the pick of the river fishing right now is further south.
The Daly has been fishing very well for competitors at the Barra Nationals, and the Roper has been producing ‘fish a cast' action for clued-in locals.
Pip from Top End Fishing Supplies fished the Daly on Sunday night, and they caught a load of barra around the 60-70 cm length on fizzers. During the day his best luck was had casting shallow divers to creek mouths, with the barra preferring lures with a reflective gold finish.
The rocky Dundee foreshores are the spot of the moment for land based anglers, with blue salmon smashing big prawn baits at the change of high tides. Barra are taking gold Classics and Bombers cast along the rocks when the water starts to move on rising tides.
Barra Nationals
Unbelievable as it may be, Wayne ‘Buffalo' Ross and Team Gold Cans have pulled off another win in the 2006 Barra Nationals. I think he's getting past the fingers on both hands now!
Buffalo fished with Bill Luck and Neville Bowley, and they caught 33 fish, the biggest measuring in at 112cm.
The team worked hard, casting hard and soft lures at creek mouths to achieve their well-earned win.
There were 691 barra in total taken during the competition, with 17 over a metre in length.
Fish were taken by a variety of techniques, with dropping water levels bringing trolling back into the equation as well as casting.
Barra Classic
Good catches on the Daly are great news for the Barra Classic, starting this weekend. After flooding forced the postponement of this nationally famous event for a month, anticipation is high.
The river will continue to drop, and there are plenty of fish there to be caught by the local and interstate anglers that flock to the Classic.
Tactics will be the determining factor in who goes home with the prize this year.
Neap tides will probably see fishing effort concentrated downstream — then it's just a matter of getting techniques, tackle, timing and teamwork right!
Junior Fishing Workshops
Fisheries will host its annual Junior Fishing Workshop Program for students between 11 and 15 years in Katherine commencing 27 June and Nhulunbuy commencing 11 July. The three day workshops entail two days of hands-on theory, and one day of fishing. Classes will be limited to 15 students so interested parents should contact the course instructors, Kane Dysart on 8999 2253 or Phillip Hall on 8999 2372, to request enrolment applications and the course agenda.
Alex Julius Fishing Media
PO Box 571, Howard Springs NT Australia 0835
International phone: (618) 89832167
International fax: (618) 89831914
Fax (from within Australia): (08) 89831914
E-mail: AJFM@hotspot.com.au