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ARNHEMLAND BARRAMUNDI NATURE LODGE

If sea conditions are good, bluewater fans should be able to find some tuna and macks. Either anchor up and berley to draw the fish in, or troll minnow lures such as the Halco Laser Pro or Classic 160. Locals Ross Mariner and Jim Churchley were fishing off Lee Point and managed to get into some welcome early-season tuna on fly.

There have been a few tuna caught recently, and Darwin tackle shops are reporting a rush on small metal slugs and feather jigs.

While the tried-and-true method of casting out a small chromie and retrieving it flat out works well on tuna and macks, I like to target these fish with soft plastics.

Crabbers reported good numbers of big crabs from Darwin Harbour and Shoal Bay on mullet and catfish baits.

Steve Compain from Top End Fishing Supplies has been hearing reports of red hot fishing at Port Hurd, with the barra farm escapees still on the bite.

Anglers have been catching up to 300 fish a day, all in the 54-55cm size range.

They’re not big, but they’re good fun, especially if you get two on the lure at once!

High levels and low water clarity are making life harder for chasing barra in the rivers.

Most of the action in the Mary River mouth region was further along the coast in Chambers Bay .

Swim Creek, Carmor Creek and Marsh Creek produced fish to 110 cm for those able to be in the right spot at the right time.

Barra that were caught at the mouth of the South Alligator went close to the metre mark with a few fish between 70 and 90 cm reported. Anglers travelling to the mouth found some nice run-offs, but had to work hard for their fish.

The Adelaide fished better downstream, although Craig Grosvenor from Got One reported the capture of a 107 cm fish trolled up from the mouth of Beatrice Creek.

Squidgy slick rigs in the drop-bear colour accounted for fish from the colour changes.

Mandorah Wharf is the place to be for land-based anglers – big queenies are a regular catch, as well as the occasional cobia on live bait.

As usual, diehard Mandorah Wharf anglers have been getting busted up regularly on the pylons by big fish.

Anglers casting a lure off the Larrakeyah rockwall have been rewarded with small queenies and salmon.

Bombers in gold or tiger-lily have worked well, or try drifting a bait under a float with the bait set about 1.5 m under the surface.

Pilchards on a twin-hook rig are a good choice.

This weekend has neap tides, with only a couple of metres of water movement.

It’s perfect for an early afternoon launch in Darwin Harbour or Shoal Bay , before fishing the change and the run-out tide in the afternoon.

The various wrecks should be fishable for longer with less water flow, or you can target barra by trolling 2-3 m depth around the mud flats.

An early start will get you out on the water for the morning low tide.

This is an ideal time to troll any deeper holes and channels. When the tide starts to run, drift with the incoming tide and flick lures.

Predatory fish will push into surprisingly shallow water chasing bait, so look out for any activity and cast small soft plastics at the area.

A prawn pattern soft plastic or a shallow runner like the Classic Just Under work well on a variety of species, including barra.

If you want to fish the rivers, head downstream on these smaller tides. Look for run-offs with nervous bait in them, and work them hard.

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Department of Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts Aquatic Weeds Officer, Peter Clifton, sent me an update on what’s happening with the cabomba eradication program. 

“We are still working to eradicate cabomba at Darwin River , which is still the only known infestation in the NT,” he told me.

“A section of Darwin River is still quarantined (between Leonino Road and Cox Peninsula Road ).

“The quarantine is vital because cabomba is easily spread and, if it spreads to another river or water body, the chances of eradicating it will decrease,” he explained.

“If we don’t eradicate it now, this weed might be around forever, so it may be just a matter of time before our most valued water bodies become infested, such as Corroborree Billabong, Manton Dam, Darwin River Dam and Yellow Waters.”
Fishing and swimming in the quarantine zone is prohibited.

Amazingly, there have been reports of people fishing in the quarantine zone and, in one instance, people had a yabbie trap with a piece of cabomba hanging off it.

For more information, check out www.cabomba.nt.gov.au.