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ARNHEMLAND BARRAMUNDI NATURE LODGE

If you are reading this early enough to get your act together, you have a wonderful opportunity to swap poultry and pig for a fresh feed of fish.

With less than 3 metres movement on the incoming tide, today is at the tail end of the neaps, and most predatory species will be working the increasing currents for their New Year feed.

As far as barra go, any, and I mean “any” saltwater estuary or mangrove creek will be worth a shot trolling and casting as the tide peaks just before lunch.

Darwin Harbour is one sure bet.

You can choose between the three nominated arms, or even Woods Inlet, and simply troll lures that swim between 1 and 2.5 metres.

Work along the banks of the main arms and any significant side creeks and try to stay in areas where the depth is less than 3 metres.

There are a variety of lures that you can use for this approach, but I’d pretty well stick to Bombers, 3-plus Classic 120s, F18s, B52s, Terminators and 4-inch Nilsies.

If I can give you one great tip, it is to concentrate your efforts just as the tide meets the edge of the mangroves.

Other spots that should go off on both the incoming and receding tides today are Shoal Bay , Leeder’s Creek and the Adelaide River mouth.

But if you’re after a land-based shot at a barra, head for Buffalo Creek straight before lunch and cast like mad or, better still, catch some poddy mullet and use them for bait.

The barra fishing will get tougher as we move into the spring tides, but tomorrow is still good for any of the spots I’ve just mentioned.

On the bluewater scene, you won’t have to make that much of an effort to catch a feed of goldies; it’s just a question of the size you encounter.

Once again, Darwin Harbour is fishing exceptionally well for golden snapper.

The weekend through to Monday are the pick of the tides.

The tactics are fairly straightforward: anchor and fish at creek mouths, on shallow rockbars or at deep bends in the creeks, especially where there are submerged snags nearby.

Use your barra baitcasting gear, fitted with a small bean sinker running freely down onto a swivel to which is attached a metre-long leader of about 20 kg breaking strain with a 3/0 hook at the end.

Use squid – preferably small squid heads – for bait and you’ll have a ball with fish between 1 and 2 kg.

Of course, don’t forget the personal bag limit of five fish in possession for golden snapper.

That takes care of the little goldies; for those striking bigger fish, head offshore to places like the Charles Point Patches, fish reef, Cape Hotham and even the No 6 Buoy at the entrance to the harbour.

Of course, at this time of year, it’s imperative that you keep a close watch on the weather before venturing offshore.

Jewies too will be fishing at there very best over the next few days.

Whether it’s because of the sheer numbers of people who fish there, the ease of accessibility to small boats or simply that so many jewies find their way there, one of the best jewie spots continues to be the small reef out in front of the Lodge of Dundee.

Closer to Darwin , expect good low tide jewie fishing on most of the wrecks and artificial reefs in Darwin Harbour , as well as the Bus Stop Reef wide of Lee Point .

May your New Year be safe and full of joy and fishing action.