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The fishing continued to be tough on the final day when another 37 barra were caught, the biggest an 84 cm fish landed by Team “Science Fiction” members: John Roberts, Robert McCourt and Geoff Bishop.

More so than in previous years, consistency was the name of the game in this year’s Aurora Kakadu Klash, and you can’t be much more consistent than winning this major tournament three times.

That’s exactly what Tom McCullough. Robbie Kollman and Jonathon McTaggart in Team “Mongrels” did.

According to Tom, it was one of the hardest 3 days fishing the team had ever experienced.

“There was a very small tidal movement, cool water temperature and a lack of baitfish,” Tom told me.

“Our plan was to be positioned favourably for the tide change every morning, work our locations with a variety of lures and methods and put a fish on the board every day. 

“Our three point-scoring fish were the only barra we hooked for three days other than one 50 cm juvenile,” Tom said.

But they were all quality fish, measuring: 81 cm, 81 cm and 82 cm.

The Mongrels tallied 244 points and collected a $7500.00 cheque from Aurora Resorts, Hotels and Attractions and the perpetual Aurora Kakadu Klash trophy.

The second place went to Team “The Other Woman” which tallied 232 points.

Third placed with 210 points were Michael Thompson, Marty Frame and Peter Wilson in Team “Yahoo”.

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The famous NT Barra Classic will be celebrating its 25 th anniversary when the tournament kicks off in the middle of next month.

Once again held from the Banyan farm on the Daly River , the host Darwin Game Fishing Club will be holding junior fishing day on 20 April.

With parental consent, juniors aged 8 to 16 can enter a draw to be eligible to win one of 22 places to fish with NT Barra Classic teams participating on the junior day.

A real drawcard for the event will be the opportunity to meet two of Australia ’s sporting legends, Dennis Lillee and Andrew Ettinghausen.

ET will film the junior day to air on “Escape with ET”.

To enter the draw, children accompanied by at least one parent should attend the Darwin Game Fishing Club meeting being held at the Darwin Aviation Institute Club on Charles Eaton Drive , Marrara on Tuesday 4 April 2006 at 7 pm .

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You’d have to be pleased with the current river heights across the Top End.

The Daly River , for example, is only a metre from breaking its banks.

That means this year’s Barra Classic will almost certainly be a run-off fishing tournament.

The best reports I’ve received have all been about the great jewie fishing available at the moment..

Several harbour wrecks and artificial reefs are fishing well for jewies at night; Charles Point , both close inshore and out wide is going off; Dundee is also fishing great for jew; and even Bynoe Harbour is producing good jewies in the deeper holes.

However, as with the South alligator, the barra scene is tough at Shady Camp and the Adelaide River .

At Shady, the water is halfway up the fish-cleaning table next to the main barrage.

Crabbing might actually be the go this weekend.

Both Darwin Harbour and Shoal Bay are crabbing very well at the moment.

A tip from Steve Compain at Top End Fishing Supplies is not to be afraid to set traps well away from the mangroves, particularly on this weekend’s with big spring tides.