FISHING
NEWS FROM NORTH AUSTRALIA
With Alex Julius - 3 March 2005
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Keep those fingers crossed and pressed hard together – with just a gram of luck, the trough that is forming off the Top End’s north-east coast could herald the return of the monsoon and something a bit better than the Clayton’s wet season we’ve been having.
That’s the word from Darwin’s Bureau of Metreology.
For the record, Darwin had 265 mm of rain during February, which is clearly below the average of 360 mm.
It’s our lowest February rainfall in 15 years.
The worst wet season that I can remember was in 1983.
That year, the wet season didn’t arrive until March.
Down the Daly River, it provided a windfall for commercial fishermen because the barra were congregated in vast numbers down around the river mouth.
Fortunately, when the wet did eventuate in March, it was a ball-tearer, with more than double the average for that month.
So, as they say, it ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings, and there are a few puffs of cloud out over the Arnhem Land coast that might just save the day.
In the meantime, the fishing has been tough out on the rivers.
I’m told fishing guides operating from motherships parked at the mouth of the Mary River are boating practically all the way up to the main Shady Camp barrage to catch their fish.
Even then it’s been hard yakka for them.
The fishing has been better out on the Alligator rivers which received a lot more rain than those closer to Darwin.
The South Alligator is below its banks, but there’s good clarity up the top and inside Nourlangie Creek.
I’ve heard of catches of up to 15 barra in a session, incluing a magnificent 1.27 metre barra from the mouth of Nourlangie.
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From left to right, Greg Hughes, Steve Shervill and Natalie Shervill with a spectacular triple catch of barra up to 93 cm. 
Silvia Jacques caught her best-ever barra on a recent trip north of the Vernon Islands. 
Greg Hughes with one of those ever-so-welcome-but-rare captures of a black jewfish on a barra lure. An even bigger fish, 1.32 metres was caught at the mouth of Magela Creek down the East Alligator River.
A good Kakadu option on the neap tides this weekend is to head down to the mouth of the South Alligator River and fish out around Field and Barron Islands.
Staff from the Aurora Kakadu Hotel have been doing exactly that, enjoying excellent fishing for both golden snapper and black jew.
The road to Dundee Beach is in excellent condition at the moment, and there’s plenty of action on the bluewater out from Dundee.
Jewies, snapper and even red emperor feature in the catches, but there has also been a number of sailfish sightings.
On the barra front, a few diehards having been working hard for their fish in the Finniss River along the coast from the Lodge of Dundee.
Sadly, the Daly River seems to be winding down, although it’s still always a beautiful place to visit at this time of year.
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There’s no doubt that Kon Vatskalis is thoroughly enjoying his important role of Minister for Fisheries.
At last week’s AFANT annual general meeting, he was bubbling with enthusiasm as he ticked off the list of things the Territory Government had achieved on behalf of recreational fishermen.
They included the closure to commercial netting of both the McArthur and Adelaide Rivers, the upgrading of the Dinah Beach boat ramp,
Buffalo Creek boat ramp and Rocky Creek boat ramp near Borroloola, – with plans to develop the Palmerston and Mule Creek boat ramps – and increased barramundi stocking of selected waterways including, Manton
Dam, Lake Todd, Darwin Harbour and Lake Bennett.
Also announced were the much-anticipated access to Point Stuart this dry season, and plans for access to the coast near the Peron Islands following the acquisition of land near Channel Point for fishing and
camping.
Mr Vatskalis also announced that the River Watch Centres established on the Daly, Mary, Roper and Victoria Rivers would be extended to the Adelaide, South and East Alligator Rivers later this year.
“We recognise the important role AFANT plays, which is why we have
significantly increased funding to $173,000 per annum and provide office space at Malak,” the Minister also said.
With the ability to deliver all that good news to the recreational fishing fraternity, is it any wonder Mr Vatskalis is enjoying his fisheries portfolio.
Alex Julius Fishing Media
PO Box 571, Howard Springs NT Australia 0835
International phone: (618) 89832167
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E-mail: AJFM@hotspot.com.au