NATIONAL Australia Fishing Annual
NAFA #36
Catch up on additional NAFA Magazine Editions in Back Issues
Front Cover: The Top End Runoff is metre-barra time. AJ with a beauty from Nourlangie Creek on the South Alligator River. (Photo: Crystal Neal)
Back Cover: On The Move Caravan’s Vortex 17 foot 6 inch off-road van which won Best Aussie Van in 2016.
NAFA 36 can be purchased by clicking below.
Product Awareness - Fishing
Product Awareness - Boating
Product Awareness - Outdoor
Table of Contents - Main NAFA Fishing Magazine
16 WHEN THE PENNY DROPS
Lee Brake explains that it’s a winner when the penny drops and you start catching more fish consistently thanks to a revised, strategic approach.
22 THE PIG DOG OF THE FRESHWATER
After 14 years since his last PNG visit chasing Papuan black bass, AJ joins the luxury mothership K2O on a fishing adventure down the remote Fly River.
30 STUMPJUMPING THE DARLING RIVER
Rod Mackenzie hits the Darling River with his favourite StumpJumper lures and notches up some beautiful Murray cod. USE TITLE PIC MEDIUM
37 FISHING TERRITORY
Our mega NT Fishing Section. USE TITLE PIC LARGE
39 FIVE MILLION DOLLAR FISH IN SEASON 4
AJ reports on some exciting changes to Season 4 of Million Dollar Fish, including not one but now five barra each worth $1million up for grabs.
46 NO MORE MACKEREL!
When a jigging rock-star and his entourage decide to visit Darwin to see what’s on offer, NAFA’s Darwin-based jigging expert Peter Zeroni pulled out all stops to ensure their brief tour de force is a red-carpet affair. USE TITLE PIC LARGE
54 MARY RIVER RUNOFF
When it comes to serious barra, Chris Errity finds the small creeks near the mouth of the Mary River can turn on some crackerjack fishing.
61 2018 TOP END BARRA SERIES
The 2018 Top End Barra Series completed its eighth year in 2018. Ross “Rossco” Abraham shares stories from competitors who are encouraged to keep the event social.
69 SWB 2018
AJ reports that, with slick organising, comfort escapes for competitors, and high-level boating skills across 42 teams, it was little wonder that the 2018 Secret Women’s Business Barra Challenge was again a great success.
78 SPEED MULLET
Ben Knaggs shares his knowledge about Darwin Harbour’s unique availability of one of the world’s most-scintillating yet vexing sportfish: the milkfish.
84 ARAFURA BLUE MAGIC
The Wai Nawana is the pride of the fleet of four great Arafura Bluewater Charters boats that operate year-round out of Darwin. It was the ideal platform for our regular NAFA Good Gear shoot.
100 THE HUNT FOR BIG RED
Shane Murton’s Guide to catching monster South Australian snapper.
108 HALF A CENTURY ON THE ROCKS
Starlo looks back on his 50 years of rock-hopping, reflects on how the game has changed, and makes some sobering predictions about its future. If you love fishing from the stones, you can’t afford to skip this one!
116 ALASKAN SALMON
On a super-fishy Alaskan adventure for David Green where there were five species of salmon to target, including the one John West rejects.
122 LESSONS IN LONGTAIL…LAND-BASED
Longtail tuna offer an unforgettable experience for land-based anglers, but Joe Brennan knows they don’t come easy.
128 THINKING SAFE
Crocs, sharks and rogue waves, just three of a large number of potential hazards that anglers may have to deal with. Kim Courtney emphasises that safety is paramount, and it pays never to forget this.
135 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
To experience offshore success with soft plastics requires attention to detail. But it also helps to know what you are doing so here is John Boon’s beginner’s guide to jigging central Queensland, inshore to offshore.
140 FISH HEAD SOUP
Kim Courtenay’s delicious oil-rich, fish-head chowder is aptly anti-aging and joint lubricating, but he’ll happily release a metre barra anytime. USE
143 GOOD GEAR
NAFA ON BOATS
148 STACER 529 ASSAULT PRO TOURNAMENT… a boat to win with
150 SIMRAD ACTIVE IMAGING ELEVATES GO SERIES WITH SUPERIOR SCANNING SONAR QUALITY
152 THE NEW AND IMPROVED HONDA V6 RANGE
153 LOWRANCE GOES ‘LIVE’ WITH NEW FLAGSHIP FISHFINDERS USE SOUNDER IMAGE MEDIUM
154 A NEW AUSTRALIAN FAMILY FAVOURITE BOWRIDER – The Quintrex Freestyler
155 SAVAGE – THE RAPTOR EXTREME
156 BOATING NEWS
PRODUCT AWARENESS
28 MUSTAD RIG LINK SYSTEM
35 STUMPJUMPER… 32 Years of Fish-Catching History
52 FISHING AND OUTDOOR WORLD
58 “MAKE YOUR CATCH COUNT” in the Northern Territory
60 ROD AND RIFLE TACKLE WORLD KATHERINE
66 BE CROCWISE, STAY SAFE
68 CORROBOREE PARK TAVERN
76 DARWIN BASED HELI-FISHING TOURS & ADVENTURES
132 MUSTAD ACCESSORIES
142 SHIMANO TRANX 200HG
COLUMNS
12 AJ’s TAKE with Alex Julius
14 FISHING OZ with Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling
20 LESSONS LEARNT with David ‘Greeny’ Green
Table of Contents - NAFA's 4x4 Travel & Hunting
6 WILD PLACES
9 THE GOLD SEEKER
Gold may not be laying around on the surface, but there is still plenty of the magic yellow stuff about for thousands of gold seekers to go north each year to work old goldfields. By Dick Eussen
16 TOYOTA TRUCKS ON… 4WDs have never been better thanks to the latest from Toyota.
24 SIDE ROAD ATTRACTIONS
Steve Cooper reckons there are times when the traveller needs to take a breath, smell the roses so to speak, and take time out to think about travels and experiences completed.
28 THE SAFARI CROCODILE HUNTERS
While North Australia’s crocodiles were blasted from pillar to post for their skins by commercial hunters, sporting shooters paid princely sums in their quest for the trophy saurian. Dick Eussen’s historical account.
34 THE WILD WEATHER BOAR
Rain and wind doesn’t deter dedicated hunter Shaun Reynolds on the trail of a trophy boar.
38 GOAT TIME
Prolific right across the country, the good old goat is a great way to hone your hunting skills with rifle or bow and better still they are great in the pot. Al McGlashan reports.
42 RUSA IN THE RUSHES
Rusa stags are wily opponents and patience on the hunter’s part is a necessary part of success when seeking out a trophy stag. Shaun Reynolds explains.
50 DARWIN WOMEN HUNTING & FISHING
There is no denying that hunting and fishing have long been associated with males but there isn’t any reason that women can’t enjoy it too. With Catherine Baker.
53 SHOOTER’S SHOP
55 OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS
COLUMNS
22 ON THE TOW with Steve “Scoop” Cooper
48 DOWN THE BARRELL with Rod “Harro” Harrison
PRODUCT AWARENESS
8 DOMETIC – DOMETIC COOL ICEBOXS AND ACCESSORIES
14 ARB – 4WD SUSPENSION DESIGNED BY 4WDERS
20 TOURISM TOP END – THINGS WE LOVE TO DO IN THE TOP END
46 OSA – LITHGOW ARMS… AUSTRALIAN-MADE RIFLES
52 WINCHESTER – GERBER VITAL BIG GAME FOLDER AND GERBER VITAL SKIN AND GUT KNIFE