Not for the first time, mates of mine reckon I should get a job with the Bureau of Metreology.
This is based on regular reports in this column forecasting the weather for the next weekend and beyond.
Well, here we go again.
It’ll be a tad breezy on both Saturday and Sunday mornings this coming weekend.
The late afternoons will be more comfortable, especially on Sunday with light winds from the west predicted, so the news is not too bad if you’re thinking of a blue water jaunt.
Looking ahead to the weekend, with the tidal range increasing dramatically from the neaps to big spring tides, and high tides occurring during early-morning daylight hours, followed by early-afternoon lows, there are lots of great blue water options for day-tripping.
Sticking with a few major ones, there’s great blue water fishing from Kakadu, accessing from the South Alligator River.
The issue will be a falling tide heading down from the boat ramp in the morning.
From the boat ramp, the first third of the river is where you have to be careful not to run aground on submerged mud bars.
As long as you have a depth sounder that works at fast-planing speed – with a shallow-depth alarm that you can set at about 1.5 metres – then you would be unlucky to run aground because you will nearly always have enough time to pull up.
Out from the mouth of the South, you have Field and Barron Islands, with Field the pick for working the shallow reefs and ledges for golden snapper, jew and salmon.
A good trip is to overnight, swagging in your boat on a lee shore, and giving yourself plenty of time both to explore and capitalise on any good spots you find.
Moving west from Kakadu, there’s more good jewie fishing to be had by boating down the Mary River from Shady Camp and heading offshore a few kilometres to the shallow jew grounds.
Expect to catch salmon there too and, believe it or not, the only carnivorous painted crays that I’ve ever encountered.
Cape Hotham and round the corner to Ruby Island provides for a nice day trip heading out from Leader’s Creek.
Wide of Cape Hotham, there are good snapper grounds, and jew are also available.
Around Ruby Island, you can target queenfish, trevally species and, if you’re particularly cunning, hefty saltwater barra around exposed rocks a couple of kilometres out from the shore..
There is excellent security for a small price at Leader’s Creek, and that is also one option for accessing the Vernon Islands and the famous Blue Hole at Gunn Point.
Jew on the change of tide are a special in the channel between South West Vernon and Gunn Point, and barra have been caught on the troll inside the Blue Hole.
Closer to Darwin, Lee Point is where you go in a small boat and tuna and mackerel action is your goal.
Fish early and late, or on the change of the tide; those high tides peaking early on both Saturday and Sunday mornings are a special for some mackerel action.
Discreet schools of longtail tuna having been busting out from Lee Point to the harbour.
Roger Sinclair and Gavin Bedford had some fun last Sunday afternoon catching both macs and tuna off Lee Point.
Basically, from Darwin to the Peron Islands, Spanish mackerel are easy targets at the following locations: Loee Patches, Bass Reef, Roche Reef corner, Blaze Reef and off North Peron.
Fish all of the above on the bottom for goldies and assorted reef fish, concentrating efforts on the turn of the tide.
If you’re targeting jewfish, begin with the Bus Stop Reef off Lee Point, the harbour wrecks and artificial reefs, the Fenton Patches artificial Reefs, Charles Point Patches, Dundee Jew Reef, Point Blaze, Channel Point and any of the four mega-artificial reefs along the coast.
Bob Holland caught this slapper 120cm Shady Camp barra fishing with Shannon Latham of Mousie’s Barra and Bluewater Fishing Charters.
Gavin Bedford trolled up this shiny Spanish mackerel at Lee Point.
