Notwithstanding a few brief periods of strong winds, so far this year, there hasn’t been the ferocity of easterlies that we experience some years in the dry season.
Last weekend, including Monday, the winds blew up a bit during the middle of the day, and there were plenty of daylight hours either side when there were very light breezes only.
There’s more good news this weekend with just 5-10km winds predicted offshore from Darwin.
It means you’ll be able to travel some distance in your typical 5m-plus trailer boat and hopefully get stuck into some great fish.
Also good news is the tidal situation this weekend: the tides are coming off the neaps and hitting their peak spring phase this weekend.
There’s 4-5m of movement, but that should get the reef fish biting.
Actually, reefies have been going well for weeks now, and last weekend was no exception, particularly down Dundee way.
For mackerel and other pelagics, the further out you go, the better it should be simply because water clarity will be much better out wide.
However, Lee Point continues to produce quality mackerel, including a 50 pounder for a client of Chris Hurt.
Ronald Voukolos from Fishing and Outdoor World told me that black marlin have been on the chew out wide of Dundee, and not just the little “micros” but also a couple of fair-dinkum big marlin.
“It’s also been a great dry season for squid,” Ronald reported.
“Boats are catching heaps offshore and land-based squidding has been great too: “Aaron Sammutt who works in the shop got 20 off Nightcliff Jetty the other night.
“Queenies and tuna have also been turning up right inside the harbour,” Ronald said.
I’m tipping the squid explosion in our inshore and offshore waters has something to do with the all the pelagic action.
For barra fishermen, Corroboree Billabong is finally starting to show some form.
Teams fishing this year’s Secret Women’s Business Barra Challenge have been testing the waters at Corroboree, and some terrific barra have been caught.
The mighty Daly River has also been fishing well, with anglers catching numbers trolling the snags on neaps tides.
Launching at Hardies Lagoon is now difficult with the water level having dropped below the ramp; it happens every year but perhaps not as early as this.
However, for consistent barra fishing, the saltwater estuaries are where the real action has been this dry season.
I’ve heard endless stories of fair-to-good barra fishing in Darwin Harbour, Bynoe Harbour, Shoal Bay, Leaders Creek and the mouth of the Adelaide River.
I fished Bynoe with a friend last Monday and we found plenty of willing barra in shallow water up the creeks.
If you want to chase a barra this weekend in either Darwin Harbour or Bynoe Harbour, I suggest you get on the water and begin fishing your favourite arm or creek by 11.00am, then work through the run-out tide and until a couple of hours after the turn, getting back to your chosen ramp to get your boat out before dark.
With minimal winds, most of the flats will be clear and fishable.
Work them with shallow runners, soft plastics and prawn imitation softies, and don’t be afraid to bounce a soft plastic prawn on the troll along the outer edge of the flats, but do so ever so slowly, preferably with an electric outboard and with your lure a long way back.
Joanne Rudd smacked a beauty at Corroboree Billabong whilst testing the waters for the upcoming SWB Barra Challenge.
Roxy Woolley with a nice salt-water keeper from Bynoe Harbour.
