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Chris Errity caught this mackerel out of Leaders Creek Fishing Base

Matt Flynn's Northern Territory
fishing report: July 31, 2005

Also available in the Darwin Sunday
newspaper, Sunday Territorian


Barramundi fished well in the harbour last week during the first sub-2m daytime spring low tides for some time.

The lowest tides have fallen at night in the past few weeks.

Last week's daytime lows saw several big barra hooked as the harbour gutters finally drained properly during the day.

Mackerel were also biting well, which should continue this week.

Barra are likely to be quite during the current neap tide phase, but it will will be well worth a look again during the big tides from next weekend.

Got One's Craig Grosvenor said Dundee Beach would be worth a look this weekend.

"Reports this weekend have been strong with spanish mackerel chomping on hard bodied lures wide of Point Blaze,'' he said.

"Mack Mountain is fishing well trolling Blade Runner SW Lab metal jigs at high speed.

"Coral trout, big GTs, tricky snapper and red emperor have been on the chew off Dundee also using fresh local baits and deep water jigging methods.

"I went to Hardies Billabong on Wednesday morning and caught barra to 80cm using 3-inch Berklee Power Baits and Panther Martin Vivif soft plastics in rainbow trout colours by casting with a slow retrieve around the pandanus and weed edges -the fish were biting before 9am when windy conditions spoilt the rest of the day.

"West Arm fished well last week with barra to 66cm fishing the change of the low tide.

"Rapala X-Rap and the Reidys B52 lures worked well casting to creek gutters.

"Corroboree Billabong still has loads of saratogas on the chew.

"Shoal Bay has been producing loads of big buck mud crabs.

"The Little Howard River fired with barramundi taking live mullet baits.

"Threadfin salmon were active in East Arm on the flats with shallow minnows such as Bombers working well."

Fishing and Outdoor World's Matt West said Corroboree Billabong was still fishing well for professional guides who were averaging five to 10 fish a day for clients.

"The billabong is pretty choked up with weed because of the poor wet season but it is still fishing quite well,'' he said.

"Four-Mile Hole on the Wildman River and Red Lily Billabong on the South Alligator has been fishing well.

"Hully's Fishing Tours' Michael Politis has been getting some good golden snapper around Charles Point.

"There have been a few guys hitting the Peron Islands and getting jewfish and mackerel.

"Dundee is producing mackerel and there have been more sailfish sightings.

"A few customers have been hitting Cape Hotham and getting blue salmon.

"A mate of mine has been getting jewfish out at Cape Hotham but last time there were so many blue salmon he couldn't catch jewfish.

"I haven't heard of many tuna getting caught."

Top End Fishing Supplies' Mulga said it was "mackerel city" off Darwin with mackerel everywhere last week.

"This week it also went wild in the harbour for barra with Woods Inlet, Middle Arm, West Arm and East Arm fishing well on the bottom of the big tides,'' he said.

"It was the first time the tides below 2m had been during the day for some time and big barra were caught.

"We have been waiting for this period - from now on it should start getting better as the weather warms up.

"A lot of the harbour barra caught last week have been in the 80cm range.

"We had several customers impressed by how big the fish were.

"The jewies slowed down a little last week but that could change this weekend.

"East Point and Lee Point seem to be best for mackerel on the incoming tide, simply using pilchards out the back of the boat with no weight."







     

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