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Colin Fitzgerald with a 53cm mangrove jack caught in Bynoe Harbour

Matt Flynn's Northern Territory
fishing report: July 4, 2004

Also available in the Darwin Sunday
newspaper, Sunday Territorian

The annual dry season run of mackerel off Lee Point is one of the highlights of the Darwin fisherman's calendar.

The Lee Point reefs are close to Nightcliff boat ramp (4.2nm), but many skippers make the longer trip from the Conacher St (Ski Club) ramp or the Darwin Trailer Boat Club (6nm).

The Lee Point area holds mackerel in all shapes and sizes.

The sought-after spanish mackerel to 20kg are caught off the Lee Point headland reef, which extends out to sea and ends in a slight horseshoe shape, as well as at the natural Angler Reef just 1.8nm offshore from Lee Point, and on the Bottlewasher Artificial Reef 2.52nm off Lee Point.

The Rick Mills Artificial Reef further offshore also produces mackerel, but another artificial reef in the area, The Tippers (made from heavy steel ore transporters) appears to have sunk into the clay bottom in the area and been lost, divers say.

Catching mackerel simply requires a 4m or better dinghy, some calm weather, burley and rods loaded with enough line to withstand the fish's long runs, as well as wire trace to beat their teeth and ganged (joined) hooks for the big baits.

High-speed trolling lures and teasers are useful too.

Medium tides coming off neaps are best, although the fish are caught on all tides and during the run-in and run-out, with a spring low tide probably the worst time to fish.

Mornings and afternoons are the best time by far - simply anchor over one of the reefs and burley lightly with pilchard pieces and some tuna oil.

Try to catch some local livebait in the form of small reef fish on the bottom or garfish on the surface.

Garfish will show up in the burley trail and can be caught on 2kg line and tiny hook baited with squid.

Put the reef fish or gar lightly on ganged hooks so they are still alive and drop them into the burley trail.

The line hook should be toward the front of the baitfish so it can easily swim into the current.

Big mackerel will take a bait in a lightning hit and I find it best to leave a reel on drag to prevent over-runs, leaving the ganged hooks to do their job.

Trolling over the reefs and under feeding birds can be effective but you must travel as fast as the lures will let you.

Spinning and skipping teasers will help bring the mackerel to the surface.

Halco Laser Pros, Reidys The Judge, Nautilus Mack Magnets (in red and white), Halco Tremblers and Lively Lures high-speed minnows are all good lures.

Big mackerel can be shy and will sometimes loiter under your boat when burleying and may need to be teased a little to bite.

A small broadbar mackerel makes a livebait that will often tempt fussy spanish mackerel, and sometimes a cast lure will work.

Lee Point is also home to cobia, tiger sharks, tuna schools and big trevally, all of which can make your day fun.

Bleed your mackerel as soon as it is in the boat, and fillet it for best eating results.

Mackerel cutlets (made by cutting through the fish to make round pieces about a 1.5cm thick) are nice but can dry out when cooking.

Spanish mackerel is an A-grade food fish, and many people prefer it to barramundi.

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