Darwin Harbour, the mystery. : NT Barra

googz · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:48 pm Post subject: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

For pure convenience Darwin harbour seems to be a frequent fishing spot of mine. While I have caught my fair share of crabs in the harbour with relative ease I never seem to have a good day fishing. I have caught the odd barra flicking and trawled up a few threadies I never seem to catch more than 2 fish a trip and nothing of a decent size. I was wondering if i might ferret a few basic tips and techniques out of the FFF mob for fishing the harbour. Any advice from the wise would be appreciated Cheers!

P.S. Im not asking for your sacred fishing spots just some basic pointers would be good.

shaynes_god · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:58 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Hey mate for the harbour i like to use 15lb braid and a 20lb leader on a 4-8lb spin rod. For lures my favourite is the 2" or 3" gulp prawns in garlic prawn on a 1/8 oz 1/0 jighead. Fish the flats with large 'snake drains' the barra will be in them. I cast out then jig let it sink then jig again but mix it up with some long pauses. The tides depend on where you fish some spots are good on a 2m low others are good on a 1m low. Hope this helps a bit.
cheers shayne

Ben Jam · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:55 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

The harbour works well for me on the bigger tides, I like the last hour of the run out tide, I'll catch 90% of my fish in this period. As Shayne said work the drains and you can't go wrong. As the tide start coming in I'll start fishing the flats near mangroves with shadows over the water. I would just focus on a small area and keep fish it until you work it out.

This is what works for me.

Hope this helps

doors off · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:34 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Ben Jam is on the money! Pick a creek or section of flats - fish that area over a few sets of tides, you will get to see the structure, the drains / gutters, when the fish bust up and pretty soon you will suss out a regular pattern and method and get the results.

Smaller lures on the flats, I like my small Bombers, Duel / YoZuri S.S. Minnow (My favourite all time Harbour Barra Lure) in 90mm and Yo Zuri Crystal Minnows (The Tackle Box in Durack has them now) and I fished soft plastics exclusively for two years in the harbour. Shaynes_God recommendation on the small Gulps is a good one as well. I used to use the 3" Gulp Minnow in Smelt was and still is my favourite Barra Soft Plastic. The Bozo 3" Mullet, unweighted is up there as well, fish as light a jig head as you can.

Though, we are about to enter the hardest time of the year for Harbour Barra - Jelly Prawns! You will still catch the Barra, but they are hard work. Some days they will school up, round up the Jelly prawns and be rolling and boofing all around your bl..dy boat refusing nearly everything that you throw at them, during this time I like an unweighted clear D.O.A Prawn and small White or Opaque plastics rigged in a light weight.

Don't expect 30 fish days, but the harbour is a great Barra fishery - keep at it. Plus the Barra out of the Harbour are bl..dy tasty as well. Good luck mate.

Cheers,

Doors Off

rossco · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:40 am Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Good advice above. I have been hitting the harbour lately after many years of avoiding it and I have been concentrating on two areas only. I have been going at different stages of tide to see what is happening. From not getting much to get excited about I have moved to the next stage where barra, salmon,cuda, bream, trevors are latching onto to lures. Size doesn't matter when you are having fun. I have been having luck with mini F18's in the mullet look. I also think using the electric has changed my catching ability in the harbour. I have downsized my braid and use a max of 30lb leader but generally 20lb fluro leader. A little longer and lighter baitcaster rounds it off for me.

SUSIE Q · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

ROSCO never heard truer words spoken " SIZE DOESNT MATTER WHEN YOUR HAVING FUN" I thought I was the only one, but my wife still love me. GOOGZ stick to all the info above, small lures, as light as practical ( line) stick to one or two creeks and maybe the most important of all is STEALTH dont scteam up to a drain or leave a big wash over a creek mouth the fish are obviuosly VERY SPOOKY in shallow water. Just keep persisting as rosco says some days not much other days unforgetable. Also as mentioned the wet probably the hardest time to catch a barra with all the jelly prawns.

Cheers

Deigs · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:20 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

i use to fish west arm alot and just used the doa prawns just flicking around all the rockbars have caught everything from jacks snapper and barra just work the edges look for bait barra wont be to far away from that. have never caught anything big out of the harbour but still good fun.

takinapunt · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Googz Some really good advise so far above but I will add that small threadlines & light braid allows you to cast smaller lures from further out which increases the stealth factor. We also tend to use small shallow hard body minnows when the water is up amongs the mangrove roots & when the Barra are boofing on top (the plastics sometimes go too deep). When the snake drains start to appear, any of the small scented plastics work well but my favourite is gulp shrimps or minnows in whatever colour you prefer as the fish don't seem to care most days. If the water is dirty look for clean patches & if clean look for dirty patches as these tend to confuse the baitfish. Also concentrate on areas with water movement ie back eddies etc & patches of rock especially over the wet. Small lures & light tackle increases your catch rate remarkably....Cheers

googz · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:51 am Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Some very good advice there lads, cheers to all that posted. I will go out on my next break loaded with this ammunition and let yas know how i go.

:drinking1:

Agent86 · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:36 am Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Hey googz

all good advice above, same as i do, another option as well is the rockbars and the gravel patches around for nice little goldies! I always get a few in the Lizzie when i have a go, and have caught some good ones up to a couple of kilo as well. The mouths of the creeks on the bigger tides will usually hold a few nice Bream as well, up to the kilo mark, a few fresh prawns and cant go wrong, just soak them with the light gear on the edge of the bank as the tide drops, or on the first of the incoming the kids love it!!

Get the odd Barra and Threadie, then a coupla small goldies and some nice bream and you have a good feed!

seano · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Just to throw a spanner in the works- Recently went out with a mate in the lizzy river-and he got a 77 and a 58 using a large drop bear squidgy-130mm ,and the bigger fish was while we drifted what I thought was too close to a drain and was backing out with the electric! I got nothing using small lures (squidgies). The mullet getting around were mostly around 15cm so dont get too focussed on small lures.

They call me kane · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Darwin Harbour, the mystery.

Cheers guys. For someone new to northern fishing, its just great to have access to such great advice. Keep up the goodwork. Between you guys, the book, a.few mates an somechamps at my fav tackleshop i've gone from enjoying a social fish to trying to learn as much as possible. Keep it coming.
THe only problem is $ an time

Style:	Blogs Barrabucks The Logo Shop Arcade Gallery Chat FAQ FFF Barramundi Fishing

Contact Register Login