Hi guys.

I'm after some advice before I head back to the sand pit Worst thing from a first post noob I know. I'm sorta active in a shooting forum and very active in a motorcycling forum so I understand the effort that goes into providing advice. And after reading this forum and viewing the advice provided this is the best place to ask online.

Bit about myself, Army for the last 23 years and into the future, from a professional/commercial fisherman/diver family background where I got dragged in when required, even on leave and unpaid All in SA. Dived for crabs (before they stopped us) and scallops. Shelled Abs. Line pretty much everything.

I have no clue about tropical fishing. Missus and I did a 3 month trip from Melb around to the west coast in 2004 which was gold until we got north of Shark Bay then I didn't have a clue and subsequently caught nothing.

Since then I have done some bluewater fishing in Fiji and been exposed to a good number of fisherman with experience (no locals though) to suggest what works in Northern Oz to work out what lures etc I need to take. So lures are good, maybe.

What I'm trying to do. I have a 3.3 tuff tender with a 15hp yam. I have 2 weeks from 1 Oct 11. I have 2 weeks to experience NT fishing. I've booked channel point for 2 nights already. Willl visit Litchfield and Kakadu. Mary River and Shady camp is out (post 1 Oct 11) due to restrictions. On the way up we can fish the Roper? Have seen Crab Island Camp and this seems okay?

I'd like to know some good places where I can use the little boat within the conditions to get some queenies, barra, macs or more, drop some crab pots and also get some barra.

And also can you get collapsable mud crab pots in Katherine?

Thanks, Marc

kinackers...a 3.3 m is maybe a touch small but if that's all you got then I'd be very croc aware mate,2 weeks into Oct there's a chance of some pretty savage arvo storms as well to keep in mind as for lures...gold bombers and GNR 10 foot classics will get you a bazz fish the last of the run out and the first of the run in chuck the bombers and small plastics into the snake drains over the change of the tide slow retrieves and pauses work well, troll classics along the bank have a few cold ones and enjoy the scenery, all the tackle shops have the collapsible crab pots
good luck

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Thanks Mate, will do

any of the creek or billabongs will be wort the effort if your not scared of the crocs.
the big ones can be intimidating. (crocs)

i only have a 3.7M with a 15hp and i hit the creeks nearly everyweekend.
i little common sense goes a long way. (dont flick 10M away from a 4.5M monster. etc)
as for lure to catch a Barra. (classic 10+ in guns and roses) this is the number 1 go to lure around Darwin.
has been proven by everyone. yes me included.

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Hey Kinackers, The Roper is going great for barra at the moment but you are a braver man than me in the Tuff Tender. There are some bl..dy big croc's down there. Also dont know how you will go in the blue stuff from channel point, get's pretty lumpy at times but you can pick up plenty of good fish around the coast line. Should go ok with crabs also but honestly you may struggle with the size of the boat.

Just my opion, others may disagree. Either way hope you do ok.

Cheers Dinga.

All good advice above kinackers. The guys are right about the size of the boat. Just be very aware of crocs. When you have a 5 metre cruise past your 3.3 metre boat you will want to shrink down into you tinny and keep a low profile .
You should be able to fish virtually every billabong and most rivers, just be careful about fishing the big rivers on king tides. With a small outboard like that there are times you may have trouble getting back against the current. I would not be taking a boat that small out on the sea proper myself . The weather can change in 5-10 minutes and you cant ride out any kind of rough seas in a tinny that small.
BUT you should still get heaps of good fish

Get yourself the FF Magazine..that should help you out heaps.

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Take all of the above onboard kinackers, some good stuff there, I would however like to argue the length of the boat, 3.3 vs 3.7??? or even vs 4.2. I'm not convinced, sure if you anchor up and soak a livie you might make a target of yourself irrespective of boat length, but if you are on the move casting, even just drifting, length of boat is not a key factor in my opinion. Freeboard plays a more important part, ultimately I suspect mass is the most significant factor (which makes me feel very good in my 800kg plus plate boat) but in a small tinny length is not such a factor. Be careful as you launch, keep on the move and be careful as you retrieve. I also have a 2.4 tinny that has proven to be a real go anywhere crabbing and fishing machine.
Keep your eyes open and your wits about you irrespective of boat length in my opinion.

Mate, the hobbies yard at robertson barracks has hires boats bulk cheap. Biggest 5.5m centre console and smallest 4m tiller.

Might be worth a look if your keen.

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Got some Barra Classic 10+ here in GNR is you need some. They dont work for me so threw some out not long ago. Think i got a few more still

it's not all about barra either mate...launch at dinah beach and poke round the wharfs and rockwalls north and south of there...pretty smooth water most of the time and plenty of fish to be had trevs queenies small macks goldies jacks and cod etc the flats around the mouths of sadgroves, bleesers and reichardts creeks turn it on sometimes for decent barra a stones throw from the cbd

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