North Australian FISH FINDER forums

Cheers for the post and vid Mullet.
Definatley would not eat any fish from water that smells like that.
With the massive tides this week hopefully a lot more of the fish will make it over the barrage to the salt

Damn who stole the water?
Great vid though thanks for the info

Unfortunately curiosity got the better of me and I drove out to have a look at the fish kill. I took my rod as well and timed it with the incoming high tide. Now due to my chosen profession, over the years I have encountered many special aromas. None have ever made me dry reach and I have kind of gotten use to harsh smells.

I can smell an S. Aureus infection from 50 feet, a severe nec fasciitis from the front door and you don’t ever want to smell someone else’s melena at a range of 2 feet or the breath of a person with a severe acute bowel obstruction. I have many times and never vomited. So I kind of figured I could deal with the smell of a few dead fish.

I pulled up at the barrage as the tide was about two foot from going over the barrage; there were some guys in a tinny fishing there, the water looked like death, a dark black colour with dead fish every few feet and a big old croc making a meal of one just to the left on the death side (fresh). The smell did not seem too bad so I stood up on the measuring table on the barrage and started to flick.

Flicking lasted about 60 seconds and that is when the smell hit. I went weak at the knees, my legs started to shake, my resp rate went up, my heart rate when through the roof , my pupils dilated (a stress response) and I dry reached like I have never dry reached before. The smell was enough to make a grown man cry and I did. So if you are fool hardy like me and think you have guts of steel think again or take up the ultimate challenge and head to Shady camp for the special smell of the death water!

Hahahahaha yeah im cryin now .That will teach you,curiosity always kills the cat.

Lol good one NF. I've found in previous years the effects travel down past the barrages 5k down for the next three days or so. Then the fish are less sluggish. Best bet is to cut across to Tommycut.

best bet is to REMOVE the bararge ( DEATH TRAP ) There was nothing wrong with the natural rock bar that is under the stupid thing ! OH and none of those barages have done what they were (suposed to do ) stop the salt intrusion.... yeah right !!! the only thing they have been succesful at is killing fish because the poor buggers cant escape like they uesd to do NATURALY..........

I hate to burst your bubble but shady had fish kills before the barrage was touched. I do not like the barrage levels going up because the levels are to high, right bact to hardies.

How long does it take to some what recover. Would it be worth fishing in a few weeks, and if so salt of fresh. I know alot will depend on rain, and by the sounds if it we wont get another monsoon for a month (touch wood). So would it be worth fishing it. Got a mate up from sydney for 4 days. Want to take him some where and show him a few crocs and maybe even a barra.

Yeah no probs mickkk just a week or so and its back to normal.....a few less fish.

Gday all, looking for a bit of info.
Got a mate up from Syd and was going to go out to shady for a flick land based on Sunday.

What time would be best to try and get a few fish. I have no idea what the time of the tides are or what tide is best to fish.

Any other info would be great. Is it just single hooks around the barrage?? Any other rules I should know about??

Gday Mick- shady barrage is better to fish on spring tides around the high .this year there's bugger all water at the low. High tide is roughly opposite to Darwin tides so high tide on the springs will be in the middle of the day and night. Single hook lures within 100metres of the barrage and no bait fishing. Soft plastics are the go- Doa bait busteers , squidgies, gulps etc.

cheers Mate

Thanks for tthe tips, I will let you know if i go any good.