North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Thats about one landed barra per five minutes. WOO HOO!!

Got a leave pass on sunday night so I took the jeep, filled her up and followed my nose.

I thought I would try the Gagadju culverts but as I drove by they were either too low or silted up. My general thoughts were to head down the old road through to yellow waters untill I got stopped by water and fish it but then I remembered Milseys big night at the culverts last year and pushed on to the culvert at south alligator. This was too low too but looked like it might go off after dark. It was 5pm so I decided to look at the megellan since it was over the road and I could see a good storm over Jabiru.

In fact I couldnt get to the megellan since the creek before it was at about a meter so stopped there and tried a few lures. My gear was a small shimano spinning reel, 8kg braid, 40ib leader and a small jerk bait (grey and white) on a weedless single hook jig.

The water was clear and running well but you needed to get a fair cast in as the deeper water was on the far bank. A local lad picked up a rat and so did I. For the first hour thats about all we got apart from a heart wrenching follow where I watched a good sized barra follow the lure and turn away at the last second. I got another rat then the lad from Jabiru gave up and headed home. It was drizzling. I was on my own. Dusk was falling.

At 6:30pm my jerk bait hit the water, twitched once then stopped dead. I thought I was snagged. Then it started peeling line. For what seemed like an eternity I just hung on as it pulled line and headed upstream with the current. Finally it slowed but now my line was out in front of me for twenty yards then angled around a tree with another 80 yards of line heading off at right angles to that. It was a strange fight trying to coax the fish back around that tree against the current. Every now and then it would bust up the surface and take back a bit of line. I finally got it in front of me and after a few more decent jumps with me droppping the tip to keep the jig head stuck it drifted intot he bank. I guessed it for about seventy five but I could hear boofing so I threw my jerk bait back into the mix.

Seconds after it hit the water I was on again. This time it was bigger. Too big. I watched it do that thing where they try to jump jbut all they can do is lift head out and shake their huge bucket mouth. Then it headed off up stream wioth the current. I tightened my drag as much as i dared an it lurched out of the water again. This time the pressure of the drag was too much and the lure inevitably pulled free. I didnt have time to get too upset....by the time the lure was half way back it had been grabbed again.

Thats what it was like. The hottests barra fishing I have ever experienced. for the next hour it was seriously a barra a cast. And they ranged in size from about 45 to......well who knows how big the ones I lost were. Three friggin unstoppable horses.....maybe another fifteen over 65cm....

The bite continued after dark but did slow to a measly barra every two or three casts....what a memorable session. And only me there. With no camera. I gave it away at 9pm and left with the barra still biting.....a hard call to make but I had foolishly given an ETA and didnt want to worry anyone.

A couple of notes:

Most importantly this is a prime location for big crocs. The bite started at dusk and this hightens the danger. Do not go in the water under any circumstances and do not fish from the edge after dark. I fished from the bonnet of the jeep sitting on the roof. Either take a portable fence or a ute that you can fish out of the back of.

If anyone is going to try in the next few days and wants a buddy I'll gladly go again for an evening fish. This especially goes out to newbie barra fishos who are chasing their first barra......

Since I was fishing a single hook jig all fished were returned healthy and unscathed......with the possible exception of two that put in the esky on the basis that they are chromies and looked very yummy. Those two were very scathed I'm afraid. Had one for dinner last night....ooooooh yeeaaahhh.....

As soon as you get back Paul we'll do a run down.

If someone were to park a tinny in the middle of the crossing they would have a much better chance at stopping those horses.

I meant what I said about the crocs.

Cheers
Mud

Sounds like a top sess Mud Ya free tomorrow night???As I was going to do a culvert bash anyway (maybe not that far) but you may have talked me into it

Well done Mike...amd yes when I get back Ill give ya a holler and we can shoot down with the slowlux - fish out the back of tray?
I called ya a few times, your phone was unattended.

Top effort mate! Thats unreal culvert fishing!

top effort -well done.

Great session. you've gotta be in it to win it

Excellent read Mud. I can still visualise each cast!!

No doubt now the invites been put out, you'll be a very busy man. Cheers mate.

Richie

Great fishing and great read sound's exciteing

Good on ya Mud!
Awesome write up too.

Nice work Mud

Only reason i want to go back to work now!

Cheers

Sy

Hey Ernie...having problems pming...call me on 89410290 or after 7 tonight on 0447229660

Well done Mud , sounds like a good session.

I'm out at Jabiru at work this week so might head out Thursday evening for a look.

I'm wondering though, did you mean Magilla creek on the way to the East, or are you in a totaly differant area??

If so how do I get there???

Cheers bullet

Soz Bullet,,,Ernie corrected me. It is the Megela Creek. The first crossing on the way to Cahills crossing. Im pretty sure its the same place those tourists came unstuck.
cheers
Mud

The tourists were actually trying to run down the fish.

That's an amazing effort Mud. I thinks you wont get Magela to yourself again anytime soon.

I'd make the haul out there but after the last few weeks of several hundred kms covered by boat and road and no fish I fear I'd put them off the bite for sure.

Cheers Ernie..pmed
Cheers Paul..pmed
Thanks Cuddlescooper, Seano, Nomad
Richie I can do with beiing that kind of busy
Cheers PP, Sheeby, Sy
Thanks Bullet and Moz...I know the feeling Moz...when u cant find them after a few trips it can be pretty disheartening. But then you get the right time and place and realise you wernt doing anything wrong. But then you are stuck chasing the buggers again

Will see how it goes over the next few days....these culverts can be fickle