Hi there,

This fishing trip started with a few text message between 5 of the land based guys from this forum, and I was one of them.
A few options were talked about and finally the consensus was that we should go to fish from the Barrage at Shady Camp...
That was Mud idea...

As soon as I texted that I was going to be part of it, Seano called me and started to go on about how the place was dangerous, that it was the place with the biggest numbers of crocodiles over four meters in length in the world and on and on...
It took me a moment to realise, that he was really enjoying telling me all that, and lessoning to me becoming more and more calm on the other end of the line...
Basically he was having fun, knowing how sensible I can be in regards to the crocodile subject...
And to be honest, already before his phone call, I was wondering why I had said yes, but after hearing all the things that he said...
It is my own sanity that I was starting to question...
Any way I was quite exited, as I was going to fish with my spin reel for the first time since it had been serviced by Justin, and he had told me that my drag was going to be better. I don't know if it was actually stronger than it originally was or if I had been fishing with a worn out drag for long enough to forgot what a good drag is on a spinning reel. But yes it was going to prove being very strong...

Any way, I tried as good as I could to put all this behind me and on the D-day, Mud picked me up, and we caught up with Sarrge and his son Steve.

Seano and Sheeby, who both were making fun of my "irrational fear" of crocodiles, were unable to come because they had to work on a Sunday evening...
Yeah right! How funny is it that the two who mocked me the most suddenly had a very good excuse not to come...

Ok, maybe they really had to work.

So we were in the car all talking of big fish, Shady, fishing lures, techniques and crocodiles.
When finally every body fell in a near meditative state that is a sign of anglers focused on the task to come.
And at this time I got stirred out of my bubble by a strange noise, which was definitively not mechanical...
Someone was snoring, and snoring big time.
No, I will not give any names, but it wasn't me and Sarrge was driving, so after quickly checking I knew it wasn't him.
Who was it?
Well actually, I do have a rather good video of it, but it would be unfair to show it on the forum, as the Master snorer was to shine even more when it would be time to catch some fish.
Thinking about it, it must have been is own way of getting psyched for the action that was waiting for us.

So as we arrived the first thing that I noticed was a large sign, which I had tried to forget all about:


Yes beware of the crocs...

But the barrage itself was pretty dry, in contrast of the only other time were I had seen it, totally under water.


This is the side with some water in it.


And the side without water...

This as a reassuring effect on me.
Once we passed the fence, something caught Sarrge attention and he showed it to me, I don't know why this fish had been hanged in the trees just there?


Croc bait?

And so we started fishing and Sarrge got two small Barra in no times, starting to say that he had the thing well worked out.
We could see a few croc swimming or basking on the banks of the fresh side.
Then a brown dog came running through the bush, started to enter the water till his belly was wet, and looked at us with a slight growl.
I said: Hey guys, look at the dog!
To which Mud responded: no it's a pig...
To which I replied: No it's a dog.
Mud: It's a pig... Ho no your right it's a dog! He should get out of the water smart quick!
Because yes just a few meters from where this dog was standing in the water, we saw a croc, which we couldn't see any more.
But we could clearly see a big croc that was on the bank for a long time, that had no turned in the direction of the dog, and was looking at him.
Eventually the dog got out of the water and ran back to his owner who was shouting at him.


Two of the croc who had a good look at the dog.

Being who I am, even if I had been told that I would get some better results with soft plastic, I had put on my line a hard body lure, fitted with just a single hook at the back...
Why making it simple when... .... ...
So I was enjoying casting this lure in the hope to catch a big Barra, when something happen, my line broke and I lost the lure which was nicely swimming under water.
The lure floated back to the surface, and I tough for a while that it was going to float toward me.
But it didn't, the line must have been snagged in a branch or something under water.
And if ever someone would have had the stupid idea of entering the water to pick it up, as after all it was not very far...
We were quickly reminded that this is no swimming waters, when a croc started to swim in direction of the lure, and nudged it with the tip of his snout. Before getting away from it with no more that a passing interest.


I did offer $5 to the person who would go and get it, but obviously no one needed the money...

Mud got a nice hit and no fish, but just a scale on his hook, so we knew he wasn't lying...



The proof is in the image.

Just after that he got a rat, and throw it back with disdain.


Like a spoiled kid never happy...


Then the water started to move in, and the night to fall upon us, the real action was going to start.


And then I couldn't see the crocs any more...


It was still twilight when Mud got the first good fish of the evening, a 67cm Barramundi.



Caught on a soft plastic of course, not a hard body like I was trying to use...




So I finally came to my senses and agreed to use a soft plastic...
Well as I was just retrieving a big Squidgy in the Drop Bear colour, and jigging it like a flick bait I got a very fast and angry fish going for it. It immediately pulled a bit of line on the bite, like if he had taken it on the move. Stopped, and pulled again. I was exited to test my just serviced reel to its full potential... But I must have had the drag too tight, as the hook bent and the big fish swam away in no time to have a real fight. I think that there is an expression that go like: Short and sweet, well it was nearly that, but more of the bitter sweet kind...

I bent the hook back with a plier, and casted roughly in the same direction for a little while when...
Wham one again!
And hook bent again, I must have forgotten to loosen my drag...

Slow learner is the most polite term that came to mind...


Then Mud hooked what must have been an absolutely massive one.
His fish, just stopped the lure in his track, then realised it was hooked started to pull hard and I could see his rod bent to the max and hear the sweet sound of the drag screaming for mercy.
The fish came to the surface and one way or another got ride of the hook.

Latter on the way back in the car we would discuss of the empty feeling you get when you just missed a big fish...

In the darkness now fully descended on us we could hear the splashes of some rather big crocs on both sides of the barrage.
Courageous me, I alway made sure that there was always someone between me and the water. You could basically say that I was fishing over the shoulders of others... Not very brave I know, but hey, I never said that I was not afraid of crocodiles, and they were all around us.

At one stage we were the four of us on one side of the barrage, and three crocs were crossing the barrage on the other side.
We could hear their bellies sliding on the concrete floor and see them in the light of our head lamps.
I went very calm, and did not walk closer to have a good picture.
I couldn't get a good one with the lousy flash of my point and shot camera, but too bad, I was not going there.

Then as we were starting to talk about folding the nigh away, Steve hooked a nice 61cm Barramundi that put him on the board.


For a guy who had never got a Barra a few weeks ago, I am sure that he was enjoying his time in Darwin.

It was then time to get back after all it was nearly Monday morning and some of us had to go to work latter on...

It was a great afternoon/evening land based fishing trip.
Would I fish from the barrage again?
Not really sure on this one, specially since I heard about a place called Cahill Crossing or something like that (It was late by then) where you can fish standing 4.5 meters above the water. The place sounded like paradise after spending a few hours so close to the water edge.
So maybe Cahill is the next spot to discover on the list, who knows...

Any way, guys, thank for the trip, the good company, the laughs and for showing me how to catch a fish, once again...


Have a good day,
Pecheur

top post pech!! i was out there on friday night got a whole heaps of rats and had SP's throw back at me by three bigger ones for a minute i thought i was using barbless but F...nose what was happening gonna hit it again in the next two weeks

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great read Pech Mud that was a distinctly girly throw...or was it an imitation of an all black line out throw?

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G'day Pech
There have been 14 known deaths by crocs in the N.T. since 1975
None of those have been where the largest population of saltwater crocs in the world live although one of them was at Cahills crossing
Considering the amount of people that fish the barrage at Shady compared to where people have been taken it appears to be a safer landbased spot than most
The crocs are there because the fish are there and that means they are well fed but a person should still not become too complacent about them as I'm sure you wouldn't after you have explained your fear of them
Great report of your trip there and some good photos to

Regards
Shaun

so the rumors are true pech fishing of shady barrage

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Hi Double Haul,



Well I was more wetting a line than fishing...



Also, I forgot the part where Mud and Sarrge both got their lures taken by a croc.
It happened twice to Mud and one time to Sarrge, they lost their lure every times.


Have a good day,
Pecheur

great read pech..and some nice pics too

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Nice post Pecheur. Good stuff.

Good post Pech, great pics, I like the one with the croc on the surface looking at the lure.
BUT I hear someone photographed a person wearing a grey shirt with MUD on it at Shady barrage impaling a large barra scale on his hook

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your a brave, brave frenchman pech- and you Mud should be in sales.

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Top write up mate.

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good story Pech and some great Pics

well done guys, good to see a few fish caught there, and a few lost as well!!

Smartie

awesome write up Pech. always entertaining and interesting. keep up the good work and photos.

by the way for your interest in the mid to late 80's i took ride up the frresh water side in 12 foot punt. i counted over a hundred crocs in the first km. Gave up counting after that and i dont think i ever left the middle of the boat until we were back at the barage

Ha lol : it snuck in at 60 Pesh! A great write up and yoiu have a knack for taking the interesting shots...love the one with the lure and croc!
Hard lines about your hook ups...think the shad hook was the problem more than your drag.....



Got the barrage bug Fry? Ha ha!



If you look closely IIMB Im not throwing it......Im lifting it. With my mind....

The all blacks are going to take some beating I think....Itll be between them, the wallabys and the box.....but I think the silver ferns will carry the day



Agree entirely Shaun...good observations methinks



Had to tie him up to get him there DH but once he was used to the wildlife he even fished on when they walked across the barrage lol



er.....the first one got a bit shirty about the whole ugly incident from memory



friggin cool shirt....



You get that hey smartie....big fish get lost...but not by a certain un-named SARRGE....oops did I say that out loud....earlier tonight but Ill leave that for him to reveal!!!
Consider this an unauthorised drum-roll....



I dont doubt it for a minute WOO...some nights Ive been down there its like a city of red lights

Ha lol : it snuck in at 60 Pesh!
[quote]

Ooops Sorry, Steve had the best fish of the evening then, my mistake...


Have a good day,
Pecheur