How things have changed on the fishing scene over the years

olfella · Post by **olfella** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:19 pm

Hi fellas, I have followed my young mates lead and have decided to make my maiden speech on this site( or any site for that matter) given I have been having a bit of a sniff around for some time and enjoying some frank and seemingly honest stories and advice.
I caught my first Barra in 1976 at the Nourlangie Water Holes. For us older blokes who have been around a bit , that was back before Kakadu came into being.In those days a 12' car-topper was considered a big rig. Most, if not all of us, including myself, had a 11' tinnie and a 15 HP 2 stroke.

There was no boat ramp at the South Alligator so, upon your return, your fishing mate had to scramble up the bank if it was low tide with a rope to tie to the back of your ute to pull you onto dry land. You could fish all Saturday on the top of the South and be lucky to see another boat.If another boat turned up they would exercise the ethical decorum of the era and fish well away from you.Usually you would fish one fork and they would fish the other. Those 2 forks up the top of the river are now 'out of bounds'. On the dropping tide the fish would go ballistic.

One day I was up on the right hand fork and the Fisheries Police turned up to check out my safety equipment.I couldn't believe a police boat was on the water let alone checking for something called safety equipment. Besides I was onto about my 9th White Can for the morning so was a little on the cheeky side.The copper brought to my attention there were only 2 cars back at the bridge ( may have been a boat ramp by then ) so it was unwise to play silly buggers, give my correct name and address and to cop my $200 fine on the chin. Obviously I was being made an example of.
Fortunately a rugby mate of mine, who played for the same club, was in the police at the time. He came to me at training and suggested that I owe him a carton of Green Cans as he spotted my name on the fines list on his work computer and hit the delete button........anyway that was mateship for you back in those days.

I shudder now to think that what was considered responsible drink/driving back then was that you didn't crack your first can when going fishing until you drove through Humpty Doo. It was nothing to drink a carton of heavy cans for the day and drive back to Darwin. I am not proud of that aspect of fishing but unfortunetly that was very common.........somehow we survived.

When Stage 2 of Kakadu was legislated horrid little signs started to appear on the tracks to Red Lilly and 2 and 4 Mile Hole etc saying the roads were closed for the wet season. Upon complaing about this to the head bloke(who will remain nameless) of Kakadu we were told that those signs were only to protect tourists and that we could drive around them......but that wasn't to mentioned if an irrate ranger turned up. There were no problems for some years until locked gates started to appear. These to were ignored and the full letterof the law was applied. That is , if you are not caught opening the gate and taking the signs down then you can't be charged for being in a closed area. But things tightened up, deals were done and finally the gates now remain locked until officially opened.

Also back in the late '70's and early 80's you had to get permission from Point Stuart station to fish Shady Camp. Now that was hot fishing.There used to be a big floodplain a couple of kilometres up the creek that ran off to the right a few kilometres below the S -Bends.On the dropping tide those channels would produce catches of up to 70 Barra ( between 2 fisherman) up to about 90 cms. But unfortunately by the late 90's the channels had been overgrown with trees and bush.

Back in the early to mid 80's I had a choice of 33 spots to go Barra fishing and camping for the weekend where you wouldn't see another sole. Now I have one.

Then 'big rigs' on trailers started to appear, some were 14' !!!

I still used my car -topper for the Kakadu billabongs ( mostly I would take my 3.9 Stacer ) until my 11 year old daughter was nearly taken by a croc last year.

Over the years all my ol fishing partners, mates left Darwin,disappeared or gave up fishing.
Fortunately a group of young fellas have allowed me into their fishing circle, mainly for the expert advice and fatherly direction......well you older blokes know what I mean.
They opened up a whole new scene and adventures by introducing me to Chambers and Finke Bay etc as well as genuine blue water fishing.
The only real Blue water stuff I did was out of my 11 footer around the Peron Islands in the 80's,using a handline and a lump of lead on some rope to detrmine if there was any reef below the boat.

So this year I purchased a 4.85 Sea Jay, some braid, a sonar and a Chart Plotter, got my young mates to show me how to use it all and .....Kakadu billabong fishing/camping is now,almost, a thing of the past .

I can't believe that for 17 years I have lived only a 5 minute drive from Buffalo Creek boat ramp and only used it for the first time this year !!

I have seen a lot of changes in the recreational fishing industry since 1976 but I think there are more drastic changes to come ?? Eh fellas ??

Cheers

Olfella

Dick · Post by **Dick** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:31 pm

Nice post olfella, mentioned a few things that have come to pass over the last couple of decades to take the edge off the game

ponyplay · Post by **ponyplay** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:45 pm

Great post, being a ring in up here i dont know alot of older folk (no offence) so dont hear many old story's. Wat im trying to say is i enjoyed your story about the south in the old days , i can only imagine how good that must of been back then only seeing two boats. These days it's a s...t fight for one feeder creek. Any way cheers

PilbaraBrad · Post by **PilbaraBrad** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:47 pm

Top read mate, you and my old man sound the same. I remember him taking us to some spots, flying down the rivers of FNQ, then when he finnaly ended up getting a sounder i remember him saying one day, Oh poop, and he came off the throttle, i have been flogging it over that rock bar for 15 years and i never new it was there. Pretty funny stuff.

double haul · Post by **double haul** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:08 pm

Top read ya old bugger.

My old man has a few yarns from his early days up here, he and the master of finance and war left in early 74 to have me. I still tell them it was a mistake, leaveing not me.

Keep the dream alive mate.

scottmac · Post by **scottmac** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:16 pm

Great post!

Would love to here more stories about the 'good ol' days'

sarrge · Post by **sarrge** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:50 pm

Great post - good to hear what it was like back then and good to see you are still into it - i guess the bug never goes away....

drifter · Post by **drifter** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:10 pm

sarrge wrote:Great post - good to hear what it was like back then and good to see you are still into it - i guess the bug never goes away....

As hard to kock as herion, and probably as expensive

Billster · Post by **Billster** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:31 pm

Great to hear your story I bet yoy have plenty more to tell.
The best thing is that although you talk about all the changes I don't sense any bitterness just the fact that things have changed.

Billy

fishfanatic · Post by **fishfanatic** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:10 am

Ah yes the good old territory...long may it live in our memories...

Be good to hear more "oldtimer" stories..

olfella · Post by **olfella** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:37 am

Thanks for the positive comments fellas.
Yeh I have heaps of stories about fishing from the late 70's but I should imagine there would be a number of ol Territorians around who could do the same.
One comment, by Billster, was that I have no bitterness..........you are right mate.........things change regardless, you have to accept it.Though I must admit I stayed away from the South for 7 years because the last time I went I had to park my car half way back to the Arnhem Highway. Then when I anchored on my favourite feeder and hooked onto a nice Barra I was suddenly surounded by 5 other boats who dwarfed me and cast over the top of my lure. I gave up in disgust.

But the Top End has given me a great recreational life style throughout my younger years ..........and continues to do so.

Mud · Post by **Mud** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:14 pm

Great post olfeller.
I consider myself a senior fisherman too. The problem i have is convincing anyone here that i also have wiseness and should be respected!
Thanks for the stories and we would love to hear more...cheers
Mud

Brent Matthews · Post by **Brent Matthews** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:19 pm

Nice to see you on this new fang dangle computer forum thingy....

And thanks for towing us and the big red boat of the mud bar the day us young blokes were showing you shoal bay

fishfanatic · Post by **fishfanatic** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:29 pm

The problem i have is convincing anyone here that i also have wiseness and should be respected!

Dream on Mud

Mud · Post by **Mud** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:09 pm

Dream on Mud ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL Jester

see what I mean. Young whipper snappers have no respect for their elders. Well at least I still have my dignity!........no wait...oh yeah...lost that back in 85'.

Pfffttt