North Australian FISH FINDER forums

Build-up and wet season is a great time to fish, but brings on the occasional scare.

My worst was on the Adelaide River down towards Black Jungle Creek, a storm started overhead and lightning soon started coming down all around, I swear it followed us all the way back to the bridge.

It was that bad with lightning near the boat ramp that we stayed under the bridge for a while, but it wouldn't let up, so we took the boat in to the ramp, by which time it was dark.

The ramp carpark was flooded, so I had to wade in the dark to the car, thinking about crocs, and with lightning coming down nearby.

I got the boat on in record time, and the storm seemed to follow us down the highway, one bolt came down near the car. I could hardly see out the windscreen with the rain. Was a memorable experience. Really enjoyed the hot shower and cold beer when at home.

Didn't catch anything either but did briefly hook a couple of big fish at Black Jungle mouth. It's a good spot worth the long run when it is flowing.

Many years ago a man was killed by lightning on the Adelaide River while the boat was under way.

Must be something about the Adelaide river, Matt. Myself and the decky got caught out up in Marrakai creek a few years ago with lightening all around us. Made the same dash back and sheltered under the bridge for the next hour or so. We were sure the bridge got hit on a couple of occasions. Felt like we had a mixture of welding flash and tinnitus! Scary stuff.

Often see small intense storms over the Adelaide River on radar.

South Alligator November last year.
Electrical storm and thundering rain from the mouth all the way to the ramp. Decky had volunteered to drive the boat back to the ramp earlier in the day which turned out to be a great deal for me. I hid between the console and the cast deck with a windshield reflector wrapped around me for the 3 hours it took us to get up to the ramp (10pm). At the ramp we saw the car had a flat, but the tire was on so tight I bent the wheel brace and also ground my knuckles in the bitumen. Had to keep running back to the ramp to push the boat out further as the tide was dropping fast. Got home at midnight completely exchausted and found out the next day my sounder was busted with water intrusion

We did get some great fishing though!

South Alligator November last year.
Electrical storm and thundering rain from the mouth all the way to the ramp. Decky had volunteered to drive the boat back to the ramp earlier in the day which turned out to be a great deal for me. I hid between the console and the cast deck with a windshield reflector wrapped around me for the 3 hours it took us to get up to the ramp (10pm). At the ramp we saw the car had a flat, but the tire was on so tight I bent the wheel brace and also ground my knuckles in the bitumen. Had to keep running back to the ramp to push the boat out further as the tide was dropping fast. Got home at midnight completely exchausted and found out the next day my sounder was busted with water intrusion

We did get some great fishing though!

Classic yarn! Every now and then all fishos have a trip like this.

Must be something about the Adelaide river, Matt. Myself and the decky got caught out up in Marrakai creek a few years ago with lightening all around us. Made the same dash back and sheltered under the bridge for the next hour or so. We were sure the bridge got hit on a couple of occasions. Felt like we had a mixture of welding flash and tinnitus! Scary stuff.

Those road bridges have no doubt been safe haven for many

Another storm yarn ...

I was in my boat sheltering next to the shipping wharf at East Arm with a mate, with a bad electrical storm overhead.

We felt 'static' in our air and thought we were about to be hit by lightning.

Happened a couple of times before we realised it was grit being blown off the wharf and landing in our hair.