North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Big barramundi have been biting with reliable reports of metre-plus fish from Shoal Bay, the Daly River and the Limmen Bight region.

There have probably been big fish caught in other areas too, with the reports not filtering through.

On the Adelaide River the Goat Island Fishing Lodge's Barra Challenge has started well with 80cm and 95cm fish landed.

Remember to release barramundi over metre long as they are breeders, and take barra of less than 1m home for the table.

Shoal Bay Boat Hire's Bob Morris said he caught a 117cm barra this week, his personal best at the bay.

"We were livebaiting at low tide in the Little Howard River - Peter Lock hooked one a lure that was the same size and had it on for a while but it spat the hooks,'' he said.

"We got six for the day from legal size up to 117cm, and five salmon as well - the spot is a hole which is locked in at low tide.

"The last neap tides saw the deep water between King Creek and the landing further seaward fishing well for big barra - one bloke has been trolling the edge using 150 Classics and catching and releasing one big barra after another.

"There's another spot over at Hope Inlet that fishes well on the neap tides called the Hole in the Wall.

"There are plenty of salmon about too - prawns have slowed down over the big tides, but the big tides this week should bring the mud crabs back on.

"The Rock is producing some quality barra and jewfish, but not in big numbers."

Top End Fishing Supplies' Chris Rainbird said the shop's charter boats had been doing well on big jewfish and coral trout.

"The charter boats have been fishing out toward Loee Patches on the bigger tides because there is less run in the current in the shallow water,'' he said.

"They caught three trout on Wednesday but last week they had two days in a row where they caught 10 trout per boat.

"We haven't seen so many trout before.

"There have been a few barramundi caught in the harbour, with Middle Arm producing good fish.

"The Middle Arm flats seem to be best with one customer catching 11 barra in a day, mostly small stuff.

"There have been some jewfish caught at The Rock in Shoal Bay."

Fishing and Outdoor World's Ronald Voukolos said Darwin Harbour was fishing well for barramundi.

"The area around Channel Island has been excellent - one crew got a dozen fish and dropped the same number,'' he said.

"They were fishing the rockbars around Pioneer Creek, and the barra were all caught on lures.

"There have been some big barra taken out at The Rock at Shoal Bay on the start of the run-in tide.

"Offshore fishing has been good - Equinox Fishing Charters reports catching big jewfish and said and golden snapper were biting earlier in the week.

"Point Blaze has had a lot of pelagic fish such as mackerel and tuna.

"The billabongs have been a bit quiet, and the first rains usually quietens them down a bit.

"This weekend's tides are fairly big and I think the estuaries will be the place to fish.

"The Daly River has been fishing well with some large barramundi taken down at the Golden Mile and at the crossing."

Katherine Rod and Rifle's Warren de With said there were big barramundi taken at the Limmen Bight River last week, including a 125cm fish by Errol Blakney of Katherine.

"Another chap who has never caught a barra landed one of 118cm at the mouth of Spillen Creek,'' he said.

"The same crew also caught quite a few fish in the 70cm and 80cm range.

"The Victoria River is fishing spasmodically and has been hit by localised storms, but if the water gets a chance to clear after the rain there will be a chance for some reasonable barra on the next neap tides.

"The Katherine River has become muddy from the rain.

"The Roper River crossing at Roper Bar has not risen yet - on the first push of clear water the crossing fishes really well - the barra ride the first wave of water down and all hell breaks loose if you are there at the right time."

Charlie Chambers of www.happymicks.com.au said Darwin Harbour produced some entertainment for anglers venturing out between storms.

"The jewies have been on the chew on most wrecks in the harbour with reports of four or five good-sized jewfish a night from most people I talk to,'' he said.

"The best I heard was a 18kg jewie that came from the Peary wreck. It was caught on local squid on the change of tide on a handline. The lucky angler also bagged his limit of golden snapper as well and caught two other smaller jewfish. Not a bad night spent in the harbour.

"Mangrove jacks have been caught on a regular basis in Pioneer Creek on the outgoing tide with small live baits on the rockbars. The most success is first thing in the morning until about 11am. The biggest jack landed was 52cm.

"Between storms anglers have had great sessions with mackerel around Point Blaze and Sail City. Some big macks up to 20kg have been landed off Bateman Shoal and a 98cm cobia was caught wide off Roche Reef."

"The bottom fishing has slowed down a little with no reports I have heard of red emperor or coral trout. Maybe people are starting to keep it to themselves a little more."

Next week's neap tides will be worth a look around the Vernon Islands (out of Leaders Creek Fishing Base) and South Gutter for big golden snapper and jewfish.