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Daly River 2018

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 3:54 pm
by wonderwobler
From where I’m sitting the river sounds like a waterfall, it’s a very relaxing sound, the sound of helicopters evacuating hundreds of people however has different effects because of what I’m seeing as the river keeps rising, ones level of adrenaline rises accordingly, even though I’ve seen the river angrier the power and volume of moving water is awesome.

The island I now live on is shrinking; lots of the local wildlife is sharing the island, for the moment. The crocs no doubt do their best work at night.
Rain on the planes and lower catchment has been significant for the first time since 2015, the back country is flooded, its will be a while before it recedes without any more rain and our wettest month February is about to start.

It is wonderful to experience the flood up close; you just know that everything in the ecosystem is benefiting, fish, birds, bugs, everything thrives on water and we’ve got a bit at present.
Fish wise it won’t be difficult to be superior to the past few years and a possible good recruitment in 2015 could produce reasonable fishing, however the stats show multiple consecutive above average river floods provide the primo scenario for barra.

Every wet is different and the river reacts to suit the conditions, the fish also do this. Sometimes the perfect storms happen, sometimes not, this latest event is not perfect but it’s not bad either and there should be more of the wet to come, time to make sure my sharp things are sharp.

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 5:21 pm
by theodosius
Sounds great but I bet the snakes are gathering on your island. Saw a few in a tree in the sea at the top of the South years ago. Last year's millions of baby barra will be a fun size now too

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:35 pm
by wazdog
Great report buddy, I cannot wait to,fish my beloved Daly, stay safe and keep us up to date.

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 7:26 am
by Matt Flynn
Nicely worded WW

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:00 am
by scottmac
Nice write up mate. Another burst this month would top it up nicely.

I just hope the pros don’t smash the Coastal creeks before I get a chance to fish them! :evil:

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:04 pm
by kingsley_z
Good to hear it from the point of view of people that live in the places we like to visit. Stay safe.

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:46 pm
by wonderwobler
Sadly its times like this that the devastation of the environment caused by the cane toad becomes overwhelmingly apparent, I have not seen a snake, frilled neck lizard or any type of goanna, small marsupials are non-existent. There are toads by the bucket load, incinerating them occurs between the rain bursts.

The open season for the nets starts today, of course the professionals will abide to the imaginary line across Anson bay and set their nets only in waterways that are approved for harvesting and they are being monitored aren’t they?

Moving water is mesmerizing, I find myself staring at the river watching the flotsam and jetsam rushing toward the Timor sea, huge trees, large rafts of bamboo and sticks and the occasional 200L drum or gas bottle, I even captured a 3.8 Stacer dingy one year. By far the most common thing is plastic bottles, they don’t sink when shot.

The river cleans itself during floods, unfortunately the cr.p doesn’t disappear it just gets moved.

The disgusting mess that included a six burner BBQ, dozens and dozens of booze cans and bottles, plastic bags and packaging that is left dumped on the river bank up near the Rock Candy range in a beautiful camp spot known as the “Spa” by the group of bogans who spend the Queen’s birthday long weekend making this mess will return to find the camp spotless…

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:58 pm
by wazdog
Keep the stories coming WonderWobler

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:58 pm
by wazdog
Hows my Old mate Harold Sinclair fairing down there???

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 4:58 pm
by NinjaFish
Maybe the Parks Mob could get the brown bombers from DCC to patrol and start fining people appropriately for leaving their cr.p behind :hunting:

They hide behind the trees in Darwin town just waiting to ambush the lazy and the sneaky to issue fines. They could adapt well down there and earn their keep too.

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:35 pm
by wonderwobler
For me the aroma of the falling river is a strange mix of old dirty footy socks, fresh cut grass, with a hint of death, the faster the water recedes the stronger the smell, the silt left behind is finer than talcum powder and coats everything with a surface as slippery as graphite grease.

These conditions make moving around a little dirty and plenty dangerous; I have in the past slid out of control down the bank and ended up in the fast flowing water that you know has a few things in it that can ruin your day. It’s amazing the way one can scramble and crawl up the bank at such high speed.

The crocs really come on the job when the river starts to fall, they patrol the edge with the knowledge that they can move in these conditions faster than Bolt and anything near the water in these slippery conditions is a fairly easy capture, a bloke down here witnessed a croc nail a wallaby on the bank in these conditions that was around five meters from the water’s edge.

There are fast and flashy little fish in the water edge, not sure what they are but I think their feeding on tiny Cherabin or some other type of shrimp, there are numerous bird types cashing in on the bounty of fish, bugs and things dislodged by the flooding.

I landed my first Barra this morning, a healthy little 240mm that was boofing something under by boat pontoon, it’s a good sign as in the past when I’ve caught fish this early (and easily) it’s been a good season for me, I can put up with the smell.

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 5:02 pm
by NBN
Thx WW. Great thread, thoroughly enjoying the updates.

Always exciting making the first journey post a decent flood, new banks, snags and opportunities.

Stay safe.

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 7:44 am
by wazdog
Keep them coming WW
great stories

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 8:20 am
by Matt Flynn
yes, very enjoyable :mrgreen:

Re: Daly River 2018

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 9:02 am
by jeffish
Nice part of the world you live in and sounds like you have adapted and hope you fair well with the floods .

Not sure why NinjaFish wants to send the parking cops down there to foul up the place , the cane toads are bad enough .

Great read ,,cheers