AFTER three days of pretty ordinary weather at Melville Island the wind finally backed off and I made the call to point the boat towards Jessie River. We cruised on a low glassy swell at around 20 knots while watching the early morning sun rise and keeping an eye open for any fishy signs.
It was the last day of fishing for Geoff, Brent and Bryce who were guests at Melville Lodge and as always I was trying to show the boys a different piece of water.
With Goose Creek and Shark Bay ticked off the list it was with high anticipation that we neared Jessie River with a slight detour into “Guides Creek” for a few small barra and then another detour into “Saveyourass Creek”.
This proved a good call.
As we got to a small junction and set the boat up on a sand bank to allow casting into the deep channel the water came alive with barra. No big ones, but great visual fishing with up to five at a time fighting over the lures. After a dozen or so barra I gave the boys the bad news that we would have to leave them biting as the tide was starting to go out and we needed to go with it or risk being stranded.
Finally in Jessie River, we scored a few more fish – barra, jacks and a cod – and at this point I told the boys that a troll over the rock bar could be worth a shot. The tide was going out which puts a nice current line over the main troll run and with the water colour looking great I tied on three Barra Classic 15+ lures. On the second troll Geoff hooked on to a medium sized estuary cod and a couple more runs produced zip. Next run I decided to run a bit wider with about six metres of water beneath us. On our first pass Bryce’s rod registered the sort of strike all fishos want to feel…
With the other two lines cleared we proceeded to chase down the unseen fish that was effortlessly pulling line from the small baitcaster reel. Now the questions started to flow about what was on the other end of the line. My guess was either a big barra or black jew and after 10 minutes a beautiful model of the latter was slid into the net.
Now Bryce had never used a baitcaster rod and reel until two days before and wasn’t getting as many fish as his two mates. With a bet involving money or a bottle of expensive wine on the biggest fish, things took a different turn as 113cm of black jew was going to be pretty hard to beat!
We don’t see many jew caught on lures and while sitting back at the Lodge having a beer and celebrating Bryce’s win I assured him it was a special capture. One I’m sure he’ll remember for a long time to come!
See video of fishing Melville Island HERE.
