IF you’re a fisherman and live somewhere in the southern part of Australia and have the urge to get away from the cold and dreary days associated with winter I’m going to name a few places in the Top End that might interest you. It’s not a comprehensive list but more like a few good places I’ve been and fished over the years. I know you quite often hear about the run off and the great fishing that can happen in a good season but the places mentioned in this article are great spots to visit anywhere from May through until September. All the usual northern fish species are available to anglers that travel to these spots during winter.
Arnhem Land
The central part of the Arnhem Land coast is one of the best fishing destinations I’ve ever been. I worked out there for three years guiding and had access to over 190km of coastline stretching from the Goomadeer River in the West, all the way to Elcho Island in the East. There are many rivers, creeks, rocky headlands and offshore reefs which produce fantastic fishing during the dry season. Spots like the Goomadeer River, Junction Bay, Tomkinson River, Blyth River and the Crocodile Islands have all produced 100-plus barra days for us while fishing in the middle of the year.
If your main target is barra, I can’t think of too many better spots to head to in winter then this part of Australia. Lots of 70cm plus barra live out in this area along with quality threadfin salmon and mangrove jacks. The offshore fishing for species like trevallies, queenfish, mackerel, etc. is also excellent as is the bottom fishing for golden snapper, jewfish and coral trout. To fish these areas you will need to go through one of the excellent fishing lodges located in Arnhem Land as it’s pretty much impossible to get an entry permit any other way. Also some areas of water are now owned by the locals which stops you entering them in a boat.
Kimberleys
My very first trip to the Kimberleys was to Robert Vaughan’s One Tree Beach right at the end of June (1995 according to the photo album) and we had an absolute ball. We caught everything the northern tropics can produce. Barra, threadfin salmon, jacks, black jew and golden snapper and all the typical blue water species like mackerel, trevally, queen fish and longtail tuna. I hooked and lost my biggest barramundi ever on that trip – 24kg at least.
The middle parts of the Kimberleys is about as remote as you can get in Australia and travel to this area is the realm of float planes and helicopters. A few other lodges can be found throughout the Kimberleys these days and most use the services of float planes and choppers, although some do have small air-strips and there are a couple of Motherships that cater for the serious fisherman as well. Because of the nature of the Kimberly’s coast line which is manly rock, you will always find clean water to fish in and some of the offshore Islands and the many headlands fish very well on the bigger tides.
I’ve been back to Bluey’s special place a few times since that first trip 21 years ago and normally during the middle of the year. The fishing is always great and every time I leave I look forward to my next visit. Mix in a feed of mud crabs and black lip oysters while sitting around an open fire with a cold beer at the end of the day and I’ll happily go there mid year any chance I get!
Tiwi Islands
I’ve spent close to 12 years living and working on the Tiwi Islands, mainly on Melville Island and this area produces great fishing all year round. Melville Island’s biggest plus is its consistency in producing fish no matter what the tides are doing. Neap tides or spring tides, there is always some where to go and catch fish at Melville. Another great thing about the place is a lot of the estuary fishing is done in relative shallow, clean water. Sight casting to fish sitting on snags or cruising the many flats is one of the best experiences to be had by a fisherman. Also it has a great variety of fish in its waterways. It’s very common to catch more than a dozen different species while casting in its rivers and estuary systems. It holds the greatest numbers of mangrove jacks of anywhere I’ve fished and I have seen more than 100 caught on lures in a day many times.
The jewel in the Melville crown is Goose Creek. While it might be a bit different now compared to when I first went there 18 years ago, it is still a special place that produces loads of fun through sheer numbers of small, and the odd big, barra. Goose Creek often fishes best from June through to September, long after the wet season rains have gone. Fishing its upper fresh water section for Saratoga is always a pleasurable experience and one that is very hard to find anywhere else.
Melville’s offshore fishing for golden snapper, black jew, trevally and tuna is excellent, and it also has large numbers of resident Spanish mackerel that can make an offshore trip very special. On a calm day with a popper or a stick bait attached to your rod you will get to experience some truly world class fishing. Watching a lure splashing and popping along the surface then suddenly being launched several metres into the air with an 8 to 15kg Spanish mackerel attached to it has to be one of the best sights in fishing. On a good day once you’re sick of fighting them you can take the hooks off your lure just to watch the hits!
The above mentioned places have fishing lodges and that alone will tell you something. Most don’t open their doors until March or April and their season ends some time from October to December. If the fishing was no good during the dry these joints would cease to be there. Fishing out of the lodges located in these areas is about the only way to get access to these great spots. If you’re not into using fishing lodges there are places you can do it yourself if that’s more your style. If you’re well organised and like exploring spots that don’t see huge crowds then maybe the next spots I mention will be of interest.
DIY
Every year, fishos launch boats from Wyndham and head West towards the Berkeley River, a trip of around 100 nautical miles. There’s lots of nooks and crannies to explore in that part of the country and most of the creeks and rivers are relatively short in length and their waters run over a lot of rock which produces cleaner water. Barra, jacks, threadfin salmon and many other species can be found all along this stretch of coastline. Plenty of rocky headlands and offshore reefs produce great fishing for queenfish, trevally and mackerel while jigging or sending baits down on the reefs can produce plenty of action on black jew, golden snapper, coral trout and more.
Another popular place to do a run is down the Daly River to its mouth and turn west. There are a few rivers and creeks between the Daly mouth and Port Keats that fish well during the middle parts of the year as well as good offshore reefs. Try to time your run with a set of neap tides. Closer to Darwin many people take advantage of good weather reports and head across to the Tiwi Islands to fish the eastern shoreline of Melville Island or make their way up the Apsley Straight. The Western end of Bathurst Island is also a popular destination for anglers chasing reef fish or some pelagic action. There are restrictions on where you can fish on the Tiwis so make sure you check them out.
Launching a boat at the mouth of the Roper River offers a whole lot of options to the adventurous angler. You can travel north or south from the mouth and fish some of the creeks along this part of the coast. The fishing around the mouth of the Roper on neap tides can be good as well. Limmen Bight is a very popular spot during the dry, as is McArthur River near the township of Borroloola. You can access the Vanderlin Islands from the mouth of the McArthur, just remember that a lot of this land belongs to the Traditional Owners and you need a permit to set foot on their land. If you are taking on these trips take note of the latest weather reports as strong winds can make it very uncomfortable. Jump on Google Earth and have a look these areas if you think one of these spots sounds good for a visit.
The big plus for the middle part of the year is the great weather. It’s very rare to see rain, daytime temps are usually between 24°C – 30°C and night time temperatures can drop down to a chilly 14°C with no humidity making for a great night’s sleep. In a perfect world us fishos would live down south from November through til April then move north for the rest of the year. It doesn’t hurt to dream!
