FISH & BOAT, February 2019- P5 Fishing From previous page duty trailers, modern sounders, electric trolling motors, fridges, es- The runoff can put you in contact with some big barra, like this 120cm big girl. kys etc. to make your fishing expe- rience a successful one. You also do not need a boat license to hire a boat in the NT. Now if you are intending to tow your pride and joy all the way to Darwin, there are a few things that you will need to take into considera- tion. Firstly make sure that your boat and trailer are in tip top condition. And pack the essential tools and spares to replace wheels, tyres, bear- ings, springs etc. on the side of the road. You don’t want to be in the middle of no- where waiting a day for a tow truck to come and get you. Also, consider get- ting yourself some good recovery gear. Some ramps have stretches of dirt road that have caught many by surprise. And lets’ face it, if you have spent thou- sands of dollars to get there for a week of fishing, is it really worth it to be sitting in a bog and missing a tide window and full days fishing? Road access is also another vital considera- tion. Often there are large stretches of National Highway that become impassable during the early runoff. For me, tides and fishing tactics go hand in hand. Learn your tides for on how to fish it. It’s something that Now, when I say fishing tacticsof what’s on your sounder and followbait make their way out of the creeks. the proposed area you wish to fish. I used a lot when I first moved to the and tides go hand in hand, this is the fish into the creek. Concentrate When the runoff is much less, you Getting it wrong could see you turn Territory. what I mean. And don’t think thatefforts on the dirty lines that are cre-may also get access to these creeks up with no water to launch, or worse, Ok, so here’s a spanner. One place this is iron clad, it’s a guide and a ated when salt water and fresh tan- for great fishing on the neap tides, launch and have yourself stuck in the that is arguably the most iconic bar- general starting point. Usually, dur- nin coloured runoff water collide. but the time to get in and get out is mud in sight of the ramp for several ramundi runoff spot is Shady Camp. ing neap tides you want to be troll- On the larger spring tides, youmuch smaller. Unless you choose to hours before the tide comes back in During times of high flood, you can ing the mouths of the larger creeks should consider leaving the bigger “lock in” over the low tide. A mas- enough to get out of the water. launch at any time. But there will like Sampan Creek and Tommy-creeks and getting into the manyter stroke if it turns out to be a fish Tide tools that I use are the bom. be a point sometime during either cut Creek at Shady Camp (just tosmaller coastal creeks that are lo-frenzy, but if there is nothing, you gov.au and willyweather.com.au. March or April that the flood wa- name one spot) across the low and cated throughout many of the large will have several hours of mosquito Another great source of local in- ter will fall far enough that you will pretty much the entire run in tide. NT bays. Apart from the fact thatfrenzy before you can get out again. formation is the online forum ‘Fish need tidal influence to use it and Start out really wide (1-2km) and do you need higher water to get over Now lets’ talk tackle. I personally Finder Forum’ (fishingterritory.com) traverse the first few hundred me- short troll runs of about 500m, plot- the mud flats and into these creeks, use two Wilson Venom PE 3-5 6kg and the Fish Finder Book. The fish tres downstream. And you can’t get ting where you mark fish on yourwhen there is lots of runoff you willbait casting rods with a Shimano finder book will give you not only in- out of the boat because you will sink sounder. Eventually, some salt water also need a much higher tide to200 and 300D Calcutta’s for trolling. formation on ramps and usable tide into the mud up to your waist. Plus will push in with the tide and back back that runoff water up and slow And for casting, I use a Daiwa Tat- height needed to get over rock bars it’s home to the largest population up the fresh water runoff coming out it down. This creates large eddies ula 2-5kg bait casting rod matched etc., but it will also give you maps of of Saltwater Crocodiles anywhere in of the creek. Fish usually follow this which can create feeding frenzies areas and some general information the world. push in so you need to be well aware as huge schools of mullet and other Continued next page The Reidy’s Renegade swims at around 4m and can be trolled fast. Big barra love them.