With water levels dropping where to fish on a long
weekend without the masses?? East Alligator River. Arrived just on 6am only to
have been beaten there by 50 million mossies that have not eaten for the last 6
months, seriously bad. The Magela Creeks on the way in @ 300mm with the first
having a bit of speed and pressure with it but no problems. Fished the upstream
section. River height allowed a launch without putting the boat out into the
main current which was a bonus as the river was roaring past being low tide.
Colour of the river at the ramp “Iced Coffee”. Moved upstream about a kilometre
where the flow was less concentrated and started exploring the many snags along
the edge. Floating line, 9’ intermediate tip, 9’ leader, Roggie Dodgie fly with
weed guard. Second cast 68cm bronze Barra, fat as, and fought well above its
size using the river flow too.
While I could not find any areas of Barra schooling
working the edges and current channels flowing through the trees gave me 15
Barra for the day 68cm – 76cm and by their colour have spent the last 9 months
land locked. Plenty of good sized tarpon to fill in any quiet moment.
Long weekend and the only boat on the water, two others
were launching as I was pulling out, where else can you have that other than
the NT.
Had a look at Shady on the way back. Masses of boats
heading down stream. No one on the fresh so that’s where I went. Water a great
colour, a bit on the nose, flowing over the two new barrages on the second bend
(going over, not a bust through). Most of the lillys are dead but need a good
push of water to get rid of them. Right at the top of the billabong good flows
into the system and I was able to get right out onto the flood plain ¾ of the
way to the treeline! Tarpon but no Barra. All looking good but need 600 – 800mm
of the wet stuff over the next 6-8 weeks to get thing really moving for the
dry.
Remember, “You’ll never never know, if you never never
go. Get out there and fish!”
Tight lines
Jim Churchley
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