WHEN IS IT TOO HOT?

Conversations with Graeme Williams from Insight over the last few weeks and then fishing with him over the last few days has only confirmed to us that the barra 'dont like the hot water'.   Graeme has always said that once its over 32 C they can close down, click on the links see The Game Plan and West Arnhemland .  It appears to be only the barra that slow, because the salmon and pelagics were still active.

What we have found is that the water is often the coolest and below the dreaded 32 C on the first tides after the start of the neaps, when the water hasn't gone too shallow over the flats to let the sun warm it up too much.   Alternatively we found the barra on the incoming tide as cooler water flooded over parts of the flats.  But you have to find that flat.

A 57cm being released in the shade and deeper (cooler??) water

On this tide below we found the fish early in the morning just before the low and they were still up on the flats under the mangroves. What we did notice too is that there were a lot of small sharks up in that shade and cooler water too.

Not much flow on this tide, but the fish were in the mangroves, lower tide next day, they left the flats for places unknown as the water went up 2 C.

Of course when they are in the mangroves, you have to get in under the branches, then run the gauntlet of a million mangrove roots, weed guards are essential and I would think that this type of fishing is almost fly only, except for maybe those small rubber weedless lures if you fish the darkside.

Tight loops required and you need your fly into these spots, shady and a bit cooler?

Of course you also need a guru to keep a lookout for the fish too....

Just looking!!

The water looks clear in these photos but in fact it was quiet cloudy from the wind, it's hard to believe, but if we moved out from this protected flat it was blowing a mini gale.

This will give you an idea of the cloudy water on the initial take of this barra..you can just make out some of the mangrove roots underneath.

We were using intermediate sink tip lines with floating running line, different manufacturers, but both with the shorter 30 foot or so head.  Graeme had one with welded loops, something neither of us trust, and it began to peel off the main line after a couple of good runs.   So he tied a good nail not over it and no worries.   Luckily it was the front loop, but in the past we have had the back loop peel off the main line and open, after a few good runs on the backing.  Lost the whole line.   Apparently loops are better made now, but you need to keep and eye on them to see if they come apart.

The heat not only affects the barra apparently, yes it was hot out there, but after 10.30am the two old boys were complaining that they were melting and would end up being a greasy spot on the floor of the boat,  so we heading back in so they could have a 'Nanna Nap' in the airconditioning.   I could have stayed out there,  but the G and T's on the verandah were very very nice.

Great view sipping a cool G and T with a slice of lime...Life is hard!!

The Saratoga and Legend of Goose Creek

The first time I came across a Saratoga was in the 1988 Barra Classic held as was usual in those days on Corroboree Billabong, Dotty and I were guest entrants, on the first day travelling downstream we came across a well known identity holding a Saratoga up and clubbing it to death, I thought thats not very nice,but

Dorothee Williams circa 1989 Goose Creek

                                            
the Saratoga was not a target and most fishers gave it as much due respect as a catfish,I discovered during the 5 days (never again entered that competition) that you could catch them around lily pads and to me they were just amazing creatures.

American Tarpon and Permit guide Capt Steve Huff

                                  
One evening Alex Julius said to me that there was a place on Melville Island and a creek named Goose that flowed fresh and there were lots up in the top reaches,fortunately my adopted Tiwi mother Miena came from that country Alex Dotty and I flew there and caught a few with flyrods, in clear water they would follow 15 metres and smash you. I made an agreement with the Traditional Owners that we would protect, respect and market this species and Goose Creek as a fly only river.

Goose Crk became as Harro wrote later the first non Salmanoid river closed to only Flyfishing, Alex wrote it up as the cover above shows and Harro brought lefty Kreh out to film "The New Frontier" . The Legendary Saratoga of Goose Creek was created, we serviced the destination with Helicopters from Barra Base and many National and international Identity's came using the weed guarded Dalhberg Divers that suddenly became useful .

Unfortunately in the years after we left new owners introduced lures into the equation,I haven't been back in 25 years but on the main land the good news was that a small band of fly fishers started to target the vast Lily pad systems of the NT Billabongs the Saratoga became a great competitive species to pursue that was virtually unpalatable and therefore protecting its future.

Roger Sinclair started a Corroboree challenge which emphasised  this prehistoric predator and that continues to this day. 

My first Saratoga in Goose Creek circa 1988

MISSING PERSON - MOJO - LOCATED AT THE VERNONS.

Over the past few fishing outings, Mojo was lost, hard fishing and not many of them.  But, Mojo, was located the other day at the Vernon Islands.   Left at arse crack early (very dark) with Matty Davis from Leaders Creek.   Weather was perfect, thanks to Odin ......

The sacrifices to Odin worked.....calm seas...no storms.

Have only been to the Vernons once before and it was Matty's first trip.  My last trip was good, but this time it was unbeleiveable.   Fish, and good ones everywhere and Mojo was there too...some of the fish were unstoppable...shreading the leaders on reefs...most we think were trevally..but there where huge barracuda, (for Canadian Pete...they're like Pike Pete)..longtoms well well over a metre that were irridescent green in the water...Queenies...some really big ones, but the smaller ones, around 60-65cm got to the flies first.

Matty's PB Trevally 

On sparse bucktail clousers with blue dna centre.

Similar to these flies.

While we were on the top of the North Vernon we heard what sounded like rushing water and thought that the tide was rushing in, but when we got around the corner, there were schools of metre plus Milkies swimming with their mouths open slurping up anything that was in the wind lanes.  Guess who never had any bloody Milkie flies!!!!! AGAIN

Just on flies, we used mainly sparse bucktail clousers on 2/0 hooks,  it was interesting that the ones with the blue DNA centre had hits all the time, while those with just a silver centre had hits, but not as many, the blue/sea foam centre seemed to attract them a lot more.

Not the plug....just another 'Unstoppable'

Note for next trip.....take Milkie flies, take note of tides so that you don't have to sit, stuck, 150 yards from the boat ramp with a horrible black sky approaching...missed us luckily, and most importantly of all.....don't lose Mojo again.

                     Eugene
Jäger Flies

West Arnhemland on the Tropic Paradise

 The Endalgut Mini Mini system on the last tide spectrum.this is becoming a regular with my friends from Sydney Craig Wilson and Rachel Garrett.

Again we joined Duane Trouchet from DNA Barra Fishing and his clients on board the Tropic Paradise a very comfortable powered Catamaran.

                                          Golden Trevally off a shallow Mini Mini flat

                                                 Not many Threadfin but good quality

It became pretty obvious when we started fishing that the shallow water temperatures were too high 32/33 degrees that meant some of my favourite "drift of dreams style flats" had very little Barra or Threadfin on them,some but mostly reluctant feeders.

                               Deeper water produced a different result when it came to size

I have raised the reason in other posts many times and it doesn't change, when temperature goes up the dissolved  oxygen level goes down, add rain (effectively distilled water) and you have a situation they do not like. I discussed this a lot with Dwayne, he specialises in big Barra and his focus is on where they are and that wont be in the hot shallows. During the week he found some very nice fish and he, like me believes that drains on the shallows that you would fish when its 40 cms try blind casting in it when its over a metre.

The Old Camp on Endalgut Island

Overall we were down in numbers but enough to have plenty of encounters, strangely the big Queenfish were there but not inclined to eat all the same great fun, as for Flys Wayno's (Sunrise to Sunset) was a good generic choice along with a few other's Silver and White clouser's in 1/0 and 2/0 handled the pelagic's.

Had my new Scott 8 wt meridian with me and both Craig and I could see its value as a shallow flats rod, he mainly uses the 9 wt Sage Salt also a great rod.

Cheers Graeme