Corroboree Billabong Barra

Corroboree Billabong Barra trolling techniques revealed by Jarrod Day after a successfull Barramundi fishing trip.

Jarrod Day clearly has a love affair with beautiful Corroboree Billabong, less than 90 minutes drive from Darwin. In this articla intended for interstate novices to barra fishing in the billabong, he outlines the basics of trolling.

Picturesque Corroboree Billabong.

Weaving our way through the billabong, large groups of pandanus trees line the banks,water lillies shed a blanket of green foliage on the water's surface, and every so often a large crocodile lies basking on the bank,soaking upwhat heat he can absorb.

We'd just taken a right turn down a narrow arm which,after a few hundred metres, opened up into a vaste waterway. Here, lily pads extended from the shoreline a good 10m towards the centre of the billabong; where the edge of the lily pads met the open water, the bank dropped away from 4ft to 9ft, a stepped decline.

Watching the sounder, one, two and then a third solid arch came into view. Alittyle further on and more fish lay waiting for the next meal to emerge from it's safe haven. We were travelling along the edge of the drop-off.

Doubling back to re-troll over where we sighted the fish on the sounder, four lures were sent out the back: two at 40m and two closer at 30m. On the bank side of the boat,the two lures were run at 6ft,just enough to work over the top of the muddy weedbed and to dart around the lily tems. On the opposite side we ran 9 footer, to reach the edge of the drop-off where the fish we sounded were lying in ambush.

The fish again came into view and, as the lures passed over their heads,we gave the rod tips a little whip every few seconds to get the internal ball bearings in the lures rattling. Sound signals are picked up by the lateral line along barra -- and for any fish, for that matter. This is their way of hunting as bait fish give off vibrations. The rattling sound from the lures imitates a baitfish and barra in particular respond very well to rattling lures.

A sizeable Barra
burst from the water.

The lures set back in the distance came overhead of where we first spotted the fish, and in that second I felt a bump through the braided line and a sizeable billabong barra burst from the water. Re-entering after a second or two, we all gazed to where the fish gave a little hang time and left a spalsh as if somebody tossed a brick into the water.

Immediately Allan put the boat into gear as everybody else retreived their lures. Meanwhile I was holding on tight, thumbing the spool to keep the fish from heading back to the snaggy billabong bank. Dragging it from the lily stems, the fish still tried heading towards the bank in an attempt at dislodging the hooks.

Each time the fish came to the surface, I pointed the rod tip to the water, keeping both the line tight and the fish's head close to the water with every jump. With every jump the fish opened it's mouth. This is how hooks get bent and good barra escape. But not this fish -- each jump had it's head barely leaving the water, keeping the hooks where they should be.

Billabong Barra

The reel, having a ratio of 7:1, gave me substantial winding ability, and I gathered line quickly when I needed to. In due course the fish was boat side, yet still deep. After each downward run, I slowly coaxed it towards the surface and, as Allan counted from 1 to 3, on 3 the net was drawn and the fish was safely in the boat.

I'd fished Corroboree Billabong on a few accasions over the years and still to this day it is the most picturesque location I have laid eyes apon in the Northern Territory.

Barra attract more than just anglers

From brolgas to crocodiles, it has everything, especially the barra which attract so many throughout the year. Although many anglers head to the NT for the run-off season targetting big barra, sometimes just getting the 30 degree temperatures without the 100 percent humidity becomes very appealing.

I am one of these types and love nothing more than to sit back, take in the surroundings of such a majestic location and troll a lure in search of the Northern Territory's most-prized species.

Darwin's Barra Base

Read Jarrod's thoughts on Rods, Reels, Lures and Fishing techniques in Corroboree Billabong

• Gear Choice
• Lure Selection
• Trolling Techniques
• Fighting the Fish

Darwin's Barra Base provides a selection of options to get you among the Barra

• One Day Trips
• Barra Run-Off
• Barra to Sailfish
• Mothership Safaris

3,4,5 & 6 Day PEAK Barra Run Off Safaris 2011 Safari Start Dates and Availability as at 7th september 2010; Green blocks indicate Neap Tides,  Blue blocks Spring Tides ( Mouseover the start dates if you can't see the colours) February Shady Camp Avl March Shady Camp Avl April Shady Camp Avl May/June Finnis River Barra to Sailfish Avl 5 Day Start: 11th Neap--Shady 12 4-5 Day Start: 5th Spring--Shady 16 5 Day Start: 4th Mothership 5 4 Day Start: 3rd Spring--Shady 16 3 Day Start: 12th Neap-Shady 12 3-5 Day Start: 12th Neap--Shady 14 5 Day Start: 4th Spring Shady 8 4 Day Barra to Sailfish Start: 9th May Neap--Finniss /Dundee 12 5 Day Start: 19th Spring--Shady 16 3 Day Start: 15th Neap--Shady 7 3-4 Day Start: 11th Shady or Finnisss 0 3 Day Barra to Sailfish Start: 13th May Neap--Finniss /Dundee 12 3 Day Start: 26th Neap--Shady 16 5 Day Start: 19th Mothership 8 6 Day Start: 17th Mothership 8 4 Day Barra Run Off Start 18th Spring--Shady 12 5 Day Start: 26th Neap--Shady 16 5 Day Start: 20th Spring--Shady 3 5 Day Start:18th Spring--Shady 8 4 Day Barra to Sailfish Start: 24th May Neap--Finniss /Dundee 12 5 Day Start: 27th Neap--Shady 16 3-5 Day Start: 25th Neap--Finniss 4 5 Day Barra safari Start 26th Neap--Finniss 8 3 Day Start: 28th Spring--Shady 16 4-5 Day Barra to Sailfish Start: 28th May Neap--Finniss /Dundee 12 2011 seats now available for Barra Safaris at Finniss River from April to end of June 2011 Click here for Finniss Safari Itinerary Barra to Sailfish Bluewater Safaris at Dundee also available from May 1st to November 2010 Click here for Barra to Sailfish & Pelagics Bluewater Itinerary Green numeral (12) indicates seats available. Orange ( 2 ) indicates limited seats on existing safaris. Red Zero (0)indicates fully booked Can cater up to 12 Person Fishing Safari Group anytime if needed. (4 per boat)

Mark Berg Fishing Addiction TV Show filming of his 10 species Challenge was a great success. We thank all that participated and assisted us in this. This Challenge will be aired on Foxtel’s Lifestyle Channel across Australia in January/February 2011.
See a 3 minute version from Mark Berg here.

mail : 2 Todd Crescent Malak NT 0812
phone: +61 8 8945 0376
fax : +61 8 8945 0379
email: Click here to email Darwin's Barra Base.