Darwin Fishing Life

Seasons in Fishermans Paradise

Darwin Fishing Life revolves around three seasons, the Barra Run Off Fishing months of February to May, the Dry Season Fishing from May to September and the Build Up Fishing Months from October to December.

After spending 22 years fishing around Australia in both Civilian and Military Careers. I thought I had found Fishing and Wildlife Heaven out at Corroboree Billabong in 1983, when first moved to Darwin with the Army and I fell in love with this fishing paradise. It took another 10 years before I realised my dream and was transferred back to Darwin with the Army into the Warrant Officers position at the EOD Control Centre Northern Region. So since then I have explored and fished nearly every corner and creek within reason of a day's travel from Darwin. During this time I have learnt in reality in fishing terms there are Three Seasons up here. These are:

The Barra Run Off Fishing months of (Feb-May):

where the adrenalin rush of hooking and landing Metre Plus Barra that come into spawn and feed at the mouths of coastal creeks and rivers is at its best.

116cm Barramundi
A Fish of a Lifetime for Darren, and my
biggest guided fish for the 2012 season.

Where professional Guides like myself take great pride in taking fishing clients to extreme areas to land them their Trophy Fish of their lifetime.
Now not all clients do this, many are hooked and many are lost, but every now and again even lucky new chums like Darren Scenery hooks and lands a monstrous 116cm Barra. I picked Darren up from Big 4 Caravan Park at Howard Springs on a once of a lifetime One Day Barra Fishing Trip as he called it. Now when Darren hooked this girl she actually cleanly hit my favourite Lure "Reidy's B52 Bleeding Mullet" with an awesome leap straight from the water, clearing the water by a metre.
Now to take the Pun from BCF "this was living", and the fight to hold and turn this girl was on. After two more jumps and me quickly giving orders to lower the rod and tighten the drag on his reel, Darren managed to slow this girl down and started to gain line back, and nearly too late at that. I think we had about 10 metres of braid left on the reel.
Well Darren was a new chum at fighting a big girl and boy did it take some talking him through it, but he listened and tried about 5 times to get the Barra to the net but she just kept fighting and shaking not to be landed. Eventually we tired the Barra out and landed a great, beautiful fish.

I wonder what 2013 will bring, who knows but if "You Don't Go You Won't Know". Bookings for 2013 have started so please book early.

The Dry Season Fishing months of (May-Sept);

where freshwater Barra are targeted at the beautiful Mary River, and other freshwater lagoons and waters of the NT.

Giant Barramundi

Where Companies like Darwin's Barra Base complete 2-6 Days Extended Barra to Sailfish Pelagics Bluewater Fishing Safaris; and or extended Barra Fishing Safaris both in freshwater wetlands of the Mary River; and Saltwater Barra Fishing Safaris are completed in the Finniss River or the saltwater side of the Mary River. Booking Now - many Safari seats left for booking.

The Build Up Fishing Months of (Oct-Dec);

this is where we target Saltwater Barra at Dundee and Bynoe Harbour as the Mary River saltwater side is closed for spawning.
The Build Up is classed as the transitional period between the Dry and the Wet season. The average temperatures rise to a nightly minimum of 25 degrees and a daily maximum of 32-36 degress with humidity often in the 90's.
During this time, great things happen. In the Billabongs the fish get ravenous, Big Barra are in search of food before they battle the rising waters and torrents of rain that awaits them once the Wet sets in. The coastal waters calm out and the bigger Saltwater Barra and King Salmon come up the saltwater rivers in search of food, and the Barra are on the Bite, & the build-up becomes even more of a Fisherman's Paradise.

Click here for more details
on an extended 2013
Barramundi Run Off Safari.

Author Allan Beale with another client
and a 129cm Barra

More on Build Up and Run Off Barra Fishing

Darwins Barra Base Home Contact Information;

FREE CALL: 1800 777 420
email: Click here to email Darwin's Barra Base.

mail : 2 Todd Crescent Malak NT 0812
phone: +61 8 8945 0376
fax : +61 8 8945 0379

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