Monday, August 29, 2011

Fishing Darwin and the Tropical North

By Paul Collery


Fishing in Darwin is a first class angling experience.

The north coast of Australia has some of the planet's best saltwater fishing in a wild and untouched natural environment with a large number of wildlife. The pollution free, warm tropical waters and minimal commercial fishing pressure provide for quite diverse and productive fishing.

Darwin is Australia's most notherly town and today she has evolved into a sophisticated but still character full tropical capitol populated with over 100 000 population. The town is located on a little cape encircled by the enormous area of Darwin harbor and a number of attractive ocean beaches and reefs.

Seasons

There are a couple of optimal times of the year to be fishing in Darwin the north of Australia The "build up" is late September to the end of December and at this time we see increasing air and seatemperatures and rising humidity as we build up to the onset of the tropical monsoon season This excites the fish into compulsive feeding as we approach the monsoon season. The "run off" period which will often be at the end of March, give or take a month. The monsoon season rains run off the flooded plains into the rivers and estuaries and the barramundi and other estuary species go on a feeding fever in the food filled waters.

Estuary Fishing

The prime months of year to be barramundi fishing and fishing for other estuary species around Darwin and the Top End is March to May and early October to December. Barramundi are routinely found in the murkier waters of estuaries any where over Kimberley, Top End and North Queensland. They're going to travel between salt and freshwater and will normally be found close to submerged structure like overhangs, timber and rocks. Common catches are generally around 50-70cm but monsters over 1 meter are not uncommon.

The Top End coastal region is in general quite flat and consequently the estuaries that snake across these flooded plains are slow and winding. Over the wet season the streams break their banks and spread over the flood flats. As the waters recede after the wet, many pools and inland waterways are made and become full of freshwater. These are home to Barramundi, Saratoga and Threadfin Salmon.

Reef Fishing

In and around Darwin and the Top End reef fishing is best from April to around December. There are hundreds of reefs both artificial and in the seas around Darwin. A bunch of wrecks of all types were sunk in and around Darwin coastal regions by severe tropical weather and WW2 air raids. These will produce good catches of the sort after black jewfish as well as golden snapper, cod, trevally and coral trout just just to mention a few. A number of Darwin fishing charters accessing these areas.

Safety

Beware crocodiles!!

Our reptilian friends are everywhere across the north of Australia. We won't see them but they are here watching and waiting. The bigger ones being in excess of five meters long and be quite aggressive. Yet one more very sound reason to employ a local fishing guide with the proper knowledge and gear.

knowledge, experience and equipment.

There many and well run fishing operations across the tropical north of Australia. The best operations combine guiding guiding with the good equipment, clean and comfortable comfortable to luxury and unique accommodation with service and quality dining into a package that makes it straightforward, pleasurable and good value for the travelling angler. The best operationsare also located in remote areas with world-class fishing at their back door. Some operations are better and more professional than others so it pays off to consult a local before finalising your trip.




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