Planning for Darwin Harbour this coming Monday

So Boat is working wonderfully, didn't miss a beat last Sunday on Bynoe  trip

As such I am quite keen for a trip to Vernon Islands. Last time I went there it was bad tides too, but also bad weather and a massive drop in water temp. However we still caught fish, I got 67 fish of 15 species - diamond, golden, tealeaf, and giant trevally, two types of queenfish, a couple of sharks, coral trout, and many other assorted reef species. And I have been dreaming of getting back there many times but its has never quite worked out.

This time the tides are not what I desire for a trip there - high tide just before dawn so I can get out of Leaders Creek easy and enough water back in creek by lunch so if wind gets up its no hassles getting back in. But these are not the tide conditions for this coming Monday. Though next weekend while not the perfect tides I like, is looking better - that is depending if I can get a 'hall pass'!

On this Monday with a rising neap tide at dawn and top of the tide at 10:30am of 6 something meters - it will be good for pelagics around rock bars in the local Harbour. The low tide is not too low so I can the pull plug at anytime (i.e. no fish or a gale blowing) and get in at the ramp I like to use - East Arm Ramp.

So Darwin harbour is the go this Monday (wife has got me flat out busy Saturday and Sunday - and thank goodness its a long weekend here in Darwin or I would not get to go fishing at all this weekend!

Probably go straight to Lee Point regardless of 40 minute run from ramp I use and whatever wind is around. Then go to current confluences based in relevance to rock bars, wind direction and impact of that wind. The T rock bar south of Mandorah jetty or Weed Reef - the prime second options - maybe even the tip of East Point as good current concentration there at times. There have been reports of good broad barred mackerel off Lee Point and the occasional pack of Northern Longtail tuna which would really make my day to get into some of them. Here's hoping the wind gods are kind and we can move about the front of the harbour looking for actively feeding fish packs or birds working over fish to tell us where the fish are.

However, any fish will do on Monday - I just need to get my fly in the water, any water and get tight with something with scales. Particularly on something I have tied for the purpose.

Here are some Duc Tape minnows I have been tying and using - quick, easy and good results from the fly so far this year - the pattern is all thanks to an old article from the US magazine 'Fly Tyer' and author Jay 'Fishy' Fullum (one of my most favourite fly tiers of all time!).

Duc Tape Minnow. - The Stig say it is really simple to tie.

1. take a piece of Duc tape as long as needed (10cm is good) and starting a third of the hook shank away from the eye of the hook - fold Duc tape over hook of your choice so sticky side of tape sticks evenly together. It will go over bend in hook shank - that's OK (see step two)
2. now trim tape to a tapering minnow shape
3. in front of Duc tape on hook shank, lay down a bed of thread then add some white bucktail on top and sides - ensuring the material covers sides and top of hook shank but not bottom
4. add in some gills on bottom of hook shank - I use tuffs of webby feather off a black/red 'Bird fur' cape I have.
5. I then build up a thread head
6. add 3D eyes and epoxy head - placing on rotating dryer till epoxy is set
7. tie a few more and go fishing!      Go on! You want to, I know it!

The Fly Tying Stig