Corroboree Billabong outing 20200515

So too windy offshore and still desperate for fly fishing

So like two weeks ago - Corroboree the best option - that while not the best place to catch a feed definitely one the best places around for quality sport fly fishing

The previous trip would have been the timing for the actual DFR 2020 freshwater comp that Peter and I had won the teams event for, in 2019- but we all know the impact of CoVID19.

But that trip two weekends ago was tough fishing - plenty of tarpon but the Saratoga were as always proving difficult to stay connected to, with only five of them coming successfully to the net. I blame the cold snap the night before - first one of the dry season.

hopefully - the conditions this trip would prove more favourable to active fish.

Same predawn packing at my place and then off to ramp 30minutes down the road from my rural block. (Peter had a much earlier start, coming from the Northern Suburbs of Darwin).

On arrival - motor won’t start! bugger!

However, Peter seems always prepared for most events and had one of those jump start batteries. And soon we are heading down the billabong to one of our favourite locations. A new crank battery needed before next outing!

Fishing started slow again - but I manage a quick couple of toga on a variety of surface flies right in the lilies. A skipping prawn got the first, my dragon flies sank – so were quickly replaced by an oversized hopper pattern – once just sitting still in a patch of water enclosed by lilies – the fly got the 100% approval rating by a lovely toga! Awesome indeed!

Fishing was slowish in our favourite place – however a fish take or netting every 20 or so minutes kept us casting. As too the plethora of the most fishiest looking spots that just HAD to be cast to. By 10am the strong winds predicted were affecting our drifts – making casting the fly hard, the drifts were too fast – so many prime lies were bypassed as the wind pushed the boat along.

So our casting was saved for the selected prime locations most likely to produce. Wished we could have fished slower but you take what your given. Peter did an awesome job on the electric remote all day in howling winds that changed direction every few hundred metres!  - and he was still able to catch a few fish!

We sort out the best sections of the billabong for a controlled drift with the wind or even at times into the wind with the electric controlling a step by step approach to working the weed banks.

I caught toga and the odd tarpon regularly on my “go to” flies, however Peter was having such success with his “jelly bean” fly – I switched to my version of it. Heavy eyes, high motion tail material and cactus chenille body all on a B10s gammy hook with 60lb longish mono weed guard.

I got 4 toga and a heap of tarpon in a short time. It was as if a switch was flicked on for feeding time. Awesome fishing! Love the fly Peter! Might have to make a few more.

What an awesome day – weather was very kind to us (except the wind but that’s also why we were there not offshore!). the bird life was mind blowing in its scope and view. Sea eagles, kites, jabiru. On the way to first spot we were commenting on the number of dragon flies flying about and then we saw a cloud of micro bats out late (well for them!) swarming in the dawn lit sky chasing a food source about 100m up over the flood plain -fascinating!

On our doorstep we have one of the most breath-taking natural environments around. The scope of life – almost uncountable! What a joy to have access to such a world heritage location and then you add the sport fly fishing aspect - such a privilege!

Can you see the 2m croc in image below? He/she/it was sitting amongst the lily pads - we believe thinking we could not see it - maybe it was waiting to steal a fish we might hook.

Then there is the fishing – these Saratoga are such a deservedly  highly rated sportfish. Absolutely frustrating in hook up rates but a beautiful fish with its colours, shape and lip whiskers! The places it hangs out in and its eating habits make it perfect for fly fishers!

So, the day ended up 20 plus tarpon for each of us – the majority solid, thick shouldered, strong pulling fish. the Tarpon were not push over easy targets, you had to work the fly to get a response - but when they do they commit fully and take the fly hard. Strong runs, heaps of jumps - great fish to catch on fly!

For the boat, we also got 15 of the prized Saratoga. Sadly, we also dropped as many, if not more, of the hard mouthed, tricky, lily stalk loving and forever more frustrating fish! 

Peter dropped an absolutely stonking toga that followed the fly well out from the weed bank taking the fly very deep in the water - such a non-usual toga take that we thought it a tarpon and treated it distanfully before we saw the slab sweep roll of its huge body as it spat the fly! 

Late in the arvo we had another memorable moment when I was using the skipping prawn pattern again and a small toga, its head the size of the fly it chased, followed the fly out from the weeds/lilies - and slurped the surface fly - sadly no hook up - but the visual nature of seeing the fish reactions to the fly in the cyrstal clear water, chasing the fly enthusiastically - all fantastic to watch.

Saw heaps of other fly fishers - caught up with a few back at the ramp and swapped notes and fish stories.

When are we going next! Where are we going next? So many options living in Darwin.