2023 DFR Territory Fly Fishing Open - Team Dragg'n Flies results and tactics

So, two pre-fish outings told us – the fish are smarter than us!     Doh!

We found fish where we didn’t expect but not large numbers, we didn’t find fish where we expected at all. Too much dirty water in some places. Too many grass mats on most edges. Not many lily pads about.

But we had two things in our favour to turn around our capture rates during the 2023 DFR FW Open  competition – the first was the wind was forecast to be under 6knots for the one and half days of the competition unlike the wind gales about 15knots plus during the pre-fish outings. The second, other anglers pre-fishing one day prior to the competition, found more receptive fish to take their offerings. At least it was something.

Friday nights briefing was sussing out the top teams and how they were going. We did not hear any whispers about schools of small barra – which we couldn’t find at all during our pre-fish outings! Though we did hook a couple during our pre-fish outings – definitely not enough to cement our expectations of a place in the top few 2023 teams, if schools of barra were found by others we would be totally out of the placings - unless we had stonker days on Saratoga and big Tarpon.

After the obligatory rule reminders, safety first etc - we got given our competitor bags of sponsor goodies, our lovely newly designed competition fishing shirts (though a bit pink – it was a nice shirt!) – and the all important scorecards – hoping we need those!

Half the anglers hung around sharing stories, flies etc – while me and as ugly as I am – I needed my beauty sleep. Also, for me on competition days usually finds me up quite early, checking leaders, flies boxes etc - for the 20^th time or so it seems.

Next thing its 5:20am and a knock on teammates door gets us going shortly thereafter. We launch at the ramp just as the glow of pre-dawn is seem to the east.

We head to the ‘rock hole’ region in hope of some barra there or nearby in spots we have got them previously – but nothing first half hour, then one tarpon, then nothing for an hour!

Bugger – Plan A, sucks big time! Plan B maybe?????

We persevere fishing a few bank edges where we have got some nice Saratoga during previous outings but very poor results for team – worse still nothing for me and now it is 9:30am – so much for coming in the top half of the team listings!

We head to the opposite end of billabong to try out something new, because Plan A and B are not working!

And luckily we hit a hot patch. Then another, then another – I start rapidly landing Saratoga one after another with a few tarpon inbetween. The sartoga seemed to have flicked a switch and took our flies with free abandon

Given the poor catch rates of the first couple of hours - amazingly, by 3pm I have 20 saratoga and a full line of tarpon - sadly still no barra.

While Peter catches up to my total, I catch two more Saratoga for upgrades, and also upgrade my tarpon line 10 or so times.

With just enough time to get back to the ramp to hand in our scoresheets - Peter eventually has 17 Saratoga and a good full line of tarpon. That’s one less Saratoga than he caught last year.

I also have 7 catfish on my scoresheet – a clear indicator of my Saratoga tactics of dropping fly off edge of weeds and letting it fully sink to bottom of water column before beginning final retrieve. A lot of my biggest Saratoga were also caught way down and just as I lifted fly off the bottom. I even got a sleepy cod or two.

It ended up a great day for me – given the mid-morning timeframe of my first fish to the net!   

Key lesson learnt during Day1, was that when we found a few areas with 5-7 lily pads every 20-30meters apart, it was what really made the day for us with quite a few multiple double hook ups along a particular 3km long or so stretch of weed bank. Once with several other teams nearby, we caught 7 toga between us in less than 20 minutes while the other teams got one or two from what we saw. 

We noticed that the Saratoga seemed to be quickly re-orientating to the lily pads after many weeks of only long grass based weed beds to hide under – so we frothed the water with our flies - 2 meters to the side before the lily pads, then the pads themselves, and then for 2 meters past the patch of lily pads as we slowly travelling with the electric along the edge of the weed beds.  once we pulled three good sized toga from the one small patch of lilies.

This learnt lesson formulated into our PlanA for Day2, this involved us targeting several  locations at bottom of billabong we had used over the last couple of Opens, first up. Then hit this weed bank patch hard again in Sunday’s last session.

From a competitive fly fishing tactic perspective - we focus our fishing efforts specifically on the Saratoga as a priority – the Tarpon are purely by-catch. To help accomplish this, we use slightly larger hooks to avoid the effort of getting a 15cm tarpon to net, measured and only to have to upgrade it later. Time that is better spent targeting the Saratoga – as more points, bigger fish. Also we avoid to a degree, wear and tear on the leader that you get from catching Tarpon. 

Yes, the tap, tap of the tiny Tarpon picking at the fly and not hooking up can be disconcerting and distracting but the thought of another Saratoga with its strong deep body based flexing tail sweeps on the end of a taunt fly line makes it the target of choice. Its is easier to finish off a line of tarpon with a small nymph pattern in last hour of the day, if desperate enough and needed. (both days we never needed to specifically target tarpon).

We get back to ramp just before 5pm, feeling a lot better than I did at 9:30am when no fish measurements on my scorecard, that’s for sure!

Most, but not all, competitors are tight-lipped about their captures but we do hear of a few good 65cm plus toga being caught, so Peter’s biggest Saratoga of the day of 58cm was not going to cut it for that prize.

We get the boat loaded back onto the trailer and head back for a shower and rest before the gala dinner the saturday night of the Open has become. While not formal dress, the meal is gala quality. What a three course meal it was! Awesome presentation and flavours! Not your usual ‘pub’ food that’s for sure.

The day’s results are then shown. One team had found some barra schooled up and caught a line each of the iconic fish. We had 39 Saratoga for the day. So, we ended up in the top few teams and individuals. In the details, I was in third by quite a few fish from second, Peter was in sixth. While as a team we were in third. The two teams in front of us were previous winners of the open and very, very good NT fly fishers.

Not knowing where the schooling barra were, might be the deciding factor for us advancing any further than third placed team. But we were keen for the next session of the Open. Day1 was 10 hours long, Sunday would be only 6 hours. What kept us still hopeful was catching the majority of our fish in 6 hours on Day1, after 2.5 hours of almost no fish– so could we do it in just the 6 hours of last day of Open. We thought we could.

With numbers of those in front and numbers behind, both individually and as a team, were not the deciding factor that we could control, rather we controlled only what we could catch in those six hours in the last session was – this had to be our focus. Only then could we measure our captures against the very good anglers ahead and behind us. So too, whether they again found barra first up – then also catch the other species needed after that.

So, with imagined captures of gigantic fish in the morning, we get to bed to be up early the next day.

Morning of Day2, we launch at a similar time, heading down the billabong instead of up it like on Day1. We head to our favourite “toga alley” to begin our last session. Our goals for the last fishing session were at the minimum: 12-15 Saratoga each and full lines of good sized Tarpon.

But we didn’t set the world on fire in the first hour.  Eventually though we manage a few Saratoga and tarpon. with sun quickly moving across the sky, we need to maximise capture possibilities. We get up on the plane and move to the long length of weed bank that we fished three years ago – in the middle on the south side of it, is a GPS mark we call ‘50-60’ because of the size fish we caught there once. Not many lily pads but enough. Surprising us both as in just a short space of time we get multiple hook ups, many fish surging our capture counts.

We focus, like yesterday afternoon, on only the lily pads, zooming along with electric on high speed between patches of lilies. We get almost half a line each of Saratoga before the lily pads fad out to only grass reed beds. So, we motor back up the billabong to the location we caught multiple fish the day before.

At this new location back towards the boat ramp, Peter hits a hot patch in the next few hours and finishes off his line of 20 Saratoga, for his second last fish we had a double hook up, I netted Peter's Saratoga first, hanging mine out the back while I did so, and then just as I went to net mine it popped off. Bugger - needed that one!

I was at that time 5 short of full line of Saratoga and am still constantly dropping Saratoga, when we finally stopped casting, I was also one short of a line of tarpon. But I was done physically and could not find the energy, even mentally, to cast another time

I could have fished half an hour more and we would have still made it back to ramp in time to hand in out scoresheets, but we had exceeded our goals for the day and felt safe to maintain our spots individually and as a team. Peter was totally pumped in gaining his first full line of Saratoga since we started fishing together, this should see him moving up the ladder board from sixth for sure.

The ramp was packed on our return. The few non fly fishing boats must have wondered what was going on with 15 fly fishing team boats trying to get out of the water at the same time.

Next was a clean shower, put on the competition shirt for the obligatory all teams photo and also get stuck in to the finger food provided. 

We did hear a whisper that the two teams in front of us had average days – so maybe we were in with a chance.

The best of species – Barra, Saratoga, Tarpon, Most Meritorious, and the Catfish crown - were all awarded, then the individual scores and standings were called out and prizes awarded. When we got down to the final three competitors, it included Peter and I – so Peter had moved from sixth at end of Day1 to at least the top three on Day2. Turned out Peter with his great day on Saratoga, had secured first place (second year in a row. Go Peter!), and as a team we were also first place, again for second year in a row. While I maintained my third place from Day1 but on Day1 I was several hundred behind the guy in second and now at end of Day2 was only 37 points behind him. I needed that one more fish it seems!! Sooooo close!

Interestingly, it was only 76 points between first and third – basically one Saratoga! Bugger, maybe next year for me to be Champion angler. But for us it is all about the team results - yes we do like our individual placings, but team first always. We fished well this 2023 Open, accumulating our biggest amount of points so far........., 

But know we can fish better and we will almost certainly work out the barra as a more regular capture. And from now on, I will always fish right to the end of allowed time - that’s for sure!! One fish! aarrrgghhh!!

Still overall, we were totally stoked to say the least, with so many great fly fishers competing with us over the one and half days - we felt quite blessed and lucky to get a repeat of 2022 as the winning team, and for Peter as Champion Angler in 2022 and 2023. Thanks to the many fly fishers through the years where we have benefitted from their advice and suggestions.

We are already planning and keen for next year! 

Actually, I am ordering up some of just the right materials for our regular flies already, even have a few more flies I am thinking of tying up and testing in 2024's pre-fish outings. How about this mudeye pattern (photo from other tiers on FB) shown here but weed guarded and on a 1/0 B10s

So another good comp results for our team, and individually

What’s next – time to chase some longtail tuna over next few months, maybe tease up some sails and marlin wide off Dundee. Then we need to start prepping and regaining knowledge of Bynoe Harbour for the 2023 Salt Competition happening before the start of the wet season. Not forgetting the ‘Strong Foam Arm Crab’ (photo from other tiers on FB) I have recently been tying to tempt ‘Blue Bastards’ with – need to make the time to chase those too!

Keep those lines tight swoffers!!!! Especially in the waters of the NT!!!! yeeehaaaah!

2022 DFR TFFO - club report

 Each year the Darwin Flyrodders hosts the Territory Freshwater Flyfishing Open held on the iconic Corroboree Billabong which has over 50 kilometres of navigable waters.

This 2022 DFR TFFO, was the 30th Anniversary of the competition.

The premier species targeted are Barramundi and Saratoga, with others such as Tarpon, Sleepy Cod, Longsome, Archerfish, Catfish also eligible for points for length.

The premier species earn double points.

Our base for the Competition is the Corroboree Park Tavern on the Arnhem Highway which is only a 15 minute drive to the launching ramp. Just over an hours drive from the edge of Darwin.

While some teams fished a few days leading up to the comp, others have relied on past experiences and weekend pre-fish outings over the last few weeks.

16 teams of 2 fly fishers each, had registered this year, however COVID stopped one team and one other angler from participating.

Teams range from first timers with the fly, to beginner fly fishers, to the super keen and very experienced competitors (you the guys who fly fish way too much!).

Boats vary, equipment varies, and tactic options are endless, but all are there for the awesome comradery that sits over all of the DFR activities.

And while “THE” top secret location might not be revealed - tactics and flies are shared readily amongst the competitors. Though, any discussion about where the barra might be this year - is spoken of cryptically and very softly – well at least prior to lines in!

So, Friday evening, the first night presentation is at the Corroboree Park Tavern location, where all competitors are staying at. It is where the pre-comp instructions are given and the handing out the team bags with all sorts of goodies from our many sponsors. Deckies are reminded not to lose the scoresheets (it has happened!), and to assure proper attire is conformed to (fishnet stockings I am told? Not sure that’s an absolute!). And one angler, just like every year is reminded that he needs to adhere to the closing time for each day’s fishing! You miss the scoresheet cut off, once! and the club will never let you forget it! Then again, every club has one of those “guys”, don’t they?

Pre-dawn Day1 of comp, sees boats readied in darkness outside of sleeping arrangements, some take a quick stop at the tavern, who have opened the kitchen early and especially, for those that want bacon and egg rolls, and hot coffee. Awesome start!

By the crack of dawn four or five boats are found prepped and ready to launch at the billabong’s main boat ramp 15minutes from the accommodation. While several of the hard core keenest fly fisher teams are already zipping along the still waters out to their chosen starting point.

Lines in at 7am. Lines out at 5pm. With lots of casting in between!

That evening the talk on arrival back at the tavern is about lots of fish, monster jumps of gigantic toga that jump metres into the air to dislodge the sharpest hooks and flop gracefully back into the pristine billabong water - free to annoy, maybe even inspire the next fly fisher to come along.

Saturday evening presentation starts with a special meal, fancy food just for the TFFO fly fishers. It was spot on in flavour and amount! (as always). But most of the super keen anglers are waiting on the Day1 results!

Biggest of the key species is presented first. Barra, then Toga, then tarpon with special awards for biggest Catfish.

Then the team standings are given in two halves, ooohhs and aaahhhs are heard as the scores are displayed. Then the Individual standings are also displayed in two parts 15 fly fishers on each slide of the presentation. It will be an interesting shortened Day2 for some fly fishers – as it is tight at the top of the table standings.

Not many barra caught but a few, there were countless tarpon and plenty of average toga. Most of the 30 anglers are catching fish – even the first timer of using the fly - has snaggled a fish or two. Well done everyone!

Day2 is same lines in but out by 1pm. The competitive teams are again on the water predawn, and while still very keen to catch fish the other anglers are also soon on the water to fully froth the water with their efforts and carefully crafted flies.

Lines out mid arvo and boats packed up for the drive home. But all are eager for the afternoon presentation of the final results.

Finger food first – awesome again!

But the results are what the fly fishers are here for this afternoon.

Again, biggest of species first for 2022 DFR TFFO

Biggest Barra 65cm – Roger Sinclair

Biggest tarpon 40cm – George Vlazny

Biggest Saratoga 66cm – John Murdon

Most Meritorious – first bara on fly -   Michelle Slow

The encouragement award was presented next. This to a fly fisher who during the Open, amplifies what the TFFO and DFR is all about – having a go and learning through the process. This was to Ian Hayne.

Due to tremendous amount of work by the DFR club committee members with our sponsors – especially in such a crazy COVID cause economic time frame – all fly fishers get a prize corresponding to raffle numbers picked from a hat.

The first individual fly fisher prize award presented is the “Back Stop” award. This is given to the angler who supports and pushes upward at the rest of us – this year it was first time fly fishing angler – Ian Hayne

Each Fly fisher is presented with their pre as the presentation rises through the results. Finally, four anglers left. Some these four had good days, others better days, some struggled. Who would finish where?

By the time the presentation got to the last four competitors, those left were some very good anglers who have placed repeatedly in the TFFO over the last few years. Two of which have been overall yearly club champions too.

One of them had caught five more toga than one of the anglers above them, would those five fish be worth enough points to leap the other anglers.

Hmmmmmm, very interesting. Pressure building, hearts are pumping – aaarrrgghh!

Fourth place fly fisher went to BC with 3414 points

It seems like an eternity till third place was announced – well done Shane McCarthey, with 3562 points

Richard Carter was individual runner up with 3710 points

And Peter Cooke was champion fly fisher for the 2022 TFFO with 3918 points

All the team standings were then announced for which results are based on two anglers combined points. After the other 13 teams shown the top teams were presented with their awards and prizes.

Runner team was ‘Two Casts’, with Robyn and Shane with 6116 points

The champion team was ‘Dragg’n Flies’ of Peter and Richard with 7708 points

Total fish caught during the DFR TFFO, were as follows:

Well done everyone!

As one angler has said:

“This is one of the best comps I have fished in as comps go (the DFR salt comp is, I believe, the best fly comp there is!)– and that’s not because of the results this year. As except for a person’s secret barra location on the billabong – most will tell you what they are trying, using and even suggest areas to focus your fishing. The banter, laughter and culture of the club is awesome. Yes, always a few loud ones, some quiet ones, but over all a great group of fly fishers, iconic location and target species, and an exceptional couple of days fishing and learning with like-minded fly fishers! Bring on TFFO 2023”.

So, congrats to all the fly fishers participating. It was an awesome 2022 DFR TFFO.

Thanks to DFR TFFO committee and DFR leadership team, and the countless and greatly appreciated sponsors.

How will 2023 DFR TFFO go?

So many options, such good fly fishing to be had!

Who would live anywhere else - Top End, NT what a great place to fly fish!

Come and visit us! Contact the DFR club for help and information.

For images of some of the fish caught this year - watch the video of the 2022 DFR TFFO 

 Again, thanks to our awesome sponsors!