20240524 - Darwin Harbour in my latest boat

Well, after a slow first time use of the new (used) boat on Corroboree Billabong 30 mins down the road from my place, I was hoping for a bit more action in the second trip.

The first trip was very quiet at Corroboree Billabong a short time after the Darwin Fly Rodders Fresh Water Open of 2024. Water was quite dirty, the wind up - adding to the problem of having not cast a fly in a while. But managed for the 4 hours from 8am-lunch - 6 toga to 62cm, mostly around the 50cm mark, plus the regular catfish from the tactics/method I was using, and 2 small tarpon (used larger flies to avoid such but tarpon can be greedy too it seems). I did jump a decent barra that spat the fly at me mid leap that got me saying bad words! During the session experiencing as well as the usual case of multiple Saratoga dropped, man! they have bony mouths!!

Interestingly, the toga caught and brought to hand - seemed to be taking the fly off the bottom after letting the fly sink once out of the grass banks, hence the multiple catfish I caught. Had no hits high in the water column. However surprisingly, several times toga could be seen “rolling”, not quite the right word, as they aggressively ‘attacked’ something on the surface, this well out from the bank and weeds – never seen them do that before – almost trout like as they attacked the surface – for whatever the reason. Another point of interest was hardly any lilies for this time of year, water still quite high too – the banks mostly grass. Will give the billabong another go later this month or next.

So, to the second trip of the “Tubby”. Well, that’s the name it seems all the owners of this boat have used and I have no desire to change it.

The boat, I am told, was originally Daryl Pead's, past member(?) from the Darwin Flyrodders club. I got it from 2 owners onwards from Daryl - it even still had a DFR club sticker on the console! The last owner was a nice fly fisher in QLD, who posted it for sale on the Australian Saltwater Fly Fishing Forum website.

It has a few things to adjust, repair, fine tune but good stable boat -ready to start fishing. It is a Galeforce 4.8 fibreglass hull, running a 75 Honda and a Minn Kota 80lb up front. It has a decent casting deck on the front and a small casting deck on the back. It has heaps of storage space, a rod locker that fits fly rods – and most importantly it was in my price range. I was going to spend far more $$$ and go a new Top Ender 481 - then add all the electrics, etc but this “Tubby” already had everything I needed in my main focus of fishing – Fly caught species in Darwin and Bynoe harbours, and the billabongs – all 30-40mins from my house.

Bringing the boat back from QLD was fortuitous with me ‘volunteering’ to bring my oldest daughter’s Landrover back to Darwin from Newcastle – which influenced my decision to buy this boat. Picked up the boat a day after flying down to Sydney, then train to Newcastle to get the rover. The three and a bit day’s drive – was filled with dreams of using the boat on Darwin local waters.  

So to the actual recent trip report.

Wind up already when launching at 7am. The boat with only my 113kilo leaning at my back corner behind the console but once on the plane the boat travelled well.

I go straight to the red Buoy given the high tide had just turned – which is usually a good place for queenfish, as well as the occasional mack or tuna – but after a few periodic slashes, the wind and wave had me looking elsewhere.

I will have to get the minn kota looked at as for an 80b model it should have handled the ripping tidal flow – could be batteries – just find electronics is not an area I have any knowledge of. As too the sounder which I may have wired up incorrectly – channel wise.

So I head off to Lee Point to give the motor a good run – it handled the side chop well, when passing a the ferry and other larger boats it travelled well through their wakes. Impressed me even!

Nothing at East Point or Lee point once there but was a bit early in the falling tide for a couple of spots I like at Lee Point. After a half hour waiting for something to happen I headed back into the harbour.

Once to East Point – thought I would check out the Red Buoy again – the wind and chop has abating, so why not.

Once there, there was another boat chasing the birds and slashes 50-60 metres north of the buoy – this spot is right where the upwellings of the tidal flow current from spot we call the hump. 100 foot of water becoming 50 feet of water is a short area. The predators hang out here for disorientated baitfish in the swirling water. The other boat left after I landed 5 fly caught fish to his none on lure.

This time I managed 20 or so queenfish 60-90cm for the 3 hour session, wasn’t really counting as was purely enjoying being on a boat in Darwin harbour in the sun with tight lines and fish that weren’t too fussy about the presentation. The fly was the dependable Silicone Surf Candy (see a previous blog on how I make these) – get it near the melee of slashes and you were on – well nearly every time.

I kept a couple for crumbed fish with homemade wedges and salad for family dinner. Sadly, nothing else about - no tuna, no macks, hardly spotted another fish - lee Point, east Point were blanks, wind was annoying 8-10knots but manageable seeing I was the only one in the boat casting loosely about.

Lost about the same in number of queenfish to the sharks - mostly the bigger queenfish - as the little ones can be muscled in before the sharks home in on them. If a bigger fish went deep you could tell when the shark was on it – then slack line the usually result. I let them run loose line, but most times the sharks got them. Sometimes the Sharks, seemingly on purpose, usually waited till you were about to net the fish to shred the predator now shark bait right beside the boat.

Some of the sharks were huge – taking a 70-90cm queenfish in what seemed one bite. Most ten to twelve feet long and fat as in the belly – so they should be eating most of the queenfish I hooked!

After several fish being taken sequentially – it was time for home. So lure fisherman – 0, Swoffer 20+, sharks everything else and eventually their home ground advantage saw me leaving.

Also the “Tubby” was tested more, identifying a few more things to get checked out on the boat as you would expect with a used boat purchase – but very happy with it overall.

What’s next – fishing with my youngest daughter next trip out. She is so excited, so I hope the queenfish are still there to help her catch her first saltwater fish on fly (she already has a few billabong tarpon on her scoresheet).  

Here is a short video clip on the harbour action from this blog.