Bag a Barra — 30 April 2021

It's time to head to the Top End and Bag a Barra. With Glenn Watty Watts, Thanks to Shimano. Remember to buy local and fish local. visit shamanofish.com.au.

Well, it's unbelievable. I've had email saying, where's Watty? been MIA. In fact, I think he's probably been, you know, a little bit PCA.

Too much prescribed alcohol content or whatever it's called. But we found him. He's on the line up there in the Top End. Geez, you've been a hard play to get hold of Watty.

What doing, son? Yeah, that's right. Okay. You're not the only one that's been saying that to me for the last 3 months.

I've been down there hiding out of phone service down the mighty Daly River, mate. um living the life and staying away from all the phone calls, which is, you know, as good and bad. It tricky to run a business when you, when you're doing that, but, um, we've got to, we've got to actually run the business and go fishing, so it's all good. I guess you must be cheering, mate.

when you look back at last year at how quiet it was and I was up there with you for a while and you were basically around most days and the COVID thing knocked you around. Although those tourist vouchers at the Northern Territory government brought out helped you a bit. So, mate, this would have to be fairly exciting now, the fact that you're flat out, you know, domestic tourism is back on in a big way and people are going fishing up there with you, mate. Yeah, that's right.

I mean, we're we're actually surpassing any other levels we've had in the past um this year and and I guess it is um, you know, the, the reduction or the, the elimination of international travels, really kick the domestic tourism thing off, as well as, you know, a combination of good seasons and, and the business being around for a, a long time now, but, yeah, we're, I've just finished doing a couple of trips that we had to cancel or postpone from, from last year and um, I tell you what, those guys were relieved to get out on the water finally after sort of 12 of planning. So, it's been great to get them amongst the fish and have a bit of relaxed up north. So, yeah, I mean, we're, we're very lucky in Australia, of course, and while the weather's good and the fish are biting, we'll keep going out. Mate, you say you've been down the Daly River a fair bit, mate, is that where you head this time of year because you've just gone through the wet season, although you had a little bit of rain up there through the week, but you're more or less going to hit the dry season now.

There's that change where you'll go now or you've been down the Daly River? Where to from here? You just keep fishing where they're biting or we start heading back into some other places? Yeah, that's right.

It does change pretty much from now on. So, virtually the end of April, or the end of April is when I'll sort of finish up, um, down the Daly, and that, that sort of coincides with generally the, the flood waters receding to a level, and the water temperature changing a little bit as well to sort of, uh, make those fish, uh, decide to head elsewhere. So, um once they're not congregated, um up in the river there, then it's time to, time to move on. So, um, for, for May, we're pretty much going to be remote for the next um, 4 weeks, I suppose, doing uh, motherships down to, almost to the West Australian border, and then up into Arnham Land, and then back in June and July, we're, we're sort of back around Darwin in that Dundee area, Buino Harbour again, and, and, and of course, Robbery Billabong where I took you, duck.

And then, yeah, and the odd mothership as well. So I actually did a day in Crobby Billabong with some clients the other day and we jagged a few barriers. It looks like it's going to, um, fish pretty well in there this year, which uh, which is going to be great for all the tourists coming up and and caravaners and grain omage and that sort of thing. So, it's pretty exciting. Yeah, the mothership must be good. So, well, you just hop on the ship and then you go out to sea and how long are you out there for?

Normally those trips go for about a week. We can do them a little bit longer, a little bit shorter, but yeah, we'll leave Darwin Harbour on the, say, morning smoker on the 1st day and and tow our guideboats behind the, the big boat tropic paradise. Um, you, um, listeners can look at top MC Faris is the name of that business, beautiful big boat. And um, and yeah, we pretty much just take that thing wherever we like. We have a, have a yarn to the Skippadino and the chef, and um, and off we go and, and we make plans according to where we think the, the fishing and the weather's going to be most suitable for the week, so, it's a bit of an ultimate getaway, and we get to see some pretty cool stuff when you get that far away from civilisation.

So, unfortunate to be in that position. Yeah, how far offshore is in that thing. Just pull up and just base yourself out there, do you? Yeah, well, not really far off shore, um, because we're still fishing rivers for Barra, um, as a bit of a focus and just intro reef systems.

Um so we, we pretty much follow the coasts around um to whichever system we choose to fish. There are guys that um, that head, head off um, offshore into the team or box and places like this, sort of uh, that'd be sort of 150 mile north of um, of Melbourne Island, so, say, 300 K's north of Darwin, right out in the middle of the blue, and they get into the reef fishing and stuff out there, but our, our stuff is really focussed on the, the Barrow and Estry inshore pelagic sport fishing sort of stuff that um, that you can get within a couple of K's of Shoreline. I reckon still the truth, buddy. You hang there in case someone's got to do a beer run in the guide boat.

Yeah, well, like, you got to have somewhere to land the chopper. sure if you run out. Exactly, mate. That sounds pretty good.

So you do that for a while and then and then obviously you're back into what you normally do, you're fishing around, Darwin. Mate, you're seeing a bit of a, you know, an increase in tourist numbers as we move into the dry season? Yeah, look, it has it, um, they've all turned up in the last, I suppose, fortnight, uh, since Easter, I guess, is probably, probably how, you know, a lot of oldies will have um, Easter at home and then I'll um, get on the road. So we've got the grain homemade that's turned up.

We've got a lot of backpackers um coming up from Sydney and Melbourne now too, the weather's changed down south and that they'll head up here to do their sort of 2nd year visa remote work. Um, and yeah, the town is actually um, really jumping out of its skin again, which is, uh, it's good to see, um, you know, driving down Mitchell Street the last couple of days, in between trips, just, um, just a lot more, sort of tourism, um, business having down there than obviously happened last year, it's good to get all those, um, those businesses that really rely on that tourism. coming into um to get back on their feet again. Yeah, well, they were pretty quiet last year, as you know, but and I know I've spoke to people and met people last year and I was there who basically head there now and we'll sit up there until September.

It's just amazing. Just get out of the cold in the southern states and get up and enjoy the climate there and good luck to them if they can do it. But that's for sure. And now, what about some of the, you know, you've been busy, but are you across any of the, um, the waterholes and stuff, not the watering holes that you frequent regularly.

talking about some of the places where you can swim. They're going through those places now to make sure there isn't any big lizards in there. Yeah, that's right. They'll do the patrol for the sabre tooth geckoes and the snapping handbags and around before they let anyone swim in there, of course, or maybe they'll let the New South Wales people go in there 1st just to double check. But, um, yeah, there's a few of them that have already opened up.

I know, there's some Mitchfield tours happening at the moment, they're going to Florence Falls, which is really nice, and there's a, there is a number of them that stay open year round, say, uh, Robin Falls down past Adelaide River towards the Daly, there is open year round, and I wouldn't be surprised, Douglas Hot Springs will be open pretty soon, and um, and a lot of those Kakadu water holes. Hopefully we'll be drawing out in the next couple of weeks and we'll be able to get into them and jump into some fishing and camping as well, especially if these um school holidays coming up, you know, in, you know, 4 or 6 weeks time, so that'll be good. I've got to tell you, mate, one of the nicest places, I reckon, we went for a swim was at Berry Springs, not far from where you live really. Um, it's just out of town, eating south.

I'm not sure whether that'd be open or not, but if anyone's heading up to Darwin, make sure you pop in there. I mean, we all go to the, you know, we all go to the obvious places, but Berry Springs was, for me, like a big car park, massive big place to swim there with easy access to the water. Just unbelievable. I mean, that, that there alone was, uh, is a great spot.

So I'm tipping, that that could well be open now, I'd imagine. Would he get crocodiles in there during the wet? Yeah, it does or it certainly can. Uh, very springs flows into, uh, West, uh, into middle arm in Darwin Harbour and it, and it'll certainly get crops in it, um, during that flood period.

But it, it, it's one of the ones that probably does open up fairly quickly because um there is demand for it, of course, and and it does drop away fairly quickly as soon as the rain um settles and, and once those lawn areas and stuff get, um, you know, firm enough, people have a picnic gone. Yeah, they'll open her up and I, I'm not too sure myself if it's open at the moment or not, but yeah, it's a, it's a 35 minute drive from Darwin City and and probably one of the best places you can go for a swim and a picnic. You can take an esky down there and cook a Barbie and you stay down there all day. It's absolutely beautiful and quite pristine too.

So, yeah, it's right in the jungle, as you've seen, and um, yeah, you know, like, it's, uh, it's pretty iconic up here, and, and there's a bit of a, probably a bit of a hidden gem. I't think there's too many tools or anything that go there. So there's a good little local spot. I said to you.

I mean, it's not one of the obvious ones. and for me, I think we went there about 3 times while we were there. It was good, mate. All right. Well, mate, it sounds like you've been busy which is fantastic.

Barefoot Fishing Safaris, if anyone wants to get on and check that out. What about some of the other little things you're doing on your website and Facebook page, mates? Is there any news there apart from the fishing? Oh, yeah, I mean, the, the, um, Top End Barra Secret course went off like a frog in a sock late last year, so, um, we had a heap of requests to open it up again, uh, just recently, so people can take advantage of the, um, the good fishing season we've had.

So I've done that. It'll actually be closed um in the next few days until um I run the full course again later on in the year, but that's been really good, good for us, and of course, we've got the, the merch, the, the stubby older than footy shorts and singlets and all that sort of stuff, which is all pretty busy from time to time as well. But um, yeah, I'm, I'm, just really enjoying being back out on the water with some excited clients from down south that, that, you know, they're, they're actually fulfilling their holidays and their, their bucket list, Barra Mundy, that they couldn't get, get done last year at the moment, it's been bringing a smile to my dial every day. It's been great to get them down there.

Yeah, fantastic, mate. And like I say, that's like when I was there, I mean, I was lucky enough to catch one. It's one of those things, mate. And if you've got plenty of people up there doing that, mate, well done, you're booked out now, aren't you, for the rest of the year, yeah?

Yeah, well, we're booked absolutely rock solid through till August at the moment, we're just doing up pretty quickly too, and and then, um, you know, looking forward even further. They run off fishing that mid-February through to the end of May for 2022's already about half book. So if anyone's thinking about it, yeah, we need to start having that conversation now, just to make sure you don't miss out. um there's, yeah, a good season this year means for an even better season next year for as far as fish numbers and that sort of thing.

I can see, I can see a fleet, a fleet here. The Barefoot, the Barefoot Fishing Safaris fleet, and the fleet of boats and fishing guides, and, eh? I don't know whether I don't know whether the general public could handle too many more of me, mate, one's enough, I reckon. Oh no, fair enough.

All right. Well, mate, let me tell you, it's good to catch up with you, but it's been hard to get hold of you, and so we've been very lucky this week to jag you, mate. And mate, I'm so happy that you are doing well because last year, you know, let's face it, it was a bit of a dud. But not just for you, but for all the guys up there and for the tourist business in Australia as a whole.

Although there's no, you know, international tourism at the moment, the domestic tourism is on the rise and he's on the go. It's full on, uh, Caribbean sales are up, boat and trail of Reggos are up and sales are up there, 4 wheel drives are up, and uh, mate, everybody's yet exploring Australia. And if you want to get the real Australian experience, Well, for me, it's got to be the Top End.

I love it. mate, there are 2 places I love in Australia, Watty. I love outback Queensland. I love the channel, and the channel country, all that area, and the golf, obviously, but I love the territory, mate.

It's just fantastic up there. And mate, hopefully it'll continue for you, mate, and there'll be no COVID outbreak, so there'll be still plenty of people out and about and getting up there and enjoying what the Northern Territory has to offer this time of year. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I appreciate your thoughts there and absolutely. And the other thing to keep in mind too is that it's not just me up here,

of course. If anyone coming up to um to experience territory and and wants to get out um I'm more than happy to point them in the direction of a few other good operators. I'll work with. And also, you know, like you've got your boat hire options and that sort of stuff to have a crack yourself. So, um, yeah, don't, don't get, don't get afraid and, and don't have a crack.

um yeah get onto us and I'm more than happy to point you in the direction of people who can help you out if I can't. Well, that's why you're probably going to end up running for politics up there. What do, you know, all the right things to say.

You got all the contacts, mate. Mr. Top End, I reckon. Oh, yeah, yeah. Look, wouldn't it?

The footy shorts in the moment. Well, mate, you get my vote, son. Hey, hello. what we know.

He lose a bit Van Eekum. eh? We don't need blakes in a bag of fruit, telling us what we don't want to hear. All right.

Well, listen, you enjoy, mate. Well done. And mate, I'm so happy that things have are a lot better than they were last year. And I did mention, not just for you, but for all the fishing guides and the tourism business up there as a whole.

I mean, I know some of the caravan parks and places like that were empty. I mean, it was just such a shame, but it looks like it's going to be a bumper season this year and mate, I'm glad you're booked and I'm glad it's going well and what we'll do, Watty. We'll see if we can, Jag, again next week, eh? Yeah, that'd be really good, mate.

I've been missing your voice I know you have. I know. You're only human, Watty.

We'll talk to you next week, mate. We'll catch all with you. We'll grab hold of you somewhere. Good on you, bud.

There he is. That's how I mean. Glenn, what do you want? Of course, he is the owner operator of Barefoot Fishing Safaris and when you want to go fishing in the Top End.

Like you said, if he can't take you, he'll put you onto someone that can take you, he's got all the contacts up there, but certainly, he's a great bloke, and I'm very happy for not only what, but I'm happy for everybody else up there, and not just in the territory, in Queensland. I mean, tourism business has been struggling. So it's great to see people heading up there and it was good that he said they're already heading to town as we speak, which is fantastic and people basing themselves up there. But for those of you who have been emailing and sending messages asking, well, where's Watty? Well, there he is.

He's been fishing, and we don't want to interrupt what he does through the day, and if he can talk to us from the boat, he will, but it can be a bit of a struggle. Sometimes, we're lucky today to get hold of him.