Bag a Barra — 2 July 2021

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

And of course, Glenn, what do you Watts is the owner and operator of Barefoot Fishing Safaris? And for those of you who are wondering, how come Vicky's off the start of the show today? He's busy and he'll be joining us a bit later in the program. But in the meantime, the guru up there in the Top End when it comes to barrow fishing.

He, like I say, he is the man there at Barefoot Fishing Safaris. Hard to get these days because he's always out and about, but he's on the line. What do you g'day? G'day, duck.

How are you today? Well, mate, I'm going, all right, now, Watty, you've got this a while back, you had this little course that you were running online. You're about to kick it off again. It was very successful.

Tell us a bit about that before you tell us what's biting and wear up there. Yeah, right, that's right. We did, during, I guess, COVID last year, I put together, I guess, all of my barrow fishing experience and knowledge into an online course, um, and sort of uh, made it available to the public there for a short time. We put the 1st lot through in November last year and then another quick lot through in April this year. And then, yeah, I'm about to uh deliver the full course again uh later on in the month.

So pretty excited about that. We've got a few new lessons in there. Something called Stigmo Taxis, which I'm sure you know all about. Of course.

Oh mate, I'm all over it. Don't worry about that. I mean what's it called again? Big my taxes, mate.

Yeah, it's actually a... You're making this up, are you? You're in all animals. It's a behaviour in all animals and it's to do with safety and fear responses to fear. Right.

What has it got to do with Barrett? What does that have to do with bar fishing? Well, mate, it's partly a survival thing for them, but also, you know, you can relate it back to the bait fish and other critters that they're actually hunting and predating on. So once you start to get the theory of this in your head, you can start to then, I guess, extrapolated out into some fishing situations.

Okay, that sounds very interesting and I'm sure if people go on to this course, they can learn all about that. mate, I've got no idea. I mean, you've got to remember that I did, you know, my schooling consisted of 3 great years in year 7, Watty, I mean, I was never really big at school. I didn't like it much.

I didn't really listen. But for kids out out there listening, don't take Uncle Duck's advice when it comes to schooling. that is for sure. Mate.

So, look, if people want to get on to this, because I know in all seriousness, this is a great thing what you do with this course. mate, how do they go about it? Like you say, you're going to run another one later in the month. How do people get involved in that?

Uh, yeah, the best way is to um, jump on the Facebook page, send me a message and I can open to the email list to be notified when it's going to be open because there's a lot of demand out there. We only open it for 4 days um for people to sign up and become part of the course, so it really is a pretty small window. So, and I keep it like on the down low within my little, um, I guess the, uh, Barefoot circle, I suppose, um, we're not out, out and about too much, but yeah, there's a, there's a lot of demands. They just jump on the Facebook page, so send me, send me a message and I'll get you on the list.

Okay, so they go to Facebook, look for your Facebook page, Barefoot Fishing Safaris. Give it a like and then send a message that way. That's the best way, then you can get in touch then. That's the go, eh?

Yeah, that's right. There's also, there's a couple of posts up there at the moment. Just leading up to it as well. So they'll be able to get on track with that.

Okay, now, look, there were some lockdowns through the week in the Northern Territory, which absolutely stunned me, considering that a year ago, Watty, I was on my way up there, when I say a year ago, to the day. Uh, I was travelling uh, in that direction and we had some um, issues around COVID, then, in regards to borders and the like, and we had to sort of wait it out at Adele's Grove and then cross the border into the territory and waited out where I think I may have um, isolated at the Daly Waters Hotel, uh, as you would. But I noticed, like, now, look, the difference between, look, I was going to tell people, for me, the northern territory is one of those places that, I mean, I could live there tomorrow, not that you would have me there, but I would, um, it's one of those places, it's the real deal. It's, it's to me, it's the real Australia.

It's what the culture, the way of life. The whole place is just fantastic. Now, in the eastern states. When the lockdown talk was on, there was the usual rush to the supermarkets, to buy all of the toilet paper, uh, get as much taller paper as you could, uh, unbelievable how, you would think that people would learn from last time that we didn't actually run out.

and we won't run out, but still, people went and did it. But in the northern territory, there was some panic buying up there as well, and I was talking to you through the week off the air, mate, just tell us about the panic buying there and the size of the lineup to get in. Yeah, yeah, that's right. Well, I mean, I've got to admit, I was part of it.

I was listening to the radio on the way just on the way back from town. I just got back from our last mothership trip and um, actually halfway through moving house and I listened to the radio and um, yeah, they announced a snap lockdown starting at one o'clock and that was about an hour away and I thought, oh, shit, it's Sunday. I better get to the nearest bottle shop. grab a few beers, make sure I'm right for the, you know, whoever, who knows how long these things are going to go for, right?

So, I pulled in there and there was obviously a few other people listening to the radio as well and there was about half a dozen in front of me. And by the time I jumped out and got in line and by the time I left, there would have been 50 cars and Utes and trucks all parked down the side of the road. Everyone's bloody lining up and seeing their mates and catching up at the bottle shop before they go into lockdown. Oh, good as it. Oh, there it is. The difference between the Northern Territory lifestyle and the East Coast lifestyle of Australia.

We all run to get the toilet rolls, but up there, everyone, forget the toilet rolls. Get to the bottle as quick as you can. I've got to edit it to you, mate. How good is it?

And yet, I don't think the bottle a is closed anyway, did they? It was just a matter of people panic at making sure they're plenty of beer while they can sit at home and just drink. Well, yeah, I mean, that's right. We're lucky enough, our chief.

Michael Gunnery, um, acknowledges that uh, beer and bottle shops are in essential service, so you didn't close them, but the funny thing was on Sunday, because people that know up here, um, only bottle shops that are attached to pubs are open on Sunday, so none of your woollies and Coles ones and that sort of stuff are open, so there was probably 15 bottle shops in the whole of Darwin just got absolutely slammed. I reckon. Is that right? So what on a Sunday up there?

The, what the usual like, just standalone bottle shops don't open. No, that's right. Like even your big drive-through, one celebrations, that sort of stuff. They all close.

It's only the ones that are sort of attached to a pub that's open. So, yeah, I was pretty busy out of there. Howard Springs Tav, when I went through that. I've always said that the territory is like Australia in the old days and you may, you know, I mean, some people listening to this may remember that in the in the old days and way back, I think there was only like a handful of pubs that were open on a Sunday.

Like it was, uh, different times. I know the shop when the shops weren't open on a Sunday. Bunch, are you there in the bleachers? You would not remember that, would you?

The days when shopping was not shops were not open on a Sunday. Well, listen, I grew up on the south coast, uh, on New South Wales, down near, down near now and that, and they are still pretty relaxed when it comes to opening hours on the weekends. You know, roundabout. Yeah, but you remember when it was a guy, when shops weren't, I mean, they brought out Thursday night shopping and it took off now, I think it's every night shopping.

Anyway, but that's fantastic, Watty. I mean, that is just, and that just shows the difference in mindset for people in the, the territorians, and look, I've got to say to you, I'm a bit of a fan of Gunner. I mean, I sort of, when last year when I was coming up there and I knew I was going to be spending some time up there and there was all sorts of restrictions on, there were people allowed in, people were not allowed in. I think our listeners in Victoria were barred.

It was certainly different times. So I took a fair interest on what he was talking about because he was announcing all these decisions. But I've got to say to you. I mean, he doesn't seem like a bad bloke.

Oh, yeah, I mean, he, one of the, the biggest uh, decisions he's had to grapple with in the last couple of days was to postpone territory day fireworks, of course. That's another huge part of the culture up here on the 1st of July every year. You can go and buy fireworks and then blow everything up that night and um, yeah, they had to postpone it, which was a, which was obviously, he's got, he's got young kids of his own and families and they love doing it as well. So in one of his news conferences or press conferences, he, that was one of the bigger decisions he had to speak about with his own circle of friends of the family.

Yeah, good is it. I mean, there it is again. There it is again. There is another example of how it's like the old days because Crack and I've been barred from down here for a long time, mate.

So anyway, well done. Now, listen, we're going to run out of time here, but mate, fishing, what's doing? You've been out on a mothership and and did that, you've sort of been a bit slow this week in light of the crackdowns. I feel for you is up there because, um, you've done a great job, but, but, uh, but anyway, you now find yourself, um, you now find yourself with restrictions and all sorts of things in light of, you know, what's been going on over here. Um, but mate, what was biting and what's happening because this time of the year is obviously a great time to be out barra fishing.

Yeah, absolutely mate. And of course, um, you know, we're getting uh, we were getting a huge amount of visitors from south, obviously within international travel restrictions, um, the, the guided fishing and tourism in general is through the roof and it, it is really great because, um, we had a really good wet season just gone. So, um, the Billabong. So, Robbery Billabong, where I took you, you know, last year, about this time, we, we sort of, we battled away to get one or 2 barrow that day, but one of the other guides, and um, work with closely, rowing from Top End barrow fish, and he was out there uh, recently, and, and they got uh, 19 barrow for the day, I think, um, which was a really good um, sign for, for the fishery going forward, and everyone who, who wants to go out there and experienced that.

The blue water fishing's been really good. The wind's been good and, you know, um, like, it's just great that we can mix up with a few, uh, big tourism numbers and get everyone sort of travelling with in Australia again too. Oh, absolutely. And like we say, at the moment, they're a restrictions on, they're off, there's lockdowns, they're on, they're off.

depending on where you live and what's going on. But, you know, hopefully soon, we can get back to some sort of normality, we're almost there. And I mean, it all started from one stuff up with a limousine driver, whether it was his fault or not. And that's where the stuff up began and it's absolutely, absolutely affected the old country now.

in some way or shape or form. So, uh, but like you say, there is that many people travelling Australia now, because of, you say, no overseas travel, which is great for businesses like yours and other tourist businesses, all over Australia, and in particular, some of our outback pubs and our mates out there, um, we certainly do, uh, happy that, that, you know, for a bump of a year, and now all of a sudden you've got things happening again. But anyway, we'll get through that. But that is great news.

I've got to say to you, that corroborate Billabong. That was the highlight of my trip up there, Watty. You looked after me there. Mate, it's a beautiful spot for sure.

And even when it's been fishing tough for the last few years, It's still great place to take people and have a look around, but it's back, you know, back, say, you know, five, 10 years ago when we had a really good run of wet seasons. That's, it used to fish, um, as Rowan had it the other day, um, very consistently. So with any luck, it keeps going, mate. And just on that note too, we're talking about how busy we are.

Uh, like my bookings and a lot of other guys bookings are extending right out through into mid-September now. So just a reminder for anyone who wants to get organised, whether it's with me or anyone else up here for any activity, just to really get in early and get that deposit down, lock your days in. Otherwise, you'd just simply miss out. It's so it's so busy.

Yep, you don't want to travel all the way to the northern territory and not go fishing for Barramundi. So, uh, like we say, if you want to go, get onto it now. Obviously, there are plenty of fantastic fishing guides and they're all very, very good up there. But of course, our favourite, of course, is Barefoot Fishing Safaris.

So try Watty out and certainly won't let you down. You're a good man, Watty. I'll let you get back down to the bottle, though, son. Oh, listen, just on that too.

before I let you go. Congratulations on the purchase of a new property up there. You've become a land baron up there in the Top End, mate. And I just hope you've got that spot for me, mate, for when I come up there and park my van on your acres.

Yeah, yeah, I looked down the front drive there. Maybe, like I said to you the other day, we've got 5 acres here, but there's a nice patch for you just outside the front gate there on the side of the road. I reckon that'll be ideal for you. Yeah, thanks for your hospitality.

On that night, you can get you can go. Don't worry. See you later. See you, mate.

There he is. That, of course, is Glenn, what do you want? What about that? You got a nice spot for me just on the other side of the gate.

You know, you mate so, don't you? But anyway, Glenn, what do you watch? Of course, as I said, he's the owner operator of Barefoot Fishing Safaris. Get onto it and also get onto his Facebook page.

Send a message if you're interested in that online course. You won't regret doing it, and you'll be quite surprised what you'll learn there. He is the best in the business. And like we say, if you are heading to the Top End, anytime soon, or this year, and you want to go up there and go barrow fishing, why wouldn't you, you need to get onto that undo Watty?