Bag a Barra — 31 December 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 shimanofish.com.au.

And, of course, it's time to head to our Top End guru, fishing guru, and, of course, I am speaking about my man. The man behind Barefoot Fishing Safaris, who is usually based up there in Darwin and getting thrown out of pubs across the northern territory, but he's changed all that. He's now getting thrown out of pubs in country Victoria. What do g'day?

G'day, Doc, how you going today? Well, mate, I'm going, all right. Happy New Year to you now, mate. You're out there.

You're telling me on the base of the Grampians. Plenty of people about? Oh, yeah, it's pretty busy here. Yeah, we're at, um, we've got a family farm in Balmoral there and um, Rockland's Reservoir is right close to it, and the oldies have got an Airbnb block out here as well, so, yeah, we've um, made camp out here, a camp, I suppose, in an air conditioned, 4 bedroom house, and everyone else down just through the bush, and we can see is all in the tension swags, and tinnies going everywhere, and a few fish biting and water skins happening, and it's all going on down here. good.

So what's the name of the spot? What's the name of the lake? What is the lake, is it? Or a river? Yeah, Rockland Reservoir.

So it's a, it's an intersection of the Glenell River, which starts up in the Grampians National Park and flows down through and exits to, into the sea at Nelson, which is the, the, um, southwestern corner of Victoria where it borders South Australia. Yeah, it's a dam section of the river, Rocklands Reservoir. a beautiful spot. And obviously fairly popular.

So plenty of people out and about and just camped out and enjoying some holidays, which is what we all love to do. Yeah, that's right. And the weather really turned it on in the last few days too. So it's been great, great weather for having a, having a water skiing, a swim and the fish have been bought pretty well as well, which is, which is good for us.

Well, what are they what are they catching in there? Uh, there's always been a lot of redfin in here, um, as well as in the last 5 or 6 years, they, they've stocked a lot of Murray Cod, golden perch, the yellow belly and estry perch, and um, we're starting to catch a few of them, actually, um, got a nice yellow belly the other day, and there's been some good cod court. So, going forward, that's going to be really good for the tourism in the area and and to keep all the campers happy and and keep a feed in the frying pan over the fire too, of course. Yes, well, you got to have that.

And of course, you need that cold beer to wash down that fish as well, Watty, how are the VBs going? I'm tipping your bean sinking plenty. Yeah, well, that's winter, of course. So, yeah, we actually went into the, the Western Hotel the other day for a feed, um, which is the local pub in Balmoral, and the old man's got his, in uh, 1968.

I think it was. He shot a pure white fox out here out in the bush actually not far from where I'm standing right now and it's mounted up in the pub there. Every time we go in, we try and get a free beer, but I don't think he's ever got one out of them. We'll keep working on them.

Fair enough. Exactly. Now, mate, have you heard what's happening back home up at the Top End and he, I mean, obviously a lot of wet. I saw you put a post-op on social media with the weather radar.

They're copping some rain up there now. Yeah, that's right. It really did turn it on virtually a couple of days after we left there. They had a big monsoon which was going to form into a cyclone, but then didn't, which end, you know, that's sort of the best result, I suppose.

Um, lots and lots of rain fall right across the Top End and it, it's really brought those rivers up and giving everything a good flush, so it's the real. It's the 1st burst of, um, of exactly what we're after, the Daly River went from sort of flowing underneath the dry season crossing to, um, check that today was running at about 10 metres over the crossing. So, um, that if it can hold that level, it'll be really good for a while and then get another burst and and top it up to hopefully about just sort of below flood level and then up and down for the next couple of months and that really sets us up perfectly for a really good fishing season starting in end of February. Mate, it sounds fantastic, and heck, what it is, it comes around quick, does it?

In February, it'll kick off. Mate, any tag, fish cord, or is the fishing bit a bit slow? No, there has been one more court. I can't remember now.

It might have been down the Daly again. Uh, yeah, another guy actually, there's a fair few serial offenders in this setup. There, he caught one um, a couple of years ago as well, this fella say. Yeah, um, that that's been, that was the most recent one. It probably will, now that it has rained and all those rivers are really flowing, those fish will move around a lot more.

So, it, we, the catch rates of the $1000000 fish does tend to drop off from, I guess, that 1st monsoon event onwards, but um, it does go through until the end of March. So, the guys coming up in that sort of 1st 6 weeks of our runoff fishing are in with a chance and you never know that $1000000 one might be right where you land your lure. Oh, how good would that be? You know what'll happen?

Some Neville who hasn't got a clue. will jag that fishing record. Seriously, you got all you experts up there. I mean, all the experts are up there having a crack to catch the tag fish.

It's worth a 1000000 dollars. I'm telling you now. Some Neville or lobby into a 7-Eleven, buy a hand reel, like that, like that person did last year for the 10 grinder, and jag that. What will happen then?

Will you just hunt the bloke out of town, like, I mean, you'd be filthy. I think everyone would probably go and try and make friends with him straight up, wouldn't you? Oh, yeah. You want to make sure he has a bit of a shout, which could be expensive up there.

That's for sure, of all those experienced campaigners, you know, eh? All right, mate. Well, it sounds like you're having a great time. You're catching up with family, which is great, mate.

When do you head back north? Yeah, we're back in a few days. So, um, looking forward to getting back up into, into Darwin and getting stuck into the maintenance, the boat vehicle um, before kicking off for a big season. It looks like it's all going pretty smoothly now.

The borders are, looks like they're going to stay open and as long as we can sort of keep the show ticking along. Would y'all be right? Yeah, happy days. I was actually, I've got a bloke camp next to me here at Blue Lagoon Beach.

I actually camped by the beach, Watty, which you'll like, who's heading to Darwin next year and I'm going to give him your number because he said, oh, yeah, no, no, no, no, anything about fishing. I said, no, but this bloke might be able to help you out a bit. So I gave him your number. So, mate.

We'll get in touch with you. No. You are the best in the business. And if anyone's planning a top-in trip next year, you need to get onto Barefoot Fishing Safaris.

Jump on the website or just jump on the Facebook page, but barefootfishing safari.com.au. That where you go. Book your spot because if you want to catch a barramundi. Well, our man, Watty, will make sure that happens for you.

You're a good man, mate. You enjoy what time you have left there on the family property there. By the reservoir doing it tough, and mate, we'll talk to you next week. Good on you, mate.

Yeah, I look forward to it. You enjoy your camper trip too. Good on you. Thanks, mate.

There he is, Glenn. What do you want? He is the man behind. Barefoot Fishing Safaris in the northern territory up there at the Top End based in Darwin, and there is nobody better that knows where those fish are, and I'm sure he'll be back up there.

He'll be praying that someone doesn't catch that $1000000 fish while he's away. I could just imagine him. But if you want to get up there and get your own elusive Barramundi or something that everybody, uh, strives to do.