Bag a Barra — 3 February 2023

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. Yeah, we're almost out of time, and as I did, I say, we're trying to track down James Blundell, who's got this down on the farm weekend.

It's a 3 day event at his own property. If you go to James Blundell Facebook page, you'll see the details there and we see if we can't lock James, I know he was keen, so if we can't lock James Blundell in for a chat on next week's show. In the meantime, time though. We'll talk to Watty, see what's happening up there.

It's still raining, Watty. Still raining, mate, right now, actually. Yeah, we've had some good rain the last few days. All the rivers are up and fish are still biting, so it's just setting up very nicely.

Has this been probably one of the biggest wet seasons for a while? It seems to be hanging in there. Yeah, it definitely started that way, and then we had a that sort of 10 day break period where everyone got a bit nervous, but no, it's back in and a bit of monsternal activity happening in the next few days as well. So yeah, it's still kicking on, looking like it's going to be a really good one.

So when were you saying, how long do they last for? So when it actually pours down? How long will that, will that stay before you get a break in the rain? What, an hour?

Yeah, it does vary. I mean, it can rain for 2 weeks strike, really. You know, 2012 I think it was, 1112 was record, wet season.

We had just extraordinary amounts of rain, but, you know, this one that we're in at the moment, probably only lasts for a couple, so 3 or 4 days. Um, but yeah. Oh, nonstop, I've just nonstop rain. Yeah, but it can be, you know, varies in intensity, of course. Usually through the nighttime and really early morning, it gets a bit heavier during the day, in the heat of the day, a little bit less, like sort of just lightly raining here now, but um, yeah, you definitely get wet if you go out in it.

So, you know it's here. So you being, you know, a fishing guru up there, all the local fish is enjoying it. I mean, are they looking at a bumper season now once this rain clears? Oh, big time.

Yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, it's already producing heaps of really good quality fishing at the moment in that sort of breaks in between. Um, but yeah, once, once it does settle sort of late February, uh, and go into that true runoff, uh, pattern, the fishing will be on, um, probably as good as it's been in the last 10 years after your idea. All right, good stuff, mate.

We just want to give him an update on all of that because obviously you're not running any tours at the moment, although you are off to New Guinea next week, so we might not be able to get hold of you. Maybe when you get back, you can tell us what's happening out there, how that went, and then obviously we're in for it this year, and I think there's going to be plenty of fish court and plenty of stories that you can tell us here. I reckon that's right, duck. Yeah, I'm off to the guinea to serve 3 boats and get the lodgers ready over there that we work for, so that's exciting.

I love going over there and yeah, I'll catch a few barrer over there too. Don't worry, they'll be good. And obviously check out a couple of the local bottleos. They have bottlos there?

Well, we stay in fairly nice lodges there, mate. There's usually someone to bring you a can every time. All right. Well done.

All right. Yes, I want to bring you again. Oh, you're a good man, mate. run out of time, Watty, but I wanted to quickly say g'day, mate.

And obviously with all the rain, the big wet season, fish are about now, and it's going to be a cracking fishing season up there, and which would be fantastic for you and everybody else that's heading that way. You're a good man, mate. We'll talk to you as soon as you get back from New Guinea. Excellent, mate.

Good on you. I look forward to it. There he is, Barefoot Fishing Safaris. You can check him out Barefoot, of course, angling adventures, and of course, Barefoot Fishing Academy.

He is the man Watty when it comes to fishing. Not only in the Top End, but just about everywhere these days. How good is it? And he's a part of this show as well.

Well, that, of course, is the show folks. Time for us to get out of here. Apologies about James Blundell. I said, hard man to get, works on a farm, and he's inviting people to his farm.

So check out his Facebook page there. A big thank you to all our guests who joined us this week and remind you you can catch everything on podcast and for those of you who already do that, a big thank you for doing that as well listing on the podcast.