Bag a Barra — 17 March 2023

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

Oh, after I went through all those terms and conditions, I'm out of breath. Watty, hello. Oh, how you going, Duck? Well, I've heard a little rumour from up there.

Someone's richer. Yeah, bloody eight. Yeah, one of the young guns up to you, um, damn himself, uh, what, well, a red tag barrier that would have normally bagged in 10 grand, um, in the bank last week, but because it was double your dough week, or something like that. He ended up with 20 in the kick.

So happy man. Oh, they've got off down here. 20 grand. What happened, mate? Do you reckon he put the drinks on at the bar or not?

Well, I'd say he probably would have had to, for at least he's making edit it for him. I reckon he's made a lot more than a couple of beers, wouldn't he, if he get it for you? Yeah, that's right. How about half, son? eh?

Yeah, well, I don't know whether we're getting any, but, you know, I can hit him up to see. Yeah, exactly. Now, listen, there's been a lot of rain up in the northern parts of Queensland, and especially the northwestern part. Are you going up there, you drive starting to dry out a bit or are you still copying?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, we were really copping it last time I spoke to you, but since then it has sort of backed off a little bit. We're in a monsoon break period at the moment where we're just getting sort of afternoon storms, and we actually had our 1st storm, which they call a knock them down storm the other day, which sort of signalled us up here that... Sorry, what's a knock them down storm?

Yeah, yeah. So I knock them down is, there's storms that they, they tend to form up out over your favourite area there out at um, Corrobery Billabong and um, the alligator river systems and, and they sort of blow in real, real hot and heavy for a, uh, you know, sort of over our place at lasted for half an hour and it was super windy and um, and it, and 20 mil rain and then just moves on and, and what, the knock them down comes because you've got all the long grass growing and, and then it, they, they sort of knock all the grass down. So, yeah, inventive names. But yeah, it's a sign that they're wet. It is a territory. It is a territory.

We got other things to think about. Yeah, mate, I know. I was like, mate, I know. I mean, how good is it there?

Now, listen, you're off on a week, a week long fishing trip, is that right? Yeah, that's right. Yeah. So, um, yeah, enough again to get out for another 5 day trip with some clients where we're booked in to stay out at Kakadu, and um, we'll, we'll fish the South Alligator River, which I'm really excited about.

I haven't guided out there for a few years now, but um, yeah, it's always been a river that I've felt a bit of a connection with and have always been able to find some fish, so hopefully that continues on next week. Yeah, absolutely. That's a great, a great spot. I'll tell you what, mate.

And what about... So this time of year, it's perfect now to get to the Alligator River system and have a fish there? Yeah, it is. You'd be surprised how many people are booking to stay in accommodation at Jabru at the moment. The Croc Resort, where I'll put my clients up is pretty busy.

So, um, yeah, there's plenty of people going out there and and uh, the south alligator in particular has dropped away nicely. It was lap in the bottom of the bridge there a couple of weeks ago, but it's dropping away and it'll start to fish really nicely. Well, it already is fishing nicely. But yeah, the East Alligator, you can't even get into it at the moment because there's a couple of creek crossings that are, um, sort of that um, cut it off from the main road that are running at about metre and a half or metre.8, depending on the rain, they're getting each day.

So it'll be a little while before we can get to the East Alligator, but there should be enough fish in the south to keep us entertained for a while, I reckon. You'll probably see a few crocs. Plenty of crocs there. actually.

Yeah, there's a video getting around on social media up here from one of the local tackle shop blokes the other day. It was about a 3 metre crocodile sitting right at the boat ramp while they were launching their boat and they didn't even see him, of course, because they're busy launching the boat and then he walked down to jump in the boat and there he was just having a little Sunday. You got to be careful. I remember, I remember at that time we were at, and we were only what, 10 feet off the ramp, and I said to you, would you dive in and swim to the ramp?

You said, no. I got things to do in the afternoon, mate. I don't need to be chewed. Yeah, yeah, I know what those things are too.

Sitting at the bar at the corroborate, um, tavern or wherever it else you get the humpty-doo, wherever it else you took me to on the way back. Yeah, that's right. Well, as we speak right now, I'm at Humpty-Doo, and I can look across the vehicle and see my long neck stubby holder sitting there teasing me about why it's empty. So I might have to go and resurrect that problem.

Yeah, well, hey, well, mate, that's a great part of the world there, isn't it? Mate, just quickly, I'm not sure whether you're across it, but we spoke earlier about how the Northern territory are now charging you $10 to visit a national park, even if you just visit, and that includes pulling up and looking at the devil's devil's marbles. Yeah, that's right. It is interesting.

I mean, yeah, you've been, uh, there's been a charge to get into Kakadu National Park for, for as long as I can remember, uh, you get a day pass, it might have even been, over 20 bucks, I reckon, for a day pass into Kakadu. I can't remember the last one. Yeah, but um, you know, I guess there's there's a certain amount of um, maintenance and stuff that needs to go on with all those things and um, you know, they're sending rangers down there in Toyotas and paying for diesel and stuff. So, you know, if, if you've got to pay a bit of money to turn up to somewhere where the toilets are clean and the rubbish is cleaned out of the bins, I'll, I'm happy enough to do that, you know, and, and of course, places like the devil's marbles are absolutely worth 20 bucks to go and have a look around there.

I still remember the 1st time I went there, you're allowed to climb on them back then. I don't know if you are now or not. No, no, look, look, I get it, and look, I do get it, that I do get it, that, you know, it's all has got to be clean, binge emptied. I do get that part of it, but geez, we're trying to promote tourism and that 10 bucks I just thought could be spent at the pub, keeping the barmaid in a job or a barmaid in a job or, you know, at a cafe or something.

I mean, to pay 10 bucks, to put up a temple. Yeah, I know. And then you got, yeah, I just think we're adding on fuel price. I just don't know.

don't know. But I mean, 10 bucks to pop a devil's marbles, I've just been switch deeps on the side of the rope. I don't know if they're going to police that, to be honest. Yeah, well, I mean, you've got a Choice Avenue, I suppose. You can either do it or not.

And um, yeah, I mean, I'd be doing it for my kids. I reckon it's a great place to stop, but yeah, I guess. The, the question is, when, when does stuff that sort of, has always been free, become charged and, and, and how do you justify it? I guess the conversation that needs to be had, but as long as you get, it's a bit like fishing licenses, you know, down, down south, you see, everyone's pays fishing licenses, and it, and I tell you in New Zealand, we pay 250 bucks to go fishing for a couple of days for the fishing license over there. But, you know, you're rewarded through really good facilities, amazing stocking, um, you know, all that sort of stuff.

So as long as you can see some return. That's what you're after, I guess. All right, got to fly, what do you talk to you next week? Righto, mate.

Good on you. Have a good week. Okay, you too, mate. Not as good as yours out there fishing.

There he is. Barefoot Fishing Safaris.