Bag a Barra — 23 February 2024

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.

And of course, he is the man behind Barefoot Fishing Safaris and angling adventures. And he is the man that he just knows everything about fishing in the, you know, in the Top End. These other blokes, these guides. There's all sorts of fishing experts but none of them are as good as this bloke. Oh, he's not there.

I would love to get Watty again. Hello, Watty. You're not bad, are you mate? Yeah, I know.

How are you going? I'm going good, mate. It's bloody hot up here. I can come in.

I'm surviving, Joe. Oh, mate, that's, no, you are the best body. We know you're the gun up there. the guru.

I know you don't like that, but the thing is up there, you're all over it because you're into the systems, the river systems and how they work, you look, you've looked right into it, you're put back in, and you're right across this, what goes on up there, and which is probably why you're very good at catching fish and run a pretty successful turnout there. Yeah, well, I mean, it's actually, it's not a bad point to talk about, duck, because everyone who comes to the territory sort of thinks that, you know, you've got to hide behind a bloody tree to tie your lure on, so Barra doesn't grab it out of your hand. Um, but after you have a bit of a flick around and try for yourself, the 1st half a dozen times, you soon figure out that that's not necessarily the case all the time, and it, and it does take a few different things to line up as, as we keep talking about, and um, MP, be able to, I guess, pick the patterns consistently and and be able to predict behaviour and and where fish might be to a certain degree, uh, really does only come with time on the water, and, and that's something that I've been lucky enough to be able to spend a shitload of. And I'm really glad to be able to share that knowledge and help people along.

You know, it sort of um speed their journey up towards Barra's success through guided fishing and through my long courses and anything else that happens and and um, you know, put a few smiles on dolls and make it a bit easier for people because it sure isn't easy and it costs a lot of money to go Barra fishing every trip. So if you have 2 or 3 in a row. It's pretty easy to get downhearted, um, if you're sort of not catching much. And the cost of it.

Yeah, that's right. I mean, to go up there. I mean, you're talking about the majority of your customs are coming from the south or the southeast and it costs a lot of money to go up there, doesn't it? I mean, to get there and then, you know, to go fishing.

Oh, that's right. Yeah, there's not many, um, there's not many trips that you can do sort of up here for a few days that you don't get much change out of 5 grand for and that sort of plus your flights and a couple of days either side and all that sort of extra stuff that comes along with it. So, yeah, I mean, you probably want to be, it's not a bad thing to consider if you're looking at booking a guided trip is to go with someone who's been around a bit or at least has got a bit of a history that you can sort of check out and make sure they know what they're doing. Yeah.

absolutely. Now, mate, there was a bit of a fishing comp out there, the recent week last week. What was that? Yeah, that's right.

It's the 1st round of competition series called the Top End Barra theory. And it's actually, oh, it's been going for years and years now. It sort of seems like not long ago they started it, but I think it's, it's, it's probably 10 years or maybe even more, you know, and, and it's, I think it's actually a really good measure of, of, number one, how an individual system is, is behaving at the time, and, and also um, the qual-, the, sort of how to measure a, a good all round barrow fisherman up here in the territory. Plenty of people are good at catching big fish or lots of fish in, in a certain area or at a certain time, that sort of stuff, but the top embarrasser, he has a, has a, has a round about every month throughout the season, um, throughout sort of our, I suppose, fishing season, say from March through until December, and they jump through all the major rivers and a couple of the billabongs and harbours and stuff, and, and it gives you a really good idea of someone who's a, who's a real good all rounder.

Um, as well as how many, how the fish are behaving. And like I said to your, off air, the, um, they had the 1st round at Shady Camp the other day or Larry, which, um, which is where the river, the water, the Mary River, um, from Corrobory, Billabong, which you love, um, flows out to sea, right? So it's a really famous, particularly big barrow destination. I would say that's probably the best spot in Australia to catch Big Barrel.

Well, hang on, why didn't you take me there when I was up there then? Well, it wasn't the right season for it then. Yeah, right. Yeah, that's the, this time of year, this March, April, and May is when you want to be headed for Shady Camp and then again, on certain times later on in the year in the buildup. But that middle of the year, it sort of stops flowing and it's sort of, it's tricky to have consistent results.

But they, um, in amongst the pretty sort of hard fishing conditions, I suppose, we had a fairly strong monsoonal system parked on top of us that weekend and um, and that generally pushes the fish around places that aren't necessarily conducive to sort of happy or fun angling. Um, but there was plenty of good fish caught, which was, which was good to see because, was, what I'm saying to people at the moment is that the water is still fairly young or new. It hasn't had a chance to sort of settle and get that nice tan and tea colour and and for the bait to sort of breed up and populate and and stuff. So, it sort of might look like it's ready to go, but it just hasn't had that time to settle and really develop um for runoff fishing sort of just yet um with this late rain that we're having.

So, uh, it was really good to see some, there was some really big fish court out there. I think Meta 13 was the biggest and plenty of other sort of 90s and 80s and stuff, which JD Campers has got so many of those big fish these days since they removed the commercial netting out of the system there a fair few years ago now. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Once it settles down, I think I'm there in about a fortnight's time.

So by then it should hopefully be pretty prime. What's the biggest fish you've ever caught, Watty? Uh, the longest barrow I've ever caught is a metre 17. And the longest one I've got it was that big one we got last year, which was 122.

So yeah, that was pretty special. Unbelievable Yeah, yeah. I mean, anything over a 70 centimetre fish starts to, starts to get pretty big and bulky, you know, and then once I hit that 90, it's a whole nother world again, and then, and then next level again, up to about 110.

And once they get over 110 they, they sort of get big and scary after that. And um, and yeah, that, that's when you need a lot of luck and, and I suppose preparation to go your way. What do you do with the meat of barramundi when you catch it? We handle them very carefully. Everyone's sort of pretty aware these days that Barramundi, that the big fish are the spawning female.

So, we try and keep them in the net in the water as much as we can, um, you know, and and not handle them too much, quick photos and, and, um, and then put them, try and return them back to the water in a safe place for. And one thing I learned recently when I was fishing at Cokus Keeling Islands is just how much of a difference it makes when you rub the slime off a fish. Uh say the bonefish over there. If you had them in the net and just unhook the fly out of their mouth and let them go out of the net.

The sharks wouldn't even know they're there. But as soon as you pick them up and hold onto them, rub that protective coating off their scales. put for a photo, whatever it might be, put them back in the water, the sharks are red hot onto it, and as that bonefish are swimming away, and I'm sure it's the same for Barrow. We get bull sharks that will chase Barrow around in certain spots.

Um, they, the shark will get in that scent, just like a dog, and, and they'll zip in and out, and then they'll hone in and hone in, and then they're onto it, and they chase them, and most of the time they'll get those fish. So, it's really important to be mindful of that, I think. And if you are holding up a big barrow for a photo, and you're in a bit of a sharky spot, like the Daly can have a few at times, to release a barra in that situation, back into some snags or some cover that he can sort of go and hide in and rest up, and away from the sharks and that. So, yeah, it's something, it's pretty special and most people understand the gravity of the situation that, you know, they've probably worked pretty hard and spend a lot of money to get to that point.

Um, and then it's over pretty quick, but the, the thing that I always say to my clients is, you know, as soon as someone gets a good fish like that on, everyone else just rip your lines in, chuck your odds down and grab your camera out and just start filming it, you know? It's those, it's those memories that you can really relive. don't need to kill those big fish anymore. If you want to put a mount on the wall.

There's plenty of people you can ring, tell them how long it was. Send them a photo of it. They'll make one exactly the same because they've got fibreglass, mould, for every size. Yeah, right. So, we've come a long way in that regard, and the territory's really progressive on it, which is something that I'm quite proud of, and quite passionate about too, you know, like, we're trying to, we're trying to fish for the future, and uh, I think everyone's much more aware of that these days, which is great.

Yeah, I think it's, yeah. And you've always been one of them blokes that's put back in, which is fantastic, mate, I've got to say. Yeah, you're all over it. You really are.

All right. Mate, you said it was hot up there. So you're struggling today. pretty warm.

Well, yeah, it's probably, I don't think it's as temperature hot as, as it would be in the woolshed in Western Victoria down on the family farm at the moment, but it, it's certainly bloody humid, you know, there's probably only 32 or something here, but it's just, um, it's sauna conditions. So it cleans out the skin paws, that's for sure. Good stuff and all that. Oh, I could imagine the sweat.

I mean mate. You'd be sweating it out. Yeah, the one kip I always... All that men's strength. Yeah, well, actually, you know what's really nice on days like today's is that icy cold vodka lime soda, I reckon that's later quench a bit of thirst.

Yeah, I'll take your word for it. I'm not really a vodka, I would say, the man. Yeah, yeah. One trick I say to people about this time of year up here from back when I was a roofer in Darwin was that I just used to...

Yeah, yeah, and it was this time of year too, right through the wet season, I'd just watch the work clothes and leave them in the washing machine overnight, put them on wet, and then it's sort of nice and cool, and you don't lose as much of your body liquid, creating sweat. Um, you, you sort of, you're ahead of the game a little bit and, and yeah, take a couple of, a couple of sets of clothes and change throughout the day. Soak them under the tap 1st so that your body doesn't have to get them wet, you know, and then, then you can be ahead of litre or tool of hydration at the end of the day. Yeah, very smart.

That's well, well, see, that would have been a job, wouldn't it? Roofing in Darwin. Yeah. I actually had an amazing boss.

So it was quite an enjoyable job, but yeah, it was actually my last real job before I started guiding. So, um, Miley, Miley was a really, he was, he was really keen for me to go and start doing that and I still see him still mates with him, so I'm, I'm really grateful for that. All right. Well, you're back into it this from this weekend.

So Barefoot Fishing Safaris. People can jump on, check it out online, check out the social media platforms as well as angling adventures, but she's all back into it from this weekend, which is good for you. Yeah, she's all go. We be out to Kakadu and having a look around the South Alligator River for the rest of this trip, which is great.

How good is that sound? All right, have fun. talk to you next week if we can find you. This is when it gets hard to find you now.

Yeah, that's right. This time he does get a bit tricky. We'll see how we go. All right, mate.

Have fun. There he is. That's Watty. Glenn, Glenn, what?

you can find him. Barefoot Fishing Safaris. And what about that? Oh, yeah, we'll be at Alligator River and, you know, Kakadu for the rest of the week.

I mean, fair, Incam, how goods you got it? Anyway, Barefoot Fishing Safaris. Check out online and also check out angling adventures. He is the best in the business up there in the top bend, and he knows his stuff.

There's more to fishing, just from the line, the water. And what he's across it? He's does such a great job, but he's happy to teach you. So you need to check him out and check out when he does those online courses as well because that could be all the difference to how enjoyable your next big fishing trip is if you do one of what his courses.