Bag a Barra — 12 September 2025

It's time now to head to the Top End and Bagabara, with Glenn Watty Watt, thanks to Barefoot Fishing Safaris and uniden. For the best in UHF communications, explore the extract series at unided.com.au. And, of course, our man, Glenn, what do you want? Is the owner operator of Barefoot Fishing Safaris in the Top End, and, of course, Angling Adventures, and you can get onto his social media? Pages, or, of course, check out the websites as well to book your next fishing adventure in the northern territory, or, beyond, he can do all of that with our man, Watty. Well, I tell you what, Watty, I bet you were probably to put your hand up to be a volunteer on this fishing tournament.

Yeah, I just um, correct myself a little bit there before we get right into it. It's not girls gone fishing. It secret women's business, fishing comp. Well I didn't say that.

I didn't give it the name. I have said it was a fishing comp. No, you're correcting your own. So while you're there preparing, you're preparing for your segment, while you're on hold.

I mean, mate, this is just typical of this radio show. At least you're doing some preparation because nobody else does. But, um, so what's it called? It's not called Girls Gone Fishing.

What it called? Mate, there's so many women's fishing competitions in the northern territory these days I get confused by them. No, we're looking at the secret women's business, vision comp on right now as we speak, very exciting at a corrobory billabong, one of your favourite places. Secret women's business, fishing comp.

You've got to have that. I could just imagine, I mean, what did you try and put your hand up to be a volunteer out there or help in some way? How many girls go in this? Well, there's probably around 50 teams out there right now.

Up to a couple of 100 competitors and yeah, it can get a bit crazy out there, mate. actually. It's, uh, it's something that I have helped within the past. I've uh, uh, but this year I've uh, I've elected to stay away, can get a bit dangerous.

Oh, mate, I could just imagine. But tell me about it. So, on corroboration, so 50 teams. I mean, that's a fair few of them.

It's good that the girls get right into it. I mean, it's fantastic. They wouldn't be drinking or anything out there, would they have a night or anything like that, would they? Uh, well, um, I can't um, give too much detail on that, mate.

They do have, they call them slushy boats out there, so, but that'd be creamy soda and lemonade, I'm sure. Um, no, it's actually probably, uh, it's one of the original comp stuff you made, and it's actually, as far as I know, it's the only one where there's no male participation in involved. So, a lot of the other girls' comps, you can have a male skipper, if you're not confident with driving a boat or a version trailer, whatever. But this is, this is women only, so, and, and of course, uh, women in participation in fishing up here in the territory is huge.

So, it's really good, and and of course, all these uh ladies are really competent and great anglers, and they have a good time as well. They don't get much of a chance to have a bit of a party like this for a few days and they're busy um work and and parent lives for a lot of them. So yeah, it's, it's as much about having a good time and um, and having a party as it is, uh, you know, catching a fish. I reckon they'll have a great time.

I really do. I mean, how good would they be? I mean, they'll have the whole place to themselves. No blokes annoying them, and they might even catch some fish.

They'll definitely, they'll definitely catch some fish. Billabong's fishing pretty well at the moment. I was out there last week myself. So, yeah, it'd be a bit of a shock if you just rocked up there thinking you're going for a quiet fish over the weekend and 40 boatloads of girls all dressed up, they get dressed up, there's theme nights and the whole lot.

So, yeah, Corrobory Tavern. Well, was cranking last night and certainly will be again tonight. So where do they camp back there or around the pub somewhere? Where do they care?

Yeah, back at the pub. Yep. So they, I mean, a few of them would go out a few days before and go and figure out a few spots. uh pre fish with some lures without hooks so they can find where some fish might be gathered up. All sorts of things, they take it, take these um sort of comps quite serious.

It's, it's run by the payment, pumps and game fishing club, which is, um, perhaps the equal biggest club in, in the Top End, uh, with uh, Darwin uh, game fishing club as well. So, they hold uh, Barren Nationals at another time of year in April, um, and this is their big, big women's comp for the year. So, yeah, it's a it's a big deal and there's always some really top anglers that come out on top. Yeah, well, that sounds fantastic. And have you got any one you know, I'm tripping your name just about everybody in it, wouldn't you?

Well, yeah, I do know a lot of the girls, although when I was involved in the girls comps a bit, say, 10 years ago. Of course, there's been a whole nother generation of young female anglers come through now, but I, um, early days, I drove my boat for one of the teams of the girls, and I put a big dancing pole up the front, uh, on the cast deck, um, so they could have a little dance after they caught a fish as well, which went down really well, and, um, and you know what? We actually spent a lot of time sitting there. Watching them down. no

Fantic. I mean, seriously. Who was the pole for? That would have been more for you, to sit back, have a beer and watch the girls do the poll, DJ when they caught a fish.

I'm looking at it now. Secret women's business barrett challenge, fondly referred to as SWB began over a glass of wine or 2 back in 2007. I think it's, although I think it's a great thing, and look, I mean, the northern territory is the place for these sorts of things, isn't it? I mean, like you're 50 teams, all camping at the pub.

I reckon the puppy be jumping. How many how many blokes would be waiting back at the pub for them to turn up? I mean, especially their partners and everything, they'd be waiting back at the pub for them, but they're not let to go fishing. Well, yeah, you know, I think uh, you might think that that's a good idea, but it's probably uh, might be best to stay away since they get pretty rowdy.

The girls when they've been out on the water for a couple of days in the sun. So it might be a good chance for most dads are probably staying at home with the kids having a quiet weekend. with no rules at home. So that's probably a bonus to the judge as well.

There's nothing wrong with that. What else is happening up there apart from the big girls challenge, mate? Oh, mate, it continues to get warm and steamy, where every day it's looking like an afternoon rain at the moment, so that's, that's really good for us. You know, Fisher's looking for some, uh, more low wind conditions and a bit more sort of calm sea than we've had.

I mean, we had a really good dry season and that, that usually means a bit of extra wind around. So, you know, by this time, what are we, sort of, mid-September, where, um, yeah, we're starting to get into that true buildup, and the mangos have really, um, jumped out on the trees, which is a really good sign that things are starting to warm up, and it's that time of year, again. Yep, that sounds fantastic, mate. And um, the uh, it won't be long either before the the $1000000 fish comp is back on as well.

I mean, you got things happening up there all the time. When does that kickoff again because I know a lot of people get into that. Yeah, that's right. That'll start at the start at the start of October, uh, and run through until the end of March.

So, it's a, I mean, it coincides with the perfect weather for a lot of Darwin, local fishos and my clients. who are coming up to, uh, try and get in front of a barrett to, you know, make it pay for the trip, 10 grand. It'll be over a 100 barrow with a $10,000 tag in them, and I believe the past 15 or 16 seasons of the $1000000 fish will still be active as well. So, yeah, it's um, probably never a better chance than, than this year to get in amongst the money while you go for a fish.

So they just add more fish to it each year. And obviously that stock's building up these tag fish swimming around everywhere. Does anybody catch them outside of that time and kick themselves? I mean, I mean, imagine if you're caught.

Imagine like it finishes in March. Imagine catching the $10000 fish in April. You'd be filthy. or the weaker.

There's been a bit of that over the years, yeah. They take it out and put in a fish tank. I reckon. One a few years ago where the story was that they caught the fish a couple of weeks before the comp started, didn't even realise that it had a tag in it, and when they pulled it out for dinner in October,

It miraculously had a red tag in it and they submitted it into the comp. So, uh, read into that what you will, mate. But people are fairly resourceful up here in the territory, especially when it comes to winning 10 grand to pay for a few fishing trips. Or a million.

Or a 1000000 bucks. pay for more than a pay for more than a few fishing trips, mate. Via nervous couple of weeks with that fish sitting in the freezer waiting for the open, I reckon. I reckon so, mate. absolutely.

All right, well done, mate. Well, you're so where are you off to to get a carton this afternoon. Down at Google Drive all the way out to Corbery Tavern, I imagine. to get to get a cart and see what's happening.

Reckon they're past the muster with the lioness? Yeah. I'm going to catch up with someone. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just got to go down to get you going down to get a box of beer. I'll be back in about 2 days. All right, Watty.

Well done, mate. And obviously it's, as you say, it's starting to steam up, warm up as we get closer and closer to that beautiful wet season that I know you love so much. And, um, and obviously that produces a lot of other fishing opportunities. And of course, um, as it moves past October, all those local fishos out there trying to catch their fortune, including you and um, and doing it all up there in the Top End. And, of course, Christmas parties are all happening probably already, as we know, they start pretty early up there. But anyway, good luck to all the girls that are out there fishing on corrobery. You're in a good spot and you know, well done, and I'm sure they'll have a great time.

You're a good man, mate. We'll talk to you next week, eh? No worries. I'll give you an update on the winners next week.

I'm sure you will, mate. There he is. That's our man, Glenn. What do you want?

Who I'm sure will be going down to the Corrobory Tavern tonight for a couple of quiet beers to see what's doing. And there's, you know, 50 teams of girls out there fishing. How good is it? I think it's a great thing. And look, this sort of stuff only happens in the territory. And you can imagine how wild it'll be. They'll be out there, just catching their fish back there, camping at the pub, and then back out again tomorrow.

Oh, I think it's fantastic. Well done, and good luck to you girls. I hope you do very, very well. See if you can leave some fish for the boys, weird, they go back there next weekend.

It'll be fished out. Anyway. It's a great part of the world. what he is right.

It is one of my favourite places. I do love it there for sure. If you haven't been to Corrobory Billabong. Gee, get up there.

And if you're going to go, well, go with Watty. Barefoot Fishing Safaris. Check him out there or, of course, jump onto the website and of course, onto the Facebook pages. And if you want to go beyond that, and you want to take your fishing to another level, well, you look at angling adventures and what he is the man for both of those, and certainly, you'll take you out there and catch those big ones, you just can't seem to catch yourself talking about me here.

I can't even catch them when they're with him. But anyway. Barefoot Fishing Safaris.