Bag a Barra — 10 October 2025

It's time now to head to the Top End and Bag a Barra with Glenn Watty Watt, thanks to Barefoot Fishing Safaris and Uniden. For the best in UHF communications, explore the extract series at Uniden. com.auu. Well, let me tell you, I saw a post through the week that a... a fishing guide, or a retired fishing guide, had won a fish, uh, had bagged a $10,000 tagfish, in other words, up there in the $10000 fish competition in the territory, and I thought, hang on. Maybe he wasn't retired when he caught the fish, but now he is.

And you wouldn't believe I tried to get onto what he wasn't answering his phone. I thought hang on. The great man's won, but then again, he finally answered and he's still battling away up there, Alan, trying to catch that fish. Did the bloke buy you a beer?

What, did you know him? No, well, bit of an old legend in the industry. actually. So, um, no, I, uh, I think he still lives out the Daly there maybe.

I don't know. But yeah, no, unfortunately he wasn't me, mate, but yeah, still, like you say, still battling away trying to find a few. We did get into a few last week, but none of them had the, the right piece of jewellery that we're looking for, unfortunately. Mm, exactly right, mate.

But geez, I tell you what, they didn't muck around. I mean, the thing was only on for a few days, an old age jagged one already. How good's that? Yeah, it goes to show, doesn't it?

Just how many people go fishing up here. every single day and then it gives you a little bit of extra incentive this time of year for sure. Are people going out? I know, I know up there, fishing's a way of life, but are people actually going out there in, in, you know, conscious of the fact and trying to get these fish?

There's a funny story for a few years ago, actually, where a couple of mates decided that if they went fishing every day for 3 months or whatever that they'd surely, you know, catch a couple of fish and have it all paid for, so they quit their jobs. They actually quit their jobs and Bought a boat. Yeah, yeah, and it was pretty big news all over the radio up here, of course. And then, you know, I see old mate working at the bottle shop.

Yeah, it didn't quite go to plan, unfortunately. But, um, you know, yeah, the odds of sack against a bit, I guess. Ah, that's gold. So he's quit the job.

We're going to go. We going to be millionaires. And you see, and how's he going, working at the bottle though these days? Yeah, I don't know.

I don't think he's still there at the moment. Maybe he's upgraded, but... Oh, that's gold. Very funny.

Anyway. Well, I mean, you well, mate, you don't know how you should ever go. I mean, I mean, mate, but I mean, geez, I tell you what, that's a quit your jobs. Let's go fishing every day for 3 months and we're going to make, we're going to become millionaires.

I mean, that's a, gee, that's a stress. That is a, that's confidence. It's confidence, Watty. Stretch, mate.

I mean, it's a good way to turn fishing into from something that you really enjoy to work and putting a bit of pressure on the job a bit, isn't it? when you're sort of trying to justify it to the family each night when you come home and you still haven't got the one with the money attached to it. But yeah, everyone makes these choices.

Anyone want that last baked bean? Pass it over here, will you? Mate, you were out on the boat fishing last week when we got hold of you. How did you go?

Yeah, we actually had some really unique and memorable experiences last week. We got out around the islands, like, I think I was chatting to you, uh, maybe it was a day after that, we had a, a, um, an amazing session out on some sandbars as the tides dropped out and uh, and actually jump off the boat and wade around in some really nice clean water, catching um, Trevelyan queenfish and a, and a very unique and special catch, which not many people probably have heard of, the, the giant herring. And we found a school of those and y- you know, they're another sort of a great sport fish, a bit like the milk fish where, um, you know, no good to eat, but they, um, they fight hard and they jump and they take big runs, especially on fly tackle like we were using that day. So, yeah, that was a pretty special one for um, for Alex and Kathy.

So I was glad to be part of that. Yeah, and what about, and obviously, you were staying out there at the campground at Dundee. Mate, how was... I mean, I bet you're trying, you were trying to catch a tag fish to probably pay your bill, your tab when you left there, wouldn't I?

I mean, that would have been big, wouldn't it? Yeah. It's not a bad way to go. I suppose I just give the fish straight to Popey be on the bar and he can just rack it up for me. I might do that if I ever get lucky.

Take that off me tap, Popey. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a pretty special place to stay, as you know. So, yeah, fortunate.

I'll get to be out there for a few more weeks yet too. So that's that's good. So you're heading back out there? Yeah, back out there.

Actually, our next trip is a few days of barrow fishing in the billabongs and freshwater sections of the rivers in Kakadu. Uh which will be really great. And then, yeah, from there, we're back out Dundee for the rest of the year, right through till the end of November. So, it's, it's, um, it's only going to get better and better with the weather, sort of dropping out into those real um, glass air conditions that we get during the late buildup and uh, um, some really nice afternoon storms which we've already had a few of.

So, yeah, it's um, it's a good time to be up here for sure. When you're fishing now, because I mean, obviously people, you know, the majority of people down south will head up there during the year, you know, in that little, in the wintertime, with, with, with the buildup now and the storms, what does that do for the fishing? Because it'd be, well, is it, is it completely different now? Uh, yeah, it's significantly different. You need to plan around sort of expecting perhaps some rain or stormy conditions later in the day.

So that can affect um where you go and how safely you're going to do it. So that's, that's an important part of it. But from purely from the fishing point of view. Uh, you know, we've had a fair bit of early rain.

So that's going to get the jelly prawns up in the harbours all breeding up and starting to move again. So, I'm really expecting to see heaps of accent on jelly prawns next trip, and that's when it does change around a lot where, um, you know, when the barra and threadies and stuff are really focussed on that really tiny bait, they, they get a bit tricky to catch with, sort of our traditional method. So you've got to think outside the square a bit and try to do a few different things. So, yeah, it certainly changes the way that we plan our days weather wise and also fishing wise.

And what about the species? You go for your target different species when the different times of the year there. Yeah, well, it gives us an opportunity, like I mentioned earlier, um, to get out onto some, some of these sandbars and perhaps other areas where the wind drew in the dry season, um, was predominantly from the southeast. Uh, whereas this time of year, it's perhaps more from the west and the north, so, it gives us an opportunity now to fish on the opposite side of islands, I suppose, and and then when you get those glass off periods in the middle of the day, to be out in more exposed areas that, um, you know, when there is any wind, can be tricky to fish. So, yeah, it means that we can start fishing some really different spots than we perhaps would have even a month ago.

Good stuff, mate. All right. Well, it all sounds like it's happening up there as the buildup continues and for the big wet, but geez, you've got some good fishing adventures ahead of you, mate. Hopefully we can jag you each week and find out how all that's going, mate.

So happy days. And mate, well, I'm tipping this, what, say, this week and weekend. You're just out trying to get that millionnaire. Just stop what you're doing. Close down. Toss your business in and get out there and have a go.

Yeah, just chuck it all in and go fishing every day. Well, you do anyway. Just to keep doing it the way I'm doing it, I reckon. You are doing it anyway. All right, mate.

Well done, Watty. And mate, we'll let you go and but mate, good luck with all of that. I'm glad you survived Dundee, and obviously plenty of tag fish up there for you to make your fortune. Say g'day to while, mate, in the bottle, 0 for us, will you, when you're going in to get a can later?

I'll do that. I'll go and check if you're still there. purely, purely for the show. Of course, mate.

Take one for the team. Okay? That's right That's how we roll around here, isn't it?

I get a box of cans. All right. There he is. That's our man, Watty.

And he is the man up there. And look, if you want to go up and look, how good would that, you know, I'm not sure how long he was at Dundee. It was a few days. I mean, always a week or something, and these trips out to Kakadu.

If you want to get up there and experience that sort of a lifestyle, not only the fishing, the fishing's one part of it, which a big part of it. But the lifestyle and just camped at Dundee. I mean, we should get paper on the radio. We had him on a couple of years ago, we should get Popey back on, actually, find out how he does put up with Watty, but what else goes on up there?

It's a great pub and a great location. Dundee Beach up there. I love it there. Oh, you've been there once.

I thought, mate, why didn't they come here before? Might even try to get back there next year, but let me tell you, if you want to get up there and have that weak experience of camping out in the campground or in the cabins or, you know, and going out on the water and coming back and having a feed at the pub in a cold one. Well, you need to get onto what? Barefoot Fishing Safaris.

Go onto that. Barefoot Fishing Safaris. Check out the website, check out the social media pages, and you could be fishing in Kakadu on these fish camps, or camped up there at Dundee, and not only enjoying some fishing, but he actually enjoying that Top End lifestyle, which I'm a massive advocate for. I'd love it.

And you'll love it too. So you need to get onto Watty. He can show you around. He showed us around up there.

Barefoot Fishing Safaris. If you want to go to the next level, well, you need to check out angling adventures, which, of course, is also what he and his brothers. They need to check all of that out. Barefoot Fishing Safaris in the top in.

Good man, Watty, and how good would it be? Camped out there at Dundee for a few days with Watty, going out fishing, coming back, hanging around, and just enjoying that laid-back lifestyle that the Top End has to offer. Jeez, I'll tell you what, it's the last frontier, let me tell you. Anyway, Barefoot Fishing Safaris book your spot now.