Fishing in Darwin is a world class angling experience.
The north coast of Australia has some of the planet's best saltwater fishing in a wild and untouched natural environment with a large number of wildlife. The pollution free, warm tropical waters and minimal commercial fishing pressure provide for quite diverse and productive fishing.
Darwin is Australia's northern capitol and today she has grown into a cosmopolitan but still unique tropical outpost populated with over one hundred thousand people. The capitol is to be found on a tiny peninsula surrounded by the vast area of Darwin harbor and manyf beautiful coastal beaches and reefs.
Seasons
There are two best times of the year to be fishing in Darwin and the Top End. The "build up" is the end of September to Christmas and at this time we see rising sea and air temperatures and increasing humidity as we build up to the beginning of the wet season. This stimulates the fish into aggressive feeding as we approach the monsoon season. The "run off" period is from the end of the wet season that may generally be at the end of March, give or take a month. The wet season rains run off the flood plains into the branches and estuaries and the barramundi and other estuary species go on a feeding frenzy in the food filled waters.
Estuary Fishing
The prime months of year to be barramundi fishing and fishing for other estuary species around Darwin and the Top End is March to May and early October to December. Barramundi are routinely found in the murkier waters of estuaries any where over Kimberley, Top End and North Queensland. They're going to travel between salt and freshwater and will normally be found close to submerged structure like overhangs, timber and rocks. Common catches are generally around 50-70cm but monsters over 1 meter are not uncommon.
The Top End shore is normally quite flat and accordingly the streams that snake across these flats are slow and winding. In the wet season the rivers break their banks and spread inundate the flood plains. As the waters recede after the wet, many pools and inland waterways are made and are filled with freshwater. These are home to Barramundi, Saratoga and Threadfin Salmon.
Reef Fishing
In and around Darwin and the Top End reef fishing is best from April to the wet season. There are many hundreds of reefs both artificial and made by nature in the coastal waters aroundDarwin. A number of marine and aviation wrecks were sunk in and around Darwin Harbour by cyclones and WW2 air raids. These will produce good catches of the valued black jewfish as well as golden snapper, cod, trevally and coral trout just just to name a few. There's a number of Darwin fishing charters accessing these areas.
Safety
In short crocodiles!!
Our reptilian friends are everywhere across the north of Australia. We won't see them but they are here watching and waiting. The bigger ones being in excess of five meters long and be quite aggressive. Yet one more very sound reason to employ a local fishing guide with the proper knowledge and gear.
knowledge, experience and equipment.
Fishing Lodges
The north coast of Australia has some of the planet's best saltwater fishing in a wild and untouched natural environment with a large number of wildlife. The pollution free, warm tropical waters and minimal commercial fishing pressure provide for quite diverse and productive fishing.
Darwin is Australia's northern capitol and today she has grown into a cosmopolitan but still unique tropical outpost populated with over one hundred thousand people. The capitol is to be found on a tiny peninsula surrounded by the vast area of Darwin harbor and manyf beautiful coastal beaches and reefs.
Seasons
There are two best times of the year to be fishing in Darwin and the Top End. The "build up" is the end of September to Christmas and at this time we see rising sea and air temperatures and increasing humidity as we build up to the beginning of the wet season. This stimulates the fish into aggressive feeding as we approach the monsoon season. The "run off" period is from the end of the wet season that may generally be at the end of March, give or take a month. The wet season rains run off the flood plains into the branches and estuaries and the barramundi and other estuary species go on a feeding frenzy in the food filled waters.
Estuary Fishing
The prime months of year to be barramundi fishing and fishing for other estuary species around Darwin and the Top End is March to May and early October to December. Barramundi are routinely found in the murkier waters of estuaries any where over Kimberley, Top End and North Queensland. They're going to travel between salt and freshwater and will normally be found close to submerged structure like overhangs, timber and rocks. Common catches are generally around 50-70cm but monsters over 1 meter are not uncommon.
The Top End shore is normally quite flat and accordingly the streams that snake across these flats are slow and winding. In the wet season the rivers break their banks and spread inundate the flood plains. As the waters recede after the wet, many pools and inland waterways are made and are filled with freshwater. These are home to Barramundi, Saratoga and Threadfin Salmon.
Reef Fishing
In and around Darwin and the Top End reef fishing is best from April to the wet season. There are many hundreds of reefs both artificial and made by nature in the coastal waters aroundDarwin. A number of marine and aviation wrecks were sunk in and around Darwin Harbour by cyclones and WW2 air raids. These will produce good catches of the valued black jewfish as well as golden snapper, cod, trevally and coral trout just just to name a few. There's a number of Darwin fishing charters accessing these areas.
Safety
In short crocodiles!!
Our reptilian friends are everywhere across the north of Australia. We won't see them but they are here watching and waiting. The bigger ones being in excess of five meters long and be quite aggressive. Yet one more very sound reason to employ a local fishing guide with the proper knowledge and gear.
knowledge, experience and equipment.
Fishing Lodges
About the Author:
Paul Collery is a fishing fan, and travel writer based in Australia who has fished in many locations around the globe. He runs a company called Sports Fishing Adventures that is focused on guided Barramundi fishing safaris and other fishing adventures to unique and remote locations around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
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