Sorry to anyone who may have been attempting to follow this blog. I have had some internet access problems of late and, to be honest, have been working so much that my fishing time has been scarce.
Hence so little movement of words in this here internets space!
I'll soon start uploading all my older NT News articles, with some in an expanded form, as well as contributing a few more philosophical takes on why angling has so many of us obsessed.
Recently my favourite thing to do, fishing-wise of course, has been wading the shallows of Darwin beaches in search of small pelagics. I discovered this quite by surprise. I had seen schools of immature queenfish before when stalking whiting, but had not targeted them. This all changed recently thanks to one of those discoveries angling thrives upon: a happy accident.
I was searching for small barra around the base of a local boat ramp when i saw the easily recognisable, frenetic trajectory of some small pelagic species circling my popper. A few had a brash snap at it to no avail. I put on a larger ITO Craft Emishi - a sinking Japanese trout lure, beautifully designed, built for a fast retrieve.
After a few casts I was solidly hooked. Following a dignified battle against my Megabass Kirisame and little Shimano Vanquish with 10lb braid, i soon set the fish grips around the dangerous lips of a 50cm barracuda. I have hooked a few of these on ITO craft lures lately, with single hooks attached. Now this barracuda is not the discovery. Rather, it was where it was hanging around: a few submerged rocks on sand-flats. When the tide is at a certain height, wash gathers around the top of these rocks with each passing wave. Golden trevally and GTs especially have a fondness for rocks with wash. Suddenly these small outposts of reef on sand became pelagic venues in miniature.
When I next visited the same location, first using 3lb nylon straight through to the hook, i put a tiny sprat imitation on about a size 6 jighead and cast at these rocks wherever I saw some wash emerging at their tops. These lures had brought me success with trevally in Borneo, and soon I was solidly hooked onto a little golden trevally, with several following its fight. Great fun on light tackle, and all a 10 minute stroll from my home!
After several of these, i sight cast at some flashes in only a few inches of water and hooked a baby queenfish.
The problem with this kind of fishing is the retrieve rate: i find that one has to wind maniacally with trevally over flats. The larger fish just were not impressed with the speed, despite winding my Steez as fast as was able whilst maintaining some suitable lure action. They wanted something faster! That is why i have high speed reels like the high gear Vanquish and Stella... unfortunately I brought a 1003 Luvias and 2004 Steez that day, both with standard retrieve rates
Oddly, i have found that all species of fish I target around Darwin on lures have been preferring high speed retrieves lately: not just tarpon and young giant herring, but barra, mangrove jack and, yes, even a few bream. For someone whose lure-training was largely in dialogue with the habits of Southerly bream species, this is quite counter intuitive.
I suspect it is due to there being quite a few herring around at present, a fish that is very flighty and fast for its size. Hence high speed retrieves are mimicking this harried food fish.
I've since returned again to the area, and caught another half dozen small pelagics in 45 minutes or so, as well as a few whiting and young fingermark.
I love catching any fish I can regardless of size. To be able to stroll down the street, in the midst of a busy work schedule, and catch a handful of small pelagics on light tackle... much better than an afterwork beer!
Hopefully I can again soon start working less, fishing more and working out how to catch those few larger pelagics i have seen on the flats!
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