BARRA fishing is picking up, with good fish caught in the fresh and salt. Early this year it seemed like all the barra in the ‘bongs were rats.

But now there are 70s and 80s being reported.

The harbour is producing good legal barra and Shoal Bay is producing some crackers.

Meanwhile, the crazy run of queenfish off East Point continues, mixed in with a few longtail tuna and mackerel.

And the great jewie run continues.

For landbased fishos, look no further than Nightcliff jetty or the East Point rocks for queenfish, trevally and mackerel.

In reports, Tackle World’s Shane Compain said the weather had been mixed, but with a good calm spell during the week.

“We fished some Kakadu billabongs recently and it was good,” he said.

“We ended up with seven over 80cm, and five or six over 70, when normally we get lots of rats. It was a very good night.

“We were trolling large soft plastics to start with and then we went to five-inch rubbers and Bazza Baits and the like.

“The bright moon was up all night, we found that from about 8pm to 9pm they were aggressive and then they went down deeper and were quieter, so we downsized and they kept hitting our lures.

“We fished the harbour on Tuesday night and picked up seven barra, and dropped a dozen.

“They really fired.

“We fished unweighed soft plastics first and then Tango dancers and walk-the-dog lures on the flats and it was a great session.

“The big fish were to 77cm and the rest were 60s and 50s, good legal fish.

“People are starting to catch them in the harbour, it is picking up.

“There’s been a slight change in temperature this week, not much but maybe enough to trigger them.

“In the bluewater the charter boat has been getting plenty of fish.

“We did an early trip out to the very wide shoals while the weather was glass and there were heaps of fish caught, it was the first time we have gone wide at this time of year.

“We only go if the weather allows us to sneak out there.

“I also did the deckie spot two weeks ago and we got a heap of macks just off Charles Point.”

Fishing and Outdoor World’s George Voukolos Sr said East Point and Lee Point had been producing loads of big queenfish.

“They are getting them from boats, there are heaps of fish in the schools,” he said.

“Casting small chromies is the way to go.

“There’s a few tuna around as well.

“Jewfish are doing well at the usual spots.

“There’s been a heap of mackerel at the drilling rig, people will be sad to see that platform go.

“Dundee Wide has been good because it has been calm most of the week and people have been getting red emperor and goldies.

“They are catching barra in the Shady Camp fresh and at Corroboree.

“The Daly River has been fishing well at night.

“It hasn’t been all that cold lately and there hasn’t been much wind, which is good for barra.

“West Arm has been the place for harbour barra and Bynoe Harbour has also been good.

“Out remote, there’s been people reporting loads of big queenfish and trevally from around Wiligi Outstation, and some goldies too.”

Craig’s Fishing Warehouse’s Mal Strong said there were big barra taken at King Creek and Meckit Creek.

“There’s been fish to 105 out there, and caught on lures too,” he said.

“The Stena Clyde has been such a good spot for fishing, Darwin should put one out there permanently.

“Elsewhere, there have been plenty of mud crabs at Shoal Bay and West Arm.

“The big Finniss River has been producing barra off the bank with livies and there have been some nice barra trolled up on the second rockbar.

“There’s been mackerel at the Peron Islands, including one 136cm fish.

“They have been getting big GTs, queenfish and mackerel off Nightcliff jetty lately as there have been big schools of sards hanging around, bringing the fish in.

“A mate got a 15kg cobia just off East Point, he found a nice lump on the bottom and jigged it.

“There’s still longtail tuna getting around off Lee Point and the Six Mile.

“All the billabongs are fishing well for barra.

“Cahills Crossing on the East Alligator River has produced barra to 96cm.

“Word is that Pococks Beach out at Kakadu NP will be open in a week’s time when the road is finally tidied up.

“Bynoe Harbour has been good with jewfish on the jetty wreck.

“The billabongs have been really good lately, with lots of barra caught.”

Meanwhile the Stena Clyde drilling rig left Darwin waters on Tuesday.

Tears will flow as this has been a red hot spot for trailerboaters, producing loads of big spanish mackerel, even at night, as well as queenfish, trevally and even a few reef fish.