If anyone has any suggestions for charters in Darwin that would be great too.
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

Easiest bet if you in the city to head down to Stoke hill wharf.

Fairly large fishing platform down there.

You could also take the ferry over and fish the jetty at Mandorah.

If you have a day, try and get out to Dundee beach fishing was great there, though its been 8 yrs since I lived up there.

I dont know any charters running out of Darwin.

I have read that you can get some pretty big fish off those wharves. You seem to have travelled a bit Neander.
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

Colin, my experience is pretty dated - about 15 years dated actually. I would expect there are charters and there are some good fly in fishing camps i have heard about. If you are there at the end of the dry - fish the ocean or flowing rivers as the Barra taste a lot like pond sludge when they come out of the billabongs like Corroboree out on the Mary River. You can drive to a lot of good spots like the Daly or Cahills Crossing on day trips. As i say, depends on the time of year - try emailing one of the local tackle shops or the fishing writer at the NT News - it was a windbag named Alex something Opolis when i was there but he was local, knew his stuff and is probably still there. If you have any problems with contacting someone - let me know as a mate has just come back to WA after 20 years up there and i can get him to pass on some names.

Cheers, Ian 

I will be pretty much based in Darwin, so charter wise I will probably looking at a day offshore charter or two.
Good idea about the NT news. I will look it up.
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

Not a lot of Traveling Colin but did go on a on a 6 month trip to Darwin to visit a mate.

I stopped overnight in Broome and left 4 yrs later.

Left Broome for Darwin and stopped in Kunnunurra for a few days to visit another mate.

2nd day there picked up a job fly in and fly out to Oombulgarri mission. What a river the Forrest river is for Barra fishing. A few of us went fishing nightly and would always come back with a few big barra.

Made it to Darwin, the mate I went up to visit had left town 2 yrs before, never got to catch up with him again 8)

Spent a few years in Darwin before I had to come back to Perht.

Was a great 6 months trip ;)

Broome got my into fishing, some bloody big fish up there.

Not sure if I would invite you over for dinner. You might still be there six months later. (only joking).
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

What time of the year Col? It makes a big difference.

The information centre in Darwin has a great list of charters to go on and there are a few that leave Stokes Hill Wharf so easy to jump on\off.

There also used to be a charter, around $200 bucks for the day, that flew you out to one of the islands off Dundee Beach to a charter boat and then fly back. Was a great day out and fantastic fishing.

As far as local goes, in the 5 years I lived there we had mixed results. Offf Stokes Wharf can be good, but make sure you go there for a meal any way. The food stalls are great.

I've also has some luck casting around the wharf preceinct, not sure if you can still walk most of the way around, but looked like you could when I was back there last year.

There is also a parking area near Casuarina beach where you can park near the water and walk the beach back across towards the hospital. Caught a few barra there over the years. Another spot worth a try is the area along Rapid Creek. If you PM me closer to the date I can give you some google spots to follow.

Plenty of other things well worth seeing that are not too far from town if you have a car as well. Berry Springs for a swim, the wildlife park, Litchfield. Worth the effort.

I Live in My Own Little World,
But it's OK, They Know me Here.

Proud to be Associated with:

WAFM (WA Fishing Magazine)

Ranger Boats
Proud Owner of the Ranger 188VS Intracoastal
http://www.sfba.com.au/

Here's some LB spots used to fish with mixed results:

Rapid Creek  - just up from the mouth near trower rd intersection you can park & follow the path around for a great barra spot, try top fish the bottom of the tide. You can tell if your in the right spot by looking for the scales along the bank

The mouth is also a great spot to try I've had some great results there with queenies & trevally on poppers, but never landed a barra there

Sandfly Creek - is another spot where I have managed to pull a few threadfin slamon out of as well as the occasional muddie

Stoke Hill Warf - the fishing platform has a scuttled boat within casting distance, all I ever seem to get was snags though. Used to cast out those small plastic octopus & pull along the surface for some great fun on light gear with the tarpon at night

There is a floating pontoon I used to fish off, casting lures & livies back towards the tram eatery, landed heaps of barra out of there but i think that land has been reclaimed

sandgroves creek - lots of barra, salmon, queenies & trevally caught off the boat ramp, I remember one weekend casting the net for livies & pulled in 3 barra! cheating I know, but I'll take it LoL

They built rock groynes along here, don't know what the fishing is like along these but may be worth a cast. If start of dry season, maybe some bream?? 

The creek pushes up to Tiger Brennan Dve during spring tides & I've caught Barra & Jacks here as well as muddies 

East Pt - mixed results but used to walk around the reef near the entrance to the point & flick lures for salmon

Cullen Bay - great place for a feed, check out the male toilets in buzz cafe! but the rock walls are known to hold & attract pelagices & bream I even saw a flathead pulled in there once

Nightcliff Foreshore - my favourite sharking jetty! used to balloon out at night during full moon & falling tide. just up from the jetty is a water pipe that I've caught queenies around

Mandorah Jetty - only fished here for sharks & squid (hundreds of squid at right time of year) but sure it holds other species 

Shady Camp Barrage - barra heaven, but watch out for snapping handbags! 

Casino Beach - once you've checked out the markets, we used to catch salmon on this beach as well as whiting. There's a creek that pushes into the golf course & fills the water hazards, I know people have had success here but I never fished there myself

Between the casino fannie bay there is a tidal fed lake that I have caught land locked barra out of when trying to learn to fly (not on fly, heard the tell tale bloops & switched to poppers)

That's all I can think of, pm me if any questions 

***Don't exceed the bag limit....Leave the mother-in-law at home***

I will be heading there late May/Early June Bear. I think I might book myself in for an extra week with all of the options you guys have given me. Many, many thanks, the info is greatly appreciated.
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

Great time of the year Colin. Dry season opens up the city with Mindil Markets a must of Thursday or Sunday ngihts. Great place for a meal or a few pressies for the family. Parap markets on the weekend is worth going as well. mmmmm, mango thickshakes :-)

As I posted, when you get closer to the date I'll line up some info for you.

I Live in My Own Little World,
But it's OK, They Know me Here.

Proud to be Associated with:

WAFM (WA Fishing Magazine)

Ranger Boats
Proud Owner of the Ranger 188VS Intracoastal
http://www.sfba.com.au/

I have to make my bookings early as there are 300 odd people coming in for this conference and accomodation is going to be at a premium.
Now that I know that there are plenty of good shorebased options I will ask the company travel agent to extend my stay.
The tips are much appreciated.
Now I have just got to decide what fishing gear I will take with me.
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)