I had the chance to take off after work on Saturday to meet up with other friends from the community to camp over night at a place called Nardirri.
This is an outstation, that even thought has been abandoned, is located at the mouth of the Moyle River.
We camped on the beach and set up to fish for that afternoon and and next day. I am always nervous driving on the beach after what happened last time but no issues this time. The tide movement is about 5.5 metres so a lot of water moves between the tides.
Unfortunately the tides were not the best as dead low is the ideal fishing time as the Barra sit in the run out tide waiting for the bait fish, but we tried. I took out a local store worker who had never been there and he appreciated the opportunity.
We fished all Sat afternoon but we were only catching catfish and sharks. The next morning the tide was high and we continued the hard task of fishing. We had plenty of live bait and as the tide dropped the catfish kept biting.
Then the Barra hit but not on my line. I was 50 metres from my fellow fisherman and he was catching the Barra and I was catching the catfish. Then as I had my rod in a metal rod holder it fell over and the rod was being taken along the sand. As I was about 50 feet from it I had to run quickly to grab it as it was being dragged down the beach towards the water. Bloody nearly had a heart attack running that quick to grab it with my hopes that it was a massive Barra, finally.
I grabbed the rod as it was about to enter the water and started winding it in. It was big and pulling hard, you beauty, I am onto a monster. Kept playing it and I thought this does not feel like a big Barra. After 20 minutes I bought it up close. Well bugger me it was a 6 foot shark that I could not recognise. I asked my fellow worker to come over and he nearly crapped himself. Shark he said, no Shite I said. I tried to get numerous pics but a little hard and this is the best I got. It's tail had been bitten previously by either another shark or one of the many big crocs in the area.
After cutting the line to let the shark go we decided to pack up and head home. My worker caught 3 Barra. The best time is to fish at low tide but then you have to walk and fish in the mud. Now this is fun as there are some sharp broken shells in this mud and I am typing this with cuts to my feet from the joy of walking in the mud. Who said fisherman don't go the next level to catch fish. This is the mud, which if you slip being close to the edge, you are in the water with the crocs who are also trying to catch the Barra you are.
Even though we left with only 3 Barra it is still a great place to relax and fish. The bonus is that it's only about an hour and a half drive from Peppimenarti.
Mark
