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Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:32 PM
Hi All,

Had the opportunity to head to NT for the week-end! Left Thursday night and flew back to Brisbane this morning :(

Decided to take the laid back option and spend Sat-Sun on a House Boat on the Corroboree Billabong and Mary River. ;D
Went with Mary River house boats [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] Nobby was a really helpfull and friendly bloke who keeps his boats in a good condition and really clean. Cost us $569 including fuel, and the local favourite lure (Reidy's Little Lucifier). Which was great value when a days fishing with a local guide will cost you $240 per person/day, depending who you go with. Was keen to relax so the House boats was the go. Spend most of the time trolling lazily along and caught a few fish along the way! Bagged 2 Tarpon, 2 Saratoga a first for both Ange and I :D and got my first NT Barra at 67cm. Of course the catfish were plentiful with about 10 caught.

Have got to go back too work now so I'll cut it short.

Regards Richo

PS: heaps of crocs!

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:33 PM
Ange's Toga

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:33 PM
Toga close up!

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:34 PM
Toga

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:34 PM
The view along the way

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:35 PM
Big saltie

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:36 PM
Barra! :D

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:36 PM
Views!

Richo1
21-08-2006, 12:40 PM
Found the Guide's to be nasty! Many would pass you at full speed with in 2-5m of you! 2 did it at 0530 in the morning while we were anchored up against the river bank! Made the some of the Goldcoast Boaties look good >:( >:(
So I gave them the catfish curse! Which got me too!

Canoedle
21-08-2006, 09:47 PM
Love that pic of the toga mate, what an awesome looking fish!

Toppy
22-08-2006, 07:19 PM
Nice little break up there for a few days.
How were the mossies at night?
& how long did it take from Darwin Airport to go there?
I'm always looking for short escapes with adventure!....
Thanks for sharing Richo.
Cheers
Toppy

Richo1
22-08-2006, 11:18 PM
Took about an hour an a half to get there. Can get some good deals with the Airlines if you don't mind arriving and leaving in the middle of the night. Mossies weren't bad at all, Ange is pretty sensitive to the bugs and came home with one bite! The house boat was fully screened, added with some spray did the trick. After dark the insects were really thick but not many of the biting kind. Mind you we didn't venture outside much that night! With so many crocs around after a few casts of some fissers and surecatch frogs, resorted back inside for a few more beverages and called it quits.

The back deck, shown below, had shade cloth screens which folded down to keep out the bugs after dark.

Toppy
23-08-2006, 07:36 AM
That sounds excellant, did they give you a tender to fish from & if they did was it decked out with a sounder.
Thanks Richo, I apreciate the extra details in case I go there.
Cheers
Toppy

Richo1
23-08-2006, 08:14 AM
No Toppy, a tender was an extra $90 per day, which was the discounted rate because we already had a houseboat. Was really keen to relax and not fish too hard(very hard for me) so didn't worry about the tender. If there had of been more than 3 of us I would have taken the tender option. No sounders in the boats, when asked about sounders he pointed to a mask and snorkel pinned to the wall ;D said he could sell it too me cheap!

Mary River House boats 08 89788925
This photo shows a boat almost the same as ours except, we had the deck at the back which was better for trolling. Had one 40 Yamaha 4 stroke on the back, which used about 17litres for the 2 days. We never really went much over idle the whole time. Just enough revs to stop the boat rattles.

Toppy
23-08-2006, 08:37 PM
;DCool, thanks heaps for the tip on the sounder......wont be buying one of those from him.
Looks like you had a good time & probably racked up a few brownie points not fishing as much.
That will pay off when you really need it ;)
Cheers
Paul

gregdeeth
24-08-2006, 11:37 AM
looks like a fabulous holiday

Richo1
24-08-2006, 12:51 PM
Yeap, only next time will spend to weeks up there. 8-)

kingfisho
15-09-2006, 04:47 PM
Great looking country some nice pics and fish well done
Cheers