CANADIAN FISHING TOPEND NEED HELP

[lowded]

HELLO EVERYONE,
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
THANKS IN ADVANCE
HAVE A GOOD DAY EH!

[thumps]

mate

good to see your getting around and having fun with the swoffer

most of the areas that you want to fish DO have a croc population....probably no way your going to get around that unless you get into a boat.

if its not the crocs...its the sharks...and if its not the sharks..then it the jellyfish that can kill you.

best piece of advise.....dont get lazy with being cautious.
always be alert..and generally you wont have a problem...try to have 4 sets of eyes

the best way to find out where you might get lucky...is to talk to the local tackle shop guys when you get here..(in the area your fishing)

as i know it..there isnt a dry fly option here....but maybe if you really wanted a challenge you could have a go at the archer fish...or the Saratoga in the freshwater.

there are no trout up this way....too bloody hot for them...( i miss my trout fishing...i'm originally from Tasmania)

i have my 6-7 loomis here with me...but as yet havent managed to get it wet...due to several factors..but have talked to many other swoffers...and they seem to do ok on the local mackeral and trevally populations

have a great trip

[borisdog]

I'd leave the 4 at home. There'd probably be a use for the 6 but most commonly 8 & 10. Dry fly opportunities do exist but think more along the line of surface flies - Dahlbergs/popper flies and such for the surface and standard clouser type flies with various weights for sub-surface. Pretty much all species common in the North will eat them. Hooks from about size 2 up to 4/0 or even 6/0 for the 10 wt. Time of the year will be pretty important as from about now until March it's very wet up here and most places will be pretty flooded. As for the crocs - just keep your eyes open and trust your instincts, if something feels a bit odd it's time to go. Mostly not an issue in the more populated areas. Many species to choose from and many places to fish although 6 weeks will seem short. Enjoy.

[ancienttinnie]

Somewhere you should be able to get hold of a copy on video, of lefty Krey and Rod Harrison fishing the top end, it was Lefty Krey's first trip to the top end it could prove highly educational. He was astounded at the power and diversity of fish avaialble to fly and gives pretty good descriptions of flies and weight of rods that were used. I would suggest that the 8wt would be about the starting point and use the 10 wt most of the time. You might also want to give some thought to tropical fly lines as they are designed to perform better in warm water and weather contions. Some of the colder fly lines can become sticky if subjected to high temperatures. A clear sinking line about intermediate and a floater would be the most suitable and make sure you have plenty of backing some of our fish are capable of some impressive runs on fly. Flie patterns would include clousers, deceivers, crazy charlie patterns, dalbergs sliders, mouse patterns if chasong saratoga, shrimp patterns and in larger sizes say no.2 up to 5/0 or 6/0. There are a few local flies such as gold bomber flies, pink - red - green and yellow things, cockroaches etc that work well on local species, they come weighted and unweighted. Colours white, silvery pinks chartruese blue red. Some of the beaches on the west side of Cape York can provide excellent sight fishing to many different species, barra, trevally, permit, queen fish, are some of the more common. There is a bonefish population thinly spread around also. A good rule to go by is if you cannot see your feet the water is too deep, in the tropics sharks are a bigger worry than crocs sometimes also jelly fish it is better not to get in the water. Best suggsetion spend some money on a guide there are afew that specialise in fly!

[Barra_Cam]

Lowded you are in an envious position. You are covering an area loaded with some of the hottest fly options ever. All jokes aside the boys aren't joking about the crocs and sharks etc. I,ve seen some s@#t that would make you're toes curl, and you'd probably never go near the water again. But a sensible attitude will see you threw! There are dry fly options in northern creeks and billabongs,in WA. Anything that looks like a frog,lizard,grasshopper,dragon fly or big ass fly will do. In these areas you can target Barra,longtom,Sooty grunter archer fish,XOS bony herring,Spangled perch ,massive catfish and mini tarpon. All good fun!! The list for salt water species is far too long to mention and they are all huge and would probably make short work of anything less than a 8/9 weight. There are easily acessible creeks etc in and around Kununurra w.a. and I have friends there to get you onto the fish. Guides are good but finding the fish yourself is the sweetest thing. Have a look at Exmouth W.a. It is a phenomenal saltwater flats fishing heaven. Sight fishing for everything from cobia to permit. Well over 1500 species in the area. Are you driving?

[lowded]

Barra_cam
Thx for getting to me I am interested in getting in with someone you know. I want to tour the Broome area and will be in the neck where your friends are. Would love to get the real Oz innitiation to the topend. Sry its taken me so long to respond but now the time is near and Im getting into the trip!! If anyone knows anyone up in the Broome-Darwin-Cairns area who would like to see a Canuk get red from sun Id love to here it. Im bringing a 10&8wt with some of the flys suggested. thanks for all the help guys and cant wait to get there. 19 more days I need to hit the tanning bed. Do you know what that is?? Also I did some ice fishing here a couple of days ago some brook and rainbow trout. Walking on water just like Jesus!! No offence please. LOL
lowded

[catchy_fishy]

if you haven't already read through this, try reading through the answers to this post - very useful info on local fly target species

Catchy Fishy

[pmartyna]

G'Day Mate (or How ya doin eh?),

Gotta say, you lucky bugger! Its been 13 years since I left Canada, and I still haven't wet a line in the areas you are going to hit. (though I've stretched some in quite a few other places).

This is definately different to presenting size 18 dries to cutthroats and brookies in the mountains.

If I was you I would be down the park throwing that 10 weight with a large popper as often as you can before you come. Fishing a 10 all day and muscleing out long casts with big flies when the fish are busting up the servie is adrenaline pumping, hard work.... and you don't want to end up with casters elbow so bad you can't throw a fly. (It was worth it for the trevally, but it still hurts when it rains )

The above posts have good advice. i would re-iterate that a tropical line is important. Northern hemisphere lines tend to get very limp in the heat and humidity causing them to tangle and knot very easily. It can become a bigger casting impediment than my clumsy size 12s when I use my old Canadian lines.

I would also pack some small blonde style flies and sparse clousers and 1/2 and 1/2s for chasing the fussier tuna and macks.

If you are going to do any wading a good pair of wading/diving boots are also worth their weight in gold.

If you haven't read Lefty's "Flyfishing in Saltwater" hit the library or Amazon because it is a bible.

Where in the great White North are you from? I grew up in Lethbridge AB.

Good luck on your trip and try not to be crock/shark bait....

Cheers,