Well its our first day off on our four day break, so its fishing time!

Very  quickly launched the boat at 0700, when we saw a 3m croc sink under the water 20m out from the boat ramp. Headed out under the shiploading wharf where we were greeted by another bigger croc, gliding thru the water.

Our destination was the Walker River 40 miles away from Groote Eylandt over on the main land. Pushing into the current and a slight north easter, we first stopped at a rock bar, where some big barra had been taken recently. Armed with my new bait caster, we began peppering out lures around the front of the rock bar. On my 3rd cast i was on, quick run and then the mighty jump of the barra got me all excited. It was a good size around the 80 mark, so i had to get this bloody fish in. It headed back for the rocks, i managed to turn him...but then the line went slack, i had lost him. With some encouragement from my mate, telling me "every ten you hook, you might land 2" i was starting to feel a little better. But i couldnt help but wonder, if i had just blown my chance for this trip. After another hour we had only landed a few small ones in the 60s, so it was time to get out of there.

We headed straight for the walker river then, and hoping we could find some more action.

 First stop was a run off about 3 mile up the river. We anchored up and began tossing lures. My mate landed a couple of fish in the high 60s, but after 30 mins the water went quiet. But before we took off, we had to retreive a couple of lures off some mangrove roots, that Wade had accidently left there. We then heade further up the river. There was buffalo everywhere, and heaps of wildlife. We made it up to the rock bar, where once again, we anchored and started fishing. It was very dead there, with no teltale barra "boofs" in the water. The sun and humidity by this time where getting quite extreme, so it was time for a beer and some trawling. We headed back to the mouth of the river, and began to trawl our lures along the side of the sand bar as it turns into mangroves. It wasnt long until i had a hit, and landed my first fish at 70cm. The place had began to fire, and in the next hour be hooked about 10 fish, with my biggest coming in at 72cm.

The sun was starting to fall so it was time to anchor up for the night. We enjoyed an evening of beer, chops and Dire straits on the boom box. While in the background the flash of storms, gave us something to admire. We hooked up our 12 volt fans to keep us a little cooler, and hit the swags for a great nights sleep, bobbing around in the ocean.

We awoke to calm conditions and as the sun was rising we began to get the lures out the back of the boat once again. Since my pink and yellow halco scorpion, did the damage yesterday, i decided to dust him off once more.

We hooked 4 good fish in three passes, but all still around the 70 cm mark. We then decided to start heading back home, to beat the wind, as if the nor easter kicks in, she gets very messy in these parts. We stopped at one of my mates prize goldie spots on the way home at the top of Bikerton Island. Fishing in only 5m of water, hooking up to 70 cm goldies, sure is fun.

We then headed further south, and was slowly making our way home, while taking in some of the veiws of the sandy islands. This one Woody Island caught my eye i think i could just live there for a while.

Home by 10 am as the wind just started to pick up. I had a great first time fishing for Barra, now i know why people get hooked!